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Obligations for insurance claims investigations

3/10/2022

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Obligations For Insurance Claims Investigations

According to the state of Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 284-30-370:
Standards for prompt investigation of a claim. Every insurer must complete its investigation of a claim within thirty days after notification of claim, unless the investigation cannot reasonably be completed within that time. All persons involved in the investigation of a claim must provide reasonable assistance to the insurer in order to facilitate compliance with this provision.

In the second part of our conversation with Roger Howson (Seattle, WA) and many others, we discuss the insurance claim appraisal process. Episode 78 of The DYOJO Podcast will touch on topics, including
  • Claims investigations
  • Policy litigation
  • Insurance fair conduct ordinances
  • Assignment of Benefits (AOB)
  • Contractors crossing the line into public adjusting
  • Carriers playing games with insureds
  • Policyholders being shady with contractors

​While many contractors dabble in policy interpretation, often because they think they are doing the right thing for the client, they may be crossing into the territory of public adjusting without a license. Roger discusses how, "If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it better be licensed like a duck." Andy McCabe shares a story where he had to answer some tough questions with an Oregon insurance investigator.

Our guests will include:
  • Gordy Powell (Atlanta, GA)
  • Seat Scott (San Diego, CA)
  • David Princeton (Muskego, WI)
  • Bill Wilson (Nashville, TN)
  • Ed Cross (Palm Desert, CA)
  • Andy McCabe (Bend, OR)
  • Ben Justesen (Moses Lake, WA)
  • Bryan Close (Tacoma, WA)


THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
  • Restoration Industry Association (RIA)
  • Restoration Technical Institute (RTI)
  • Office Services by Brandi

​THURSDAYS ARE FOR The DYOJO Podcast New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/podcast

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Insurance Claims Pricing Games

2/23/2022

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Insurance Claims Pricing Games
Contractors and customers feel the squeeze when the insurance carrier plays pricing games with the estimating and collection process of insurance claims restoration. We discuss New Construction Pricelists being applied to restoration scenarios with contractors in Minnesota, California, and Washington. 

​
We discuss the issue, rebuttals, and resources including the Restoration Pricing Position Paper from the Advocacy and Government Affairs Committee (AGA) of the Restoration Industry Association (RIA),

“New construction price settings in certain pricing programs increase labor productivity which reduces prices in a way that may not be appropriate for restoration. Indirect tasks that must occur to accomplish direct repairs – known as “Supporting Events” – may need to be appropriately adjusted due to the extent of the damage in a restoration project.
This discussion educates the listener on the underlying factors which lead to these manipulations and provides the contractor with some well-thought-out rebuttals. While there are no cheat codes that will eliminate the squid games, restorers will find it refreshing to know that resources are being created and advanced regain and maintain sustainable claims practices.

The DYOJO Podcast, Episode 77 includes these guests and appearances:
  • Tony Yost (St. Paul, MN)
  • David Dickerson (San Francisco, CA)
  • Ben Justesen (Moses Lake, WA)
  • Kelley Dolan
  • Gordy Powell
  • Mark Springer
  • Katie Smith
  • Ed Cross
  • David Watts
  • Roger Howson 

Sponsors of The DYOJO Podcast:


​* Restoration Industry Association (RIA) - Restoration Industry Association (RIA) Join your fellow intentional restorers at the RIA 2022 International Restoration Convention and Industry Expo, April 11-13 at the Peppermill Casino in Reno, NV. Let them know The DYOJO sent you.

* Restoration Technical Institute (RTI) provides world-class training. Designed for those who serve the Restoration, Cleaning and Industries related to the Built Environment.

* Office Services by Brandi, LLC provides unparalleled personalized bookkeeping services to a broad range of clients in many states. Brandi will help tackle the never-ending list to be done in the restoration industry by handling the R&M billings, collections and many other key areas to take the burden off the owners.

THURSDAYS are for The DYOJO Podcast

New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/podcast
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Training others to use Xactimate for insurance claims estimating

1/20/2022

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We resume our series, The Xactimate Sessions. We are discussing the mindset and habits that have helped your peers in the insurance claims industry to elevate their scoping, estimating, and project management game. File 006 introduces the audience to Joyce Gabriel, a talented general manager for a full-service restoration company based in Tacoma, WA.

