When a disaster such as a fire, flood, or storm damages destroys your home, who do you call first?
If there are injuries or you smell natural gas, call 911 first. After the injured are tended to, or if no one is injured, then who do you call? It might not be who you think it is.
Who To Call First After A Home Disaster Strikes
Rosie on the House Certified Partner, Jim Kowalski of Kowalski Construction, Inc., says most people think their first call should be to their insurance company. While the insurance company can lead you through the recovery process, you, as the homeowner, need to call a restoration company first. Why?
“Because the longer the damage sits, especially water, the worse it will get and the more money it will cost to fix it,” Jim says.
You have the right and obligation to select a restoration company to start the mitigation and repair process in an effort to mitigate your damages. However, cover your bases and always refer to your insurance policy. In fact, most policies contain language that requires you to take reasonable emergency measures to protect your property from further damage. This makes sense when you consider that you, as the homeowner, want to protect your property, and your insurance company wants to limit their exposure.
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It is critical to secure the property from more damage as soon as possible. That could mean tarping the roof, pumping out standing water, or boarding the property. In the case of water damage, time is of the essence. Under the right conditions, mold can set in as quickly as 12 hours. It can quickly take over and cover an area of several square feet.
The restoration company can be a great resource in determining the cause of the damage. It may be obvious if a tree collapsed on the house, but for some perils, like flooding, it may be a little more complex. If a water line broke, then you need to find out why. The restoration company will work to assist in the investigation and document the damage in great detail, being careful not to jeopardize potential subrogation claims for the insurance company. The restoration company you choose should know how to document the damage using the same forms and terminology as the insurance company.
Call your insurance company as soon as you have the details regarding the damages and repairs. The sooner you can begin the claims process and receive the coverage to address your losses, the better off you will be.
Jim tells us that a qualified restoration company, like Kowalski, can work with the insurance company on your behalf. That is quite helpful because claims can be complicated and often involve detailed descriptions. The insurance company may send out an adjuster who will assess the damage and determine what the insurance company will pay. Having a well-educated restoration company on your side makes this process much easier.
You have options when working with a property claims adjuster. You can work with a company-appointed or a public adjuster to assist you in filing your claim. Be aware that public adjusters will charge a fee for their services which is not covered by the insurance company.
What Comes Next
Know Your Numbers. After contacting your insurance company, document everything. Take pictures of the damage and log your expenses. List the value of all lost property including jewelry, appliances, art, and other valuables. A full service restoration contractor, like Kowalski, can handle your content damages for you. If you have not yet done it, perform an inventory of your home. This inventory will be critical if a disaster strikes.
Do not throw away damaged property. Do not make any permanent repairs. Your claim could be denied if the insurance company or adjuster cannot see the extent of the damage to your property. If you make permanent repairs before the adjuster has assessed the damage, your claim could be denied.
Next comes the rebuild portion. Negotiations between you and the insurance company can be very one-sided. In addition, you may not be familiar with all the terminology.
A good restoration company will know if the itemized costs the insurance company presents are, in fact, sufficient to complete the work.
Insurance companies have standard pricing for every aspect of your restoration and reconstruction. Any company you select should know these and be prepared to negotiate.
Once the cost to repair or rebuild your home has been agreed upon, you can start the restoration process and get back to some sense of normalcy.
Hiring A Restoration Company
The contractor you hire must have considerable experience working with insurance companies. Jim tells us that many insurance companies will push their favored contractors. Take their names and add them to the list of ones to call. The most important consideration here is that the company on your project has restoration and insurance experience that will benefit you. A restoration company that knows how to work with the insurance company can serve as your liaison and prevent you from added stress.
Do your homework. Rosie’s How to Choose A Contractor Guide will provide you with the right questions to ask. Also, visit the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZROC) website. Find out how long the company has been in business and whether they are licensed, bonded, and insured. Look for complaints.
When you narrow your choices, call the companies. Does the person answering the phone take five minutes to ask about your project? Ask them if they have worked with your insurance agent or the company. Ask for references from previous customers and call them.
If your home’s damage was caused by a natural disaster that made the news, be wary of anyone who knocks on your door and offers to do your home repairs. Natural disasters can be a magnet for scam artists.
If ever you need a restoration company, you will know the steps to take and the right kind of company to call.
Review Your Insurance Policy
Standard homeowners’ insurance does not cover flood damage. However, it is available as a separate policy from the National Flood Insurance Program and takes 30 days to become effective. If your flooding was related to sewage backup, ask your insurance agent or carrier if an endorsement for sewer backup coverage was added to your homeowner’s policy. If so, your losses may be covered if the water damage was caused by sewer lines backing up through your home’s drain pipes.
The bottom line, when disaster strikes, make sure you are the one in control of the outcome.
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CONTENT PARTNER | Kowalski Construction, Inc.
Kowalski Construction‘s restoration professionals are proven experts. Our team will restore your property back to its original condition. We are a nationally recognized restoration company with 24/7 emergency services that cover everything from fire and water damage to natural disasters. Kowalski Construction:
- Rebuilds damaged structures and performs all work to be code compliant
- Manages all aspects of the job from start to finish and works directly with customers throughout the entire process to manage costs, make design selections, or changes to project scope
- Works directly with insurance & mortgage companies
PODCAST
Disaster like fire, flood or wind hits your home. Who ya gonna call first? Jim Kowalski of Kowalski Construction explains why it’s very important to have a restoration company on speed dial before you call your insurance company. You are obligated to mitigate the damage first and foremost. We discuss the best ways to pre-prepare for disaster even if you think it will never happen to you.
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