Late last week a contractor using the name Tim Arnold commented and and ultimately asked the ever important question, “why?”, with regard to our recommendation that insureds obtain three estimates from potential contractors. Maybe Tim will become the world’s most popular roofing contractor after this post but we’ll just have to wait and see. After all, he did manage to get us to produce a full post on the subject. The question grew from a post and other comments on the subject of Roofing Contractors Advertising as Insurance Adjusters, where one comment recommended obtaining multiple estimates. Special thanks to Tim for inspiring this post and giving us an opportunity to expose dirt on some contractors, although we won’t mention any names…yet.
Tim partially answered his own question by stating “I understand the need for Read more…
Categories: Contractors, Independent Insurance Adjusting Tags: adjusting, contractor contingency agreement, contractor estimates, contractor tricks, independent adjuster, insurance claim amount, insurance claim estimates, insurance claims, multiple estimates, roofing contingency
Our Denver insurance claim services office has taken notice to the rapidly evolving concept that, at least in Colorado, there has been an immense growth in the number of “hail damage” roofing and exterior structure component related businesses over the last few years. Unfortunately we can’t speak for everyone but some of our colleagues in the area contribute this increase is a direct result of population growth in Colorado over the same time line. A quick glance on Google’s Public Data chart shows a massive 5.93% population growth rate from 2005 to 2008 for Colorado, but we also note other states have seen a notable increase in contractors while population declines. We assume Denver to be the highest concentrated advertisement area for these hail damage and roofing related businesses and note it’s population also grew at an astounding 5.89% for the same period.
We know that population growth was evident throughout the area but does that mean the number of roofs in the area grew so rapidly that it caused a major and rapid amplification in the number of roofing businesses? What about the number of roofing businesses that claim to specialize in hail or wind related damages? While we’re working on compiling data about the actual number of roofing related businesses (read as businesses with “roofing” or “hail” in their name), several questions remain about the legitimacy of these companies advertising themselves as insurance adjusters, experts, or having public adjusters operating out of the same offices. Some have even gone as far to say they have independent adjusters on staff, or that they have public adjusters waiting to prove the need for their often excessive costs of $600 per square foot on regular 3 tab asphalt composition residential roofing.
What do you think of these roofing related businesses? Assuming all of the damages were legitimate – are the costs that some of these companies associate with them? Read more…