​Listeners will remember when Joyce joined us for podcast episode 52 to discuss some of the powerful tools she has learned for connecting with and interacting with your team. Joyce rejoins the podcast and helps us explore the mindset and habits for effectively training your employees to understand and utilize the Xactimate estimating software.
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Xactimate Podcast Discussion

The Xactimate Sessions from The DYOJO Podcast
File 006: Training Others In Xactimate
Season 3, Episode 75
Guest: Joyce Gabriel, General Manager (Tacoma, WA)

​Our discussion includes appearances by these guests:
  • Raymond Tittmann, TittmannWeix
  • Ben Justesen, Enlightened Restoration Solutions (ERS)
  • Mathew Allen, AdjusterTV
  • Christopher Stanley, IA Path
  • Ed Cross, The Restoration Laywer
  • Gordy Powell, Georgia Clean
  • Robert More, BYLT
  • Eric Sprague, Morning Tech Meeting
  • Larry Wilberton, Blue Collar Nation Podcast
  • Gerrett Stier, GMS Podcast
  • Pete Consigli, The Global Restoration Watchdog

Sponsors of The DYOJO Podcast

  • ​Restoration Industry Association (RIA) - Restoration Industry Association (RIA) Join your fellow intentional restorers at the RIA 2022 International Restoration Convention and Industry Expo, April 11-13 at the Peppermill Casino in Reno, NV. Let them know The DYOJO sent you.
  • Restoration Technical Institute (RTI) provides world-class training. Designed for those who serve the Restoration, Cleaning and Industries related to the Built Environment.
  • Office Services by Brandi, LLC provides unparalleled personalized bookkeeping services to a broad range of clients in many states. Brandi will help tackle the never-ending list to be done in the restoration industry by handling the R&M billings, collections and many other key areas to take the burden off the owners.

​The DYOJO Podcast New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - YouTube.com/thedyojo
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Questions about program work for restoration contractors

1/19/2022

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We created the Fellowship of Construction Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Development (FoCKED) last year as a means of networking for local restoration contractors and insurance claims professionals based in the Pacific Northwest. We held in person meetings in Puyallup, Washington and had several hearty discussion on issues that contractors and entrepreneurs face daily in the marketplace as well as in their growing organizations.
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Is Program Work Right for Your Restoration Company?

We are exploring the idea of opening the discussion to restoration contractors and insurance claims professionals on the West Coast. One area of discussion that doesn't always allow for earnest feedback online, is the topic of program work in the insurance claims world. If you or your team members have asked:
  • Can you make any money being on a third-party administrator vendor list?
  • How would my company even get started with program work? 
  • What are the best practices that will allow me to incorporate or manage preferred vendor work in my organization?
  • Are the horror stories I hear on social media real? 
  • Do you have to sell your soul in order to make the process work? 
  • What are the alternatives to program work?  ​​

Discussing Restoration with Other Contractors

Are you interested in a contractor to contractor roundtable discussion about program, third-party administrator (TPA), and preferred vendor work? Please fill out the survey on the FoCKED webpage to express your interest. If we have enough entries, we will continue our work to set up a moderated discussion in an environment where restoration contractors can ask their peers honest questions about their wins and losses in this realm. ​
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Chasing fires as a restoration contractor

1/12/2022

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What is fire damage chasing?

What is fire chasing?​ In its broadest application, fire chasing would apply to any contractor showing up to a fire-damaged structure without being invited. In the extreme opposition to chasing a fire damage loss, the detractors would have you believe that the only ethical approach to such a project would be via the invite of the agent, adjuster, and/or the client. This is laughable at best given that so many of these same people likely would lambast preferred vendor or third-party administrator (TPA) work, which is where the majority of these magical invites come from. 
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Is fire damage chasing good business?

If you turn to the internet for an answer to the question of whether fire damage chasing is ethical or good business practice, you are in for a variety of opinions. Whether you are growing your career or growing your business, you must always remember one key thing – it’s your DANG journey. No one is going to walk it for you. No commenter on social media, no coach, no consultant, no author, and certainly no mediocre podcast host, is going to take the direct hits when you fail or feel the wins as deeply as you do when you succeed.
While it is smart to seek and take in good counsel on any element of business that may be new to you, I think it is important to consider a few universal questions:
  • Is this legal?
  • Is this ethical?
  • Is this the right thing for me?
  • Do I understand the upsides and downsides of pursuing this strategy?
  • Do I have the resources to pursue this and/or can I afford not to try (i.e. am I willing to allow someone else to fill the void)?
  • Who can help me shorten my DANG learning curve on this topic?
  • If I have sought counsel, does my chosen counsel have real experience with executing on the particular aspect of business that I am considering?

