Just imagine that your insured has lost everything in ahouse fire. You receive the inventory, and before you even makeyour way to the scene to start verifying contents, two more housefires cross your desk. This means more contents to verify, moreclaims to process, more individual policies to research, moreliving expenses to pay for displaced families, and yet moreheartbreak as your insured's life is put on hold by unspeakabletragedy. It all piles up, as time seemingly stands still.

The services of a contents specialist can speed an insurer'sresidential and commercial contents claims processing, and allow the displacedpolicyholders to move on with their lives or business more quickly.Most importantly, a contents specialist acts as a dedicatedpartner, meticulously sifting through debris to identify contentsroom by room at the loss location—and identifying when reportedcontents are not there—all while ensuring that policies exclusionsand limitations are applied.

When a contents inventory is conducted by trained adjusters—notsimply by contracted contents counters—then a carrier receives anaccurate content adjustment from start to finish. As such, theclaims adjuster is not burdened by researching the items weeks ormonths after the loss or after the contents are disposed of. It isall taken care of by multistate-licensed adjusters and contentsspecialists during the on-site inventory, which includeshigh-quality digital photographs, building diagrams and pack outmanagement. As a value-added claims service, contents specialistscan also bag the contents for removal, further separating thecontents and building, and reassuring the insured that all itemshave been accounted for and verified.

No Room Untouched
Contents claims have the potential to exceed the structureloss. The personal property portion of these claims requires thesame attention to detail as the building claim. A contentsspecialist ensures the inventory is controlled, minimizingmisrepresentation or inflation, and guaranteeing accuracy of theinventory. Precise inventory control saves time and thousands ofdollars in accurate claims evaluations, and it serves to retain thetrust and business of your valued customers.

The accuracy of a contents inventory lies inthe touching of every item during a room-to-room inspection. When acontents specialist completes an inventory, it will be evident thatevery item has been documented. Each item is described in greatdetail and includes photographs and descriptions such as themanufacturer, model number, size, color, condition, age and gender.In many areas of origin, items can be nearly unrecognizable. Acontents specialist will consult with the insured to identify theitems and prevent future disputes. The insured is left with acomplete understanding of the contents claim process.

Full Contents Adjustments
After the inventory is captured, it is submitted to the insuredwith a request to provide replacement costs, purchase documentationand ages. This information is reviewed and verified by the contentspecialists, and any necessary adjustments are made with supportingdocumentation of the adjustments. The adjusters then apply anyapplicable coverage limits, calculates the actual cash value andsettle the loss with the insured or their representative. Whenutilizing an adjusting firm with licensed adjusters, all aspects ofthe claim can be settled.

In lieu of requesting the replacement costs and ages from theinsured, contents specialists can also research the replacementcosts with supporting pricing documentation, and this informationcan be provided to the insured. This will expedite the settlementof the claim.

Auditing Vendor Charges
A pack out audit service includes a physical inspection and photosof the packed out contents to determine if the charges from thevendor are appropriate. These audits successfully reduce invoicesdue to improper packing techniques. Adjusters also review theinvoices to determine if the charges are appropriate and can obtainan agreement with the vendor for a reduced amount. This stand-aloneservice can reduce indemnity payments on nearly every pack out.

The thorough nature of an inventory investigation by a contentsspecialist provides for the proper scope and valuation, and greatlyreduces claim disputes. A contents specialist not only puts theclaims process on the fast track, but it also helps retain yourvalued customers with an outstanding claims experience.