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Claim Your Insurance Lottery Ticket

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How to pick an insurance contractor
Picking an Insurance Contractor
When it comes to time filing your homeowner's insurance claim, finding
a licensed contractor who has the right skill set to manage the repairs on your
home is important. An insurance company can usually recommend
contractors who can get the job done, but if you want second opinions, or to
get your own contractor then you should look for some basic things to help
you decide if the contractor is reputable and will be able to do the job.
5 Things a Good Contractor Should Provide You With
1. A written estimate, detailing the costs of material and labor
as well as the types of work that will be done
2. A general time frame that you can expect the work to be
completed in
3. Their contractor's license number, the insurance policy
number for their contractor's general liability, and amount of
liability insurance they carry.
4. How long they have been doing this kind of work
5. Although not all repairs or contractors will guarantee work, it
is a good idea to ask about this. If you have the option, take
a contractor who can give you a guarantee on their work.
You should not be expected to pay for the above information. A good
contractor generally knows that it's part of the business when bidding on a job
and working with insurance claims to give an estimate.
You will need this information to present to your insurance adjuster to
have them approve the repairs on your home. The claims process is usually
longer for large losses and claims than it is for smaller ones. Learn more
about what to expect in a disaster claim here, and don't forget to check into
additional living expenses and how they work too.

Tips
When you have an insurance claim, the insurance company is
responsible for paying the damages if the damage happened due to insured
perils. Insurance companies have many well-known contractors they work
with and can often recommend a good reliable contractor to you, or even offer
you options. Consider taking advantage of their expertise and help in the
situation, after all that's what you pay insurance for: to help you in a claim.
This is the easiest and best way to find a reputable and accountable
contractor.
You are always free to get second opinions and negotiate with your
adjuster. By choosing the contractor the insurance company selected, it often
protects you because those contractors are accountable to the insurance
company.
Insurance companies provide contractors with many jobs and are big
clients to them. Letting the insurance company take care of it can save you a
lot of stress, time, and trouble.

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