
Be Aware of Restoration Companies
Restoration companies can be a crucial part of an insurance claim. These companies and contractors could be needed for emergency services like water mitigation and boarding up the property to keep it secure. They can also be utilized for contents pack out, contents cleaning, debris removal, and other miscellaneous items. Policy holders have the option to hire these contractors for the subsequential repairs as well.
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How long do insurance claims take?
Insurance claims are not a one size fits all. We wish we could tell you that after you file a claim your insurance company will come out to inspect and issue a payment for all the damages and then your claim will be closed in 3-6 months and you’ll never have to think about it again. The truth is, you could accept that payment and be done with your claim but that could mean leaving money on the table or not having all the repairs done correctly.
The duration of your claim can also depen...

Letter to Kim (Suicide is not the Answer)
To my client as well and my friend, Kim Dieska,
I never criticized you Kim. And you know I could have. After your house fire, you signed that stupid contract with that restoration contractor that gave ALL of your insurance proceeds to him and left you nothing. Many people make that mistake signing agreements with contractors after their fire and when they are under duress. But you also got yourself in trouble with the I.R.S., violating y...

The Perils of Negotiating Insurance Claim Issues With Contractors
What gives your humble correspondent the audacity to advise such an august body of professionals as Arizona Bar members of the perils of negotiating with contractors? Simply put, when contractors adjust insurance claims and/or act as advocates for the people with whom they have been retained to use their hammer and saw, it is a problem for all of us. Almost half of the cases in which I served as an expert witness in the past year involved contractors representing home...

What is a Subrogation Claim?
My Insurance Company Said: “Not Me”
When I was growing up, I had four siblings as well as a dig and a cat. However, my mother. my mother used to say another person lived in our house. His (or her) name was “Not Me.” “Not Me” was a pesky fellow. Did someone leave the empty milk cartridge in the fridge? Was mud tracked on the carpet? Were fingerprints left on the glass of the family car? “Not Me” was usually the culprit...