ASSURANCE CLAIM SERVICES, INC - AssuranceClaimServicesBlog

Top 5 myths of hiring a public adjuster

4/29/2022

There is so much misinformation surrounding the topic of claim filing as well as using the services of a public adjuster it's no wonder why so many homeowners are stuck with hefty repair bills after they have suffered a loss. This quick read by the owner of Assurance Claim Services, Carl Barnowski, will help to debunk some of the myths we hear every day. In addition to helping settle claims, it's also our goal to educate and prepare property owners in case they suffer a loss to avoid making costly mistakes.

Here are the top 5 reasons people don’t end up hiring a public adjuster after they have experienced some type of property damage related issue:

You do not lose your ability to be insurable when you hire a public adjuster - you are legally allowed to hire your own representation when you have an insurance claim dispute.
Public adjusters do a ton of work for YOU - We don’t just take your settlement money, we carefully build your case and represent it by ensuring you are compensated fairly. And we are motivated by that because we only get paid a percentage of what we are able to settle for.
Your rates DO NOT raise because you have hired a public adjuster - property casualty insurance is not the same as auto… …that would be like saying your rates we’re raised because you hired a lawyer.
Public adjusters do not obtain higher settlements based on fraud or made up damage - we obtain higher settlements based on facts! That are thoroughly prepared from our findings through detailed high tech inspections and policy coverage.
Not everyone has the skills to be a public adjuster - it takes years of experience with policies, property damage, construction, negotiating skills, and much more.

Call Carl Barnowski at 561-352-5960 now for your free inspection or hit the button below!

A water homeowner insurance claim that continues to get worse during the claim process.

4/21/2021

This is a good example of what happens when an insurance company fails to recognize a claim properly or in a timely manner. This home is being affected by several roof leaks which are being denied by the insurer as part of coverage. Assurance Claim Services is taking the appropriate steps to ensure that this claim is paid properly as coverage has been opened with a token payment, but isn't even close to what should be paid for damages to this home. This example is a claim that we were not involved with from day one, but as you can see from the finishing work on this property, if you knew what this homeowner was paid initially you would better understand why were asked to become involved. Assurance Claim Services specializes in helping homeowners settle claims that were either under paid or denied if we feel as though a valid claim exists. There is no charge for us to take a look and remember, we don't get paid until you do. Call us today at 561-352-5960 for our assistance. #publicadjuster #insuranceclaim #waterdamage

Assurance Claim services is with you every step of the way when tragedy strikes

4/14/2021

Assurance Claim Services makes managing catastrophic losses more manageable.

Assurance Claim Services will handle any type of claim but large and involved claims such as a house fire takes some special care and expertise. There are so many different facets of handling this type of claim, from the emotions of the homeowner who has just become homeless and lost personal belongings and/or pets to ensuring that every piece of contents that was destroyed is documented. Lastly, the obvious task of estimating the reconstruction of the home or commercial property back to it's pre-loss state. So many items to account for and to ensure those thousands of items are not only the same grade and quality, but also up to current building code. We spend hundreds of hours both on site as well as using our state of the art technology to ensure proper documentation and ultimately payment to the insured. Assurance Claim Services is the best in the business in south Florida at managing this type of claim and will step in and start coordinating immediately. Call us to day at 561-352-5960 when tragedy strikes and we look forward to going to work on your behalf.

Another happy out of state property owner!

4/7/2021

Assurance Claim Services to the rescue!

Water Damage Picture

Mold Damage

#Assurance Claim Services is a privately owned public adjusting firm where we service all of South Florida. This is a great example of a home we were in assisting a couple who lived up in New England and while their house monitor was inspecting the house found that they had incurred water damage. They immediately called Assurance Claim Services and engaged us to assist in filing their claim, documenting the loss and ensuring that they were paid properly in order to pay for the required repairs. This was a typical claim where the insurance company paid for water mitigation services and a small portion of what would end up being a rather extensive claim. This insurance claim took approximately four months from start to finish having multiple inspections and re-inspections before finally settling in full. Assurance Claim Services was with this homeowner every step of the way answering all the difficult questions and relieving this out-of-state property owner of the stress in dealing with the insurance company from a distance. Another successful settlement and another happy South Florida home owner. Call us today at 561-352-5960 for your free consultation. #mold damage #Mold Claim

