My Insurance Letter

copusbuilder

I have been dealing with a lot of insurance work since Ike. In fact I have been office bound since Ike trying to pay their payment games of itemization.

I have this one small job the insurance has been adding a bit, taking a bit off and playing games as the customer sits in a water damaged home.

I really don't give a shyte if I get the job or not. I am willing to bet they meet my price....what do you think?

F-em

DATE: 05/17/09

Repairs:
TO:
State Farm Insurance

Re: claim #

ESTIMATOR: MHC




Hi endhf,
My name is Mark C. I have been working with Mrs. V on her water damage repairs.

I am not excited by this job but it is a referral from a good customer so I have to try and follow through.

I could go into great detail but I am slow at typing and I want to go for a motorcycle ride instead of working on this fine Sunday morning.

I do not have exactimate or any insurance program, in fact I despise insurance work but have been forced into a lot of it since Ike.

I had submitted an estimate in addition to your first adjusters summary. I truly felt I could do the job for that price and move on. I know you came back with a little more.
I could go into minimum insulation, removal of utility shelves, reconnection of entertainment center. I could have even asked for removal of more sheetrock including the garage since it was a wet exterior insulated wall.
You added for sink removal and took of the disposal removal and jockeyed a few figures around.


All I am trying to do is to do the job, make a fair wage and move on.
I will ask that you re-visit my previous estimate. Push the needed magic buttons and we can all proceed with our lives. I don’t feel my request was unreasonable and I know I could have added much more if I were so inclined.

I am not trying to be rude and I understand your position as an adjuster.
At this point of my life I will either do the job for what I submitted or tell her to do whatever she chooses with whomever she chooses…other than me.


Sincerely Mark C

__________________
www.copusconstruction.com
www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium

rbsremodeling

Probably one of the nicer FU letters I have seen. I give it a 8.5

__________________

copusbuilder

I am really just sick of them. The games are getting frustrating and I don't need it.

The customer is really a pain in the ass to boot. I hope they stay tight and I can walk away easier than an f.u. letter to the customer

Thanks for the 8.5
Much better score than I get in the 50+ year old men in speedo competitions!

__________________
www.copusconstruction.com
www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium

buildpinnacle

If the letter is serious, it will get you nowhere. If after all this time you are still dealing with the original adjuster, that will get you nowhere as well. In fact, it was probably a newbie adjuster from Pilot cat working State Farm claims and he is nowhere to be found. Call the main office and find out who the desk adjuster is...that is if you care. Continue up the ladder until you get what you want. State Farm will not entertain any estimate that is not itemized. You don't have to use Xactimate, but you will need to itemize you estimate for the adjuster to consider (understand) it. They are trained to scope a loss one way. You're definitely not the first contractor I've heard venting about how this hurricane was handled by big insurance. As we did a large amount of work in Rita, I limited my Ike experience to one job who happened to be the parents of a very good local customer. Even on that one we had to work an original 10,000 adjusters estimate to the rightful $23,000.

__________________

copusbuilder

It was serious, but I really don't care if it happens or not.
I have also had claims that started at $30,000 and end at $86,000 etc.

I am a done deal with the petty adjusters and don't need the headaches for a small job.

I will disagree with your thoughts on it not getting me anywhere. I am willing to bet my phone will be ringing Monday or Tuesday with an adjuster trying to make it work.
I just felt like having a little fun with this one....not to mention, I really don't give a crap if it doesn't happen.

I will add that some adjusters know what buttons to push and understand the scope of work while others don't have a clue. I have seen that repeatedly though this ordeal. It is almost always a battle with these idiots.

You are right about the ladder climbing but I am not doing it for this one.

__________________
www.copusconstruction.com
www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium

ChrWright

Since you don't care, it's a moot point.

However, I think your letter makes a weak argument. You've applied no leverage at all to this guy. What does he care about you making a "fair wage"?

No offense...but if you really cared for the referral you'd be fighting for every legitimate repair that needed done--drywall, insulation, whatever. I think you could have done better.

__________________

Christopher Wright, CR: President @ WrightWorks, LLC/President @ Central Indiana NARI, Named to the 2010 REMODELING Big50
www.WrightWorks.net - Facebook - Twitter - Carmel Remodeling
Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling Contractor - You Can Get There From Here

copusbuilder

I have been fighting insurance companies since Ike. I've had it with them and have plenty of my normal business to keep the guys working.
The letter was really for my enjoyment only.

I can put you in touch with the Indian lady if you'd like

__________________
www.copusconstruction.com
www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium

ChrWright

I totally get it and didn't mean to bust your balls.

Insurance people are just that...people. And people can be brought around to your way of thinking with the right leverage. I agree they can be a PITA to work with--I don't do insurance work for the same reasons.

But they are the way they are in large part because A LOT of contractors pull their numbers out of thin air--with no quantifiable way to back them up.

__________________

Christopher Wright, CR: President @ WrightWorks, LLC/President @ Central Indiana NARI, Named to the 2010 REMODELING Big50
www.WrightWorks.net - Facebook - Twitter - Carmel Remodeling
Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling Contractor - You Can Get There From Here

copusbuilder

Not at all a problem.
I have been inundated with insurance work and it is a battle. Refundable depreciation needs to be itemized invoices and they are even asking for receipts. They just keep delaying and delaying.
This lady will drive them nuts and do the dirty work.

I was giving it my best shot but I can only bang my head against a brick wall for so long.

I am done with insurance work for a while...unless I get real hungry

__________________
www.copusconstruction.com
www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium

buildpinnacle

Copus,

I know you're from down around Houstonway. Did you do much ins work before Ike? I guess I just take it for granted b/c we've been doing it so long it just comes second nature. We never allow an adj onsite unless we are there. We make certain the scope of work is agreed before the estimate is even written up. I do all this face to face. I very rarely have supplements for anything unless it's an unforeseen condition. I have found that this eliminates alot of the chasing, messages, phone calls, etc. You have to have the HO or BO on page and under control. They can be an asset in the claims process if steered correctly. I tell them bluntly, you hired me, don't speak until spoken too. Every time you open your mouth it costs you money.

__________________

onenia

That has been my experience as well. I've had adjusters drag a 7 day job out 4 weeks. There are several people still fighting with the insurance and mortgage co trying to get the rest of their money for repairs. I'm sure glad I didn't do work for customers without getting payments, because I feel for the contractors that are still waiting on the money after they completed the work.

__________________
Houston remodeling company | Kitchen remodeling | Room additions

Mitch M

Please, let's don't go there.