Dealing with Adjusters (written by Dennis Klager)This is kind of long but well worth it.
When I teach Water Restoration Technician classes, the thing I hear often is, “adjusters around here will never pay for that.” I get agitated every time I hear this!
Here are a few facts:
It’s not the adjusters’ flood job, it’s yours. YOU are responsible for the results of that job, NOT THE ADJUSTER. The work order that was signed has YOUR COMPANIES’ name on it, not the insurance company.
YOU are going to court if something goes wrong and the homeowner decides to sue, NOT THE ADJUSTER, even though the adjuster may have told you they wouldn’t pay for a particular procedure that might have prevented this situation.
YOU are the flood professional that the homeowner hired to do the job, NOT THE ADJUSTER.
The way this whole thing was supposed to happen was, THE ADJUSTER; the representative of the insurance company, pays the bill on behalf of the customer, who has been paying premiums for the privilege of having the insurance company pay for possible disasters. The customer pays the insurance premiums and the adjuster interprets the policy and pays the bills. YOU DO THE WORK.
ADJUSTERS are not supposed to be your job coordinator, YOU ARE.
ADJUSTERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO QUESTION EVERYTHING YOU DO and how much you are charging. That’s their job..
It is your job to take professional action, charge a fair price and QUALIFY your actions to the adjuster, when they ask.
Adjusters are people, with feelings, who have a boss looking over one shoulder and the homeowner looking over the other WHILE THEY ARE SQUEEZED IN THE MIDDLE. ……..Then they must deal with the flood contractor.
UNFORTUNATELY, adjusters deal with more people who call themselves “professionals” who are really amateurs, than anybody else. Meeting a “true” flood professional has become the exception, not the rule.
MANY ADJUSTERS SEE THE FLOOD CONTRACTOR AS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM, ON THE JOB, NOT THE FLOOD!
HOW SAD!
When they meet you for the 1st time they figure, “Here’s another one I have to deal with.”
Is it any wonder that they have tried to take over our responsibilities and dictate what should be done and how much they will pay for it?
This is a major reason that Insurance Companies have gone to franchise operations. They know what to expect from them and what they will charge for it.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU MUST DO
1. Get educated. No longer can a carpet cleaner suck up some water, leave a few air movers and dehumidifiers for a few days and get paid. It’s gone waaaaay beyond that. This business has gotten technical and there is demand for real professionals.
Professionals will be getting the flood work.
2. Expect to be questioned and have answers.
e.g.
a) “Why do you have 3 dehumidifiers in here rather than 2?”
Do you have the scientific answer?
b) “Why should I pay for this TES machine instead of air movers and dehumidifiers and why does it cost so much?”
Do you have the answer?
You must learn the facts and memorize an easily understood presentation.
An adjuster I talked to recently, told me, “If I’m going to pay for something and I don’t even know what it is, I want to know, what is it and why should I pay! Many people interpret my questioning as, not wanting to pay. Just explain it to me so I understand and I probably won’t have a problem with it”
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I know what this adjuster said won’t always be the case, but the more knowledge you have, the more confidence you will have. People can tell when you know what you are doing.
You will be better equipped to play the question and answer game which, by the way, has always existed. We just have a lot of people out there who don’t know how to win at it.
Too many are just accepting what the adjuster says because they don’t know how to back up their position!
1. Get all the education you can.
2. Know your facts.
3. Do the right thing.
4. Stand up for what you know is right.
5. Don’t be afraid to qualify what you are doing and have good presentations prepared.
MAKE MONEY.
Dennis Klager
WRT Instructor
