Property owners and managers have much to worry about and balance! Insurance claims should not be one more thing on the list to cause additional stress but should be settled fairly, efficiently, and according to policy. Below are three areas of misconduct that have been done by insurance companies against business property claims and how to avoid them.
Please note that ‘public adjusters’, such as our licensed and experienced team at Morgan Elite Specialist Services, work solely on behalf of policyholders. ‘Insurance adjusters’ work for insurance companies.
- Requests to file different claims: Be wary of insurance adjusters who try to persuade policy holders into filing a claim for reasons other than the original statement. For instance, we experienced an insurance adjuster who adamantly suggested that a policyholder file a claim for vandalism with absolutely no proof of such a cause. The original claim was due to hail and wind damage.
- Request to file multiple claims: While sometimes necessary, some insurance companies and adjusters are using this method as another reason to defer their contractual obligations. If damage to property is a result of only one policy covered incident, do not agree to file two separate claims at the insistence of an insurance adjuster. It is always best to consult with a public adjuster on the necessity of these requests! Two claims are not commonly required and once agreed upon, require policyholders to pay double deductibles which often leaves scarce money for repairs.
- Underestimating cost: Unfortunately, some insurance companies and adjusters will lowball their estimates with rates that do not mirror current market price for materials or labor. Make sure to get multiple estimates from different contractors or specialists in order to get a fair median price that can logically be agreed upon.
These actual examples greatly influenced policy holders to contact Morgan Elite Specialist Services and acquire our assistance. We understand that many insurance agents, adjusters, and companies are ethical and do not behave in such a manner. We also know, however, that these situations can and do happen and there is help!
Our knowledgeable public adjusters always work on behalf of policy holders and have their best interests at heart. Please contact us with any questions you may have and free consultations and inspections are offered!
