Experience Files

"What can I do to make my company more attractive to adjusters and agents?" This is a fantastic question, demonstrating a genuine desire to build strong relationships with insurance representatives. The simplest answer is also the most impactful: don't do a lazy job that causes the repair contractor, and thus the insurance company, to incur additional costs on the back end.

You might argue, "But I don't do repairs; why should I care how I leave the project? I'm hired to dry the house out, not prep for repair." While technically true, if you want that adjuster and agent to refer you in the future, you simply cannot leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Here's how to elevate your game and become the preferred mitigation company:

Precision in Demolition

When performing flood cuts and other demolition, precision is paramount:

• Consistent Cuts: Whether you're cutting below the baseboard, at 12 ½", 24 ½", or along the 48" tape seam, always use a Kett saw or an Oscillating tool along a measured and snapped chalk line. Uneven or jagged cuts will force the insurance company to pay the repair contractor extra to cut a straighter line. This is an avoidable expense that reflects poorly on your work.

• Handle Corner Beads with Care: Always cut the outside corner bead with a bi-metal bit for your oscillating tool. Mangling this component often requires additional labor charges for the repair contractor to remove damaged metal and replace it, adding unnecessary cost to the claim.

• Proper Insulation Removal: When removing insulation from wall cavities, cut it cleanly with a knife; don't simply slide it out. Pulling insulation from above the flood cut will typically necessitate removing drywall much higher than the original cut, just to allow for proper reinstallation of new insulation. This expands the scope of work unnecessarily.

• Remove All Nails and Screws: This isn't just a courtesy; it's also included in your demolition line items. If you leave nails and screws behind, the repair contractor will have to remove them, incurring additional costs for the insurance company.

Smart Flooring Practices

• Remove Full Continuous Runs: When removing finish flooring, take all of the flooring for the continuous run, not just the wet sections. You will be paid appropriately for this, whereas the repair contractor will not be compensated for subsequent removal of additional flooring that should have been taken out by mitigation. This also means the insurance company pays for demo twice. Continuous runs typically go to a natural break in that flooring, whether it's a door that closes, a different floorcovering, or transition strips.

• Precise Carpet Seam Cuts: Cut carpet seams cleanly on the scrap side of the seam. Don't just pull the seam apart or cut directly along it. You'll be better off if you cut a semi-circle from door casing to door casing on the scrap side, leaving plenty of material for the flooring installer to cut their own seam.

Sample Management: Your Secret Weapon

• Three Flooring Samples, Every Time: Always cut three samples of each flooring material – one for you, one for the insured, and one for the insurance company. Instruct your crews to never dispose of these samples (carpet, vinyl, hardwood, etc.). Redundancy is key with this issue. I've looked like a hero more than once when a client or their family absentmindedly tossed the two remaining samples. I received a frantic call from an adjuster complaining about us tossing samples, only for the conversation to shift dramatically when I offered to bring them my backup samples for ITEL testing, conditional on them agreeing to have lunch with me. This builds goodwill and trust.

There's much more to perfecting your process, but mastering these key items will significantly enhance your appeal to adjusters and agents, positioning your company as a reliable, detail-oriented partner.