How to Reduce Mold Contamination Claims

Mold can grow almost anywhere if there is water intrusion, high humidity, or dampness present. As mold develops, it will compromise every organic material that it comes in contact with, whether it's furniture in a home, or equipment stored in a business.

Typically, homeowners or insureds are not trained to see the underlying problems that can occur from water seeping into the walls and floors where damaging mold contamination may be hiding. Adjusters should encourage the policyholder to hire a professional restoration provider with the correct skill-set to properly analyze the damage and fully restore the loss.

Principal Steps to Restoration

Stabilize the environment The first step to recovery after a natural disaster is to hire a restoration company that will begin the mitigation process by stabilizing the environment. In the case of flooding, issues such as broken utilities will need to be dealt with immediately, and  mobilization may be delayed until the area has been evaluated for safety. Regardless of temporary setbacks that may extend the time necessary to complete the process, it is crucial to analyze the damage and identify the areas that need the most urgent attention. Some aspects that should be taken care of as soon as possible include drying the flooded area to stop corrosion or mold development, and, if necessary, finding temporary housing for displaced residents and the workers performing the repairs.

Assess damages When the environment has been stabilized, mitigation has begun, and the affected property is safe to move into, restoration companies generally assess the damages and complete a more detailed evaluation of any additional work that needs to be accomplished. Before that work can begin, however, claim adjusters must remember to ask a few vital questions, such as how long the work will take, and what it will cost. Claims adjusters and restoration companies need to solidify their relationship and work together to meet the needs of the insured in a professional manner. When the adjuster and restoration specialist work together to properly document the damage and scope of the restoration activities, they can significantly reduce insurance company settlement expenses and speed up the processing time.

Maintain clear and consistent communication Consistent communication with restoration professionals on what the project will entail is a crucial component of the restoration process. It is important for restoration companies and claims adjusters to communicate early and often in order to prevent any problems or last minute surprises in the form of cost over-runs. Claims adjusters should be focusing on reducing the claim costs as well as the degree of financial and personal property loss suffered by the insured. Enlisting the assistance of a reputable restoration company will reduce the amount of time people or businesses are displaced, thereby reducing the total dollar amount of the claim. 

Finding the Right Partner

Every year, millions of people suffer from disasters such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, or fires. They rely on their insurance company to resolve the issues they face following such an event in a timely manner. Insurance companies in-turn rely on their staff or independent claims adjusters, who then often call on restoration companies to handle the clean up stage quickly and efficiently. This is all done so that the insurance companies can deliver on their commitment of coverage, keep their clients happy, and retain their insured. Claims adjusters and the restoration companies must act quickly and efficiently to limit the amount of damages in the event of a natural disaster.

Knowing that response time following a disaster is of the utmost importance, the first step to reducing the cost of a claim should be to contact a reliable restoration company that has experience in catastrophic events, and has the capacity to mobilize quickly. An emergency restoration company is probably well-prepared to handle these situations because most of their work comes as a result of a loss of some type. Some restoration companies have multiple locations or are represented in more than one city, and if their distribution channel is nationwide, they are capable of responding to disasters at most locations fairly quickly. 

Choosing a restoration company to partner with or refer work to requires more than just a quick decision. Adjsuters should consider a range of factors. Have they previously done work of this type? Are they nationally recognized? Do they have the skill set and certifications to handle the project? Are they capable of mobilizing quickly?

When choosing a restoration company, there are instances in which it might be beneficial to work with smaller or local companies. For instance, if the damage is very local in scope, choosing a local company would allow you to work directly with the owner to come up with a targeted solution. As a claims adjuster, working directly with the owner of the company means that decisions will be made faster, and restoration can take place sooner. Often the large companies have a waiting list of projects to complete and the response to a loss may be delayed.

In any case, both the adjuster and the restoration team are looking to reduce the loss adjustment expense. It is best to find a restoration company that you are comfortable with, that you are confident will get the job done on time, and that will keep your insured happy, without any last minute surprises.