Small leak leads to big problems

4/3/2021

This condo is a rental property where the tenant had a water leak from the main and continued to use the system causing damage to the property. Insurance claims such as this can be tricky in how they are submitted, handled and closed. Working closely with the insurance adjusters from the company, the HOA, plumbers and documenting damage as it is uncovered is critical in obtaining an equitable settlement. Assurance Claim Services, and our licensed and bonded professionals use the latest technology to document in 3D the entire property to ensure that your claim is filed properly and the supporting documentation is complete. Water claims usually accompany mold damage unless they are dealt with quickly as well. Call us today at 561-352-5960 for immediate service in addressing your home or commercial property damage.

Assurance Claim services are experts on roof claims

12/17/2020

Roof claims are our specialty at Assurance Claim Service

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting Assurance Claim Services where we specialize in ensuring your home or commercial property damage claim is paid properly and in a timely manner. This video shows an extreme example of what a tile roof claim looks like. This home is located in Jupiter Florida and shows extensive damage to the entire roof system caused by wind exposure. The initial response from the insurance company to this claim was "wear and tear" and "foot traffic" The subsequent engineer report that we supplied the company to support this claim which included exact wind speeds on the date of loss ended in a paid claim to this homeowner. Please call us today for a free roof inspection as we don't get paid until and unless we settle your claim.

Assurance Claim Services are experts at handling water and Mold Claims

10/28/2020

This is a tour of a two bedroom, two bath property in South Florida that suffered damage from a water heater leak when a valve let go flooding the property that led to mold growth. As you can see from the video that there is mold growth throughout the property and an insurance claim was required to pay for the damages. Assurance Claim Services was retained to help settle this claim as the homeowner lives in NY and an HOA was also involved from the standpoint that they are responsible for the drywall replacement. Step 1 was to inspect, photo and measure the property. We employ the use of a Matterport camera to capture the entire property in a matter of minutes not only for our reference when completing our estimate but also to provide access to the property for the insurance company. There is no arguing over live video or photos. A walk-through is produced in 3D and creates a permanent record of the condition of the property. Step 2 is to establish coverage and produce a detailed estimate for mold mitigation as well as reconstruction. Step 3 is negotiate settlement and expedite the payment to the homeowner in order to complete repairs. If we can help with your next insurance claim please don't hesitate to reach out. We are experts in large loss claims of all types, Water, Mold, Fire, Wind, Roof Claims and even re-opening claims that have been denied. Assurance Claim Services is truly your advocate in the claims process. We don't get paid unless we settle your claim. Call us today. 561-352-5960

Small fire causes big damage and massive Insurance Claim

3/9/2020

A fire of any size will bring out every tool from an insurance adjusters box.
Fires of any size at a property are simply devastating regardless the size. If the fire doesn't cause the damage, the smoke and heat of even the smallest blaze can completely destroy an enclosed space. If you take the walk through with me you'll notice that when this fire started, the HVAC was on and running which pumps smoke and soot throughout the home until the breaker is tripped and the unit shuts off. This inspection calls for not only accounting for damage in the living spaces of the home, but also the attic space as well as the exterior. You don't notice the vents in your roof line until your attic is filled with smoke and that's the only place that it can vent causing damage to the exterior.

Let's look at where things can go wrong without a public adjuster
There is a host of opportunities for things to be omitted and overlooked when estimating and settling on payment for a claim like this. Contents, code upgrades, disinfecting smell, debris removal, permits, running temporary power to the home and a laundry list a mile long can be the source of an insurance offer being exceedingly low. Remember, your desk adjuster and ultimately the insurance company relying on information supplied to them to make a decision. If that information is inaccurate, not measured properly, wrong materials or incorrect grading of materials is used, all of these issues can contribute to an offer that may not cover your cost to rebuild.

Final Settlement
The original estimate/offer to the homeowner on this claim was $41,816.21. After proper estimating, professional reporting, and claim negotiating the homeowner was ultimately paid $104,001.17