The history of fire damage chasing

It’s comical, and lacks historical perspective, for anyone to label fire chasing as ambulance chasing or any other derogatory term. Modern fire fighting as we know it came out of firefighters literally chasing fires and fighting each other for the right to be paid to fight the fire by the insurance company. Let Smithsonian Magazine paint the picture for you,
In a scene from the film Gangs of New York, set in Civil War-era Manhattan, a crowd gathers in the night as a fire breaks out. A volunteer fire department arrives, and then another. Instead of cooperating to extinguish the blaze, the rival fire companies head straight for each other in an all-out brawl as the building burns.
​Providing for your family and growing your business is a battle. No one should look down on another person for trying to do either of these things. In my opinion, fire chasing is not a dirty methodology. Obviously, some people do it in less than reputable ways and it is important for members of the industry to address this. Bad actors are bad for your reputation in a local market and the perception of the industry as a whole.
  • To be fair, the practice of fire chasing is not looked at in a positive light by everyone.
  • To be fair, some home and business owners will curse you out and swear that they will tell everyone on Facebook about your shady practices.
  • To be fair, some fire department personnel and community members will not be receptive to your efforts.

More on the topic of fire damage chasing

This is an excerpt of an article that was published by Cleaning and Restoration (C&R) Magazine, please read the full article for additional information and context.

Additional Resources from The DYOJO 
  • Our article on The Format for Fire Damage Restoration Estimates was the number one read article in Restoration and Remediation (R&R) Magazine
  • The accompanying video was also the most viewed video on R&R Magazine 
  • Check out our latest book, So, You Want To Be A Project Manager? 
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Insurance appraisals for property claims

1/10/2022

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Episode 74 of The DYOJO Podcast will release on YouTube and Spotify on Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 9am PST. This will be the first part of a multi-part discussion on the topic of insurance appraisals for property damage repairs and restoration. We will discuss what the insurance appraisal process is with a veteran of the industry who is a public adjuster and a claims advocate who, "Calls them like he sees them." 

What is an insurance appraisal?

According to our guest, Roger Howson, and his organization Claims Dispute Resolution:
In property insurance, the terms “appraisal” and “appraisement” refer to a private adjudicatory process created in an insurance policy by which disputes over the amount of a loss are resolved by competent and disinterested appraisers. The purpose of an appraisal provision is to provide a determination of the extent of the loss. When triggered, the appraisal process is mandatory unless the other party agrees to waive its right to appraisal.

Property damage insurance appraisals

This is a introductory video for the upcoming episode of The DYOJO Podcast addressing the topic of insurance appraisals for property damage claims with special guest Roger Howson. Our audience will benefit from hearing many perspectives on this topic as well as topics that intersect with this issue including:
  • Contractors illegally acting as public adjusters
  • Assignment of benefits (AOB)
  • Proper damage assessments and estimating
  • Insurance negotiations
  • Potential pitfalls of appraisals
  • Keeping yourself out of court 
  • Getting paid as a contractor 

Insurance appraisal podcast

​Our ensemble discussion on this topic will include:
  • Main guest - Roger Howson, Claims Dispute Resolution (Seattle, WA) 
  • Ben Justesen, Just Right Cleaning & Construction * David Princeton, Advocate Claim Service
  • Sean Scott, Author of The Red Guide to Recovery
  • Andy McCabe, Claims Delegates
  • Ed Cross, The Restoration Lawyer
  • Bill Wilson, Author of When Worlds Collide

​The DYOJO Podcast New episodes of The DYOJO Podcast are released on Thursdays 9am PST via video through YouTube and/or audio is distributed through platforms such as Apple, Spotify, Google, etc. Learn more by visiting our website - www.thedyojo.com/listen
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    Author

    Jon Isaacson, The Intentional Restorer, is a 19 year veteran of the property restoration industry and a business coach through his organization The DYOJO. 

    Book #4 - COMING SOON - How Not To Suck At Estimating. Developing  estimating habits to achieve better project outcomes. 

    Book #3 - So, You Want To