Who do I call first? A contractor, or my insurance company?

Last nights storms prompted several calls from some of my friends North of St. Cloud, MN.

The following is a partial repost of a blog I created quite a while ago..... The message is still true, call your contractor BEFORE you call your insurance

So if I might have damage to my house, should I call my insurance company first?
That is the main point of this blog post, when should you call in a claim. If you have a fire, or have wind damage that destroys part of your home, you will need to call your insurance immediately, it is obvious you have a claim. When it comes to minor damage from a dishwasher overflow or storm damage from wind, hail or lightning, it is often times better to call a contractor knowledgeable with claims BEFORE you file the claim.


Why? Three reasons-

 1)The “Zero paid claim”. For example, you see hail hit your roof and call your insurance company to send an adjuster out.  In this case, the adjuster determines that the hail did not cause damage. You could still be charged with a claim.  Huh?  Yes, that is right.  If you file a claim and there is no damage, most insurance companies still count that as an event.  It may not seem fair, but remember that insurance is a numbers game and if you called in a claim now, you may do it again in the future.  Knowing the damage is legitimate and a claim is worthwhile is valuable knowledge before the adjuster comes out.


2)The deductible cost may be bigger than the repair charges.  This situation is similar to the “Zero paid claim”.  $1000.00 deductibles are commonplace these days.  If the estimate to repairs the damage is lower than, or slightly over the deductible, paying for the repairs with a contractor may be a better option rather than potentially having to pay higher rates because you did not know it would be a minimal paid claim

3)Damage assessment is free.  A good insurance restoration contractor, such as Great River Remodeling, will give you an honest assessment and estimate of your damages.  They will share with you their experiences in dealing with your particular situation and insurance company.  Doing this before the adjuster arrives is critical to getting you a fair and equitable settlement. Ultimately, it is your call whether or not you want to file a claim.  Most agents will agree it never hurts to have a good contractor on your speed dial when you are unsure if it is covered, or even worth sending into the insurance company.  

If you have any questions about this article, please feel free to contact Michael or Galen at 763-241-9596.  Thanks for taking the time to read this, I hope you found it helpful!