5 Reasons Not to Use the Restoration Company Recommended by Your Insurance Carrier
When disaster strikes, you want to take measures to get your home back to peak conditions ASAP. Whether damages occurred due to water or fire, the effects can be devastating, and the sooner you take action, the better. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should immediately jump on board with the restoration company that your insurance company has recommended. While there are some restoration companies affiliated with insurers who are skilled and reliable, there are also many problems associated with working with insurance agency “preferred contractors.” Here’s a look at five of the main reasons why you should think twice before having your home repaired by such a preferred contractor.
You Don’t Know the Details of the Insurer/Contractor Relationship
When a restoration company is deemed a “preferred contractor,” this name may lull homeowners into a false sense of security. After all, “preferred” is a positive word, right? Just because the insurance company “prefers” the contractor, though, doesn’t mean that they are the best at what they do. Consider a scenario where the owner of an insurance company is related to or is close friends with an individual who operates a fire or flood restoration company. The relationship between the two owners could be the reason why the insurance company “prefers” the affiliated vendor. In this way, the preferred restoration company has not been hired based upon merit and that could mean that you miss out on having the best work done inside and outside of your home.
Loyalty Lies With the Insurer – Not You
When you elect to work with a preferred contractor, you should be aware of the fact that the contractor is being paid for its loyalty to your insurance agency. As such, you can count on the fact that your restoration service will do whatever it takes to make the insurer happy – even if that means cutting some corners to save a bit of money.
You May Not Get the Most Thorough Restoration
This point goes hand-in-hand with the idea preceding it. Because a preferred contractor will make it a priority to appease your insurance carrier, the restoration service may not include all of the repairs that need to be made in his or her estimate – even if they are technically covered under your policy. In addition to this, they may leave out code upgrades that should be covered. Why? Insurance carriers want to minimize the cost of your restoration in order to maximize their profit. Consequently, they may influence their preferred contractors in a way that causes you to get short-changed when it comes time to fix up your house.
You May Be Just Another Number
When you hire your own contractor, you can typically count on the fact that the restoration service will give you the time and attention that you require throughout the entire repair process. Because they have to work hard to earn and retain your business, they will provide you with stellar service. The preferred contractors of insurance companies, on the other hand, have a fairly constant flow of work coming their way at all times. They don’t have the same motivation to take care of you and you may find that you get treated like just another number.
Limited Options Should Something Go Wrong
Preferred contractors aren’t immune to the problems that are tied to all other business. Regardless of who completes the work on your home, something could come up later that was accidentally overlooked, or you could have concerns that need to be brought to the contractor’s attention down the line. The problem with being locked in with an insurance company’s restoration service, however, is that you have fewer options for how to deal with these types of issues.
As a homeowner, you have the right to hire your own restoration company after a disaster and the professionals at Abbotts Fire & Flood are ready to help. Give us a call for a free consultation today.
