Insurance Co Investigators

Maine Ken

Al, the ins co is not paying a dime. HO is on her own with expectations on the wrong side of reality.

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Maine Ken

Why do they do it???

I had a potential customer ask for price to replace her furnace today. History: In March she arrived home and found her house full of soot. She called a heat tech who replaced flue pipe, c/s and tested the unit. He gave it a clean bill of health. Three weeks later the HO's insurance company sent in a cleaning service. The cleaners cleaned the inside of the ductwork first. They then covered ALL of the warm supply outlets and ALL of the return inlets, so they wouldn't get dirty while they cleaned the rest of the house. Now they decide they are cold and turn on the heat. They go to lunch. Three hours later they return and the house is full of fumes. They shut off the heat and call the HO.

Now the insurance company sends an investigator to see what has happened. Investigator finds holes in HX.

No problem so far.

I read the investigators report. It stated all of the above and went on to list what it would take to replace the furnace. He included pricing for all aspects including labor. In big bold letters he wrote that it is ususal for a contractor to "ethically charge a XX% markup on materials".

The insurance company states that their investigators are licensed heating professionals. The prices given included the XX% markup. The prices given did not come close to actual costs and the labor listed wouldn't get me out of my driveway. Needless to say it is an uphill conversation with the HO as to the actual cost, because she has in her hand a written SHOULD COST by a professional insurance company.

I do not pretent to tell people how much insurance should cost them. How can an investigator ETHICALLY tell people how much a new system should cost, especially when they are so far off from reality.

Maybe I am having a really bad day, but this has definately gotten under my skin.

Maine Ken

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Al Corelli_2

There is an easy way around this.

Just don't do the job.

Seriously, just walk away. Don't waste your time arguing.

Surely, some uninsured, unlicensed, no overhead hack will do it for the crack money.

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Steve_35

I would suggest to the HO

that since the insurance company apparently knows contractors charging this amount they should be able to refer to her those contractors. And I would tell her the amount the adjuster quoted would not even cover your costs.

It doesn't have to be antagonistic, just a simple statement.

Make sure to thank her for her time, turn around and walk away.

Brad White_153

Insurance companies

are not in the business to cover your losses but to preserve their assets as far as the law allows. They start at "no". What you have described is a prime example. It makes you ask what you pay premiums for.

They are among the worlds second-oldest professions, the first being necessary to give them birth, IMHO.

What about the damage caused by the cleaning crew? Is that another claim too?

No harm walking away from that one.

Blackoakbob

tit for tat.....

What I would suggest to the HO is they get a couple of estimates for the work to be done and as long as they are shopping call around for insurance quotes! Let the insurance company read that on your quote. Best Regards to you, Maine Ken.

jackchips_2

Ken

I believe there are professionals who work for Homeowners to get what they deserve from Insurance Companies.

This may be one of those times they are needed.

Jack

frank_25

DON'T CHA JUST LOVE IT.............................

when someone else tells ya how much to charge? If they on the otherhand were to charge along the same %, they'd go out of business. I thought we were all in it for the $, not a charity. I said it many times here on the Wall, NO ONE tells me how much to make on a job. If ya want a cheap job, ya don't want me. How many of you guys have similiar problems with the body & fender guys. Same ole story there also, the ins. co. pays lousy. Ya hate 'em, but ya gotta have 'em.

Chris_82

ditto

At this point you are seen as exploiting her. Walk, don't run away. Run into this more than once when the suited rep or lawyer gains more credibility than you. Doesn’t help that the unnamed tech or company before you has walked? Why did you get a call and not the first tech? On larger jobs we are frequently "allowed" a contractual percentage for change orders on equipment, esp., for government jobs. Just another reason we don’t like them, no profit. That’s when knowing how long, labor, comes in handy, we call it like going to Las Vegas, welcome to the wonderful world of contracting. I get the same constantly when the factory reps insinuate, (whatever) was installed incorrectly. Predominantly this is with residential manufacturers, as large equipment suppliers have factory techs to supervise and “start up” equipment. If something is amiss, no start up. Sometimes equipment is installed incorrectly, but over the phone when they haven’t seen the equipment this is always their first response. As pointed out in following posts; the insurance individual has recruited the homeowner to do their bidding, this bears repeating THEY have recruited the homeowner, which is to drive the price down that they are libel for. The same is happening when we have to pay for warranty parts. With experience you will recognize this more quickly and be better prepared to handle these people. Just know that they anticipate you having to work for a living, thus your time to spend resolving issues is limited, they know this, as well as having to enlist the services of a lawyer. Cost versus hassle versus time frequently means we take a beating. This is why large construction companies such as mine have large law firms budgeted into our bids. WE all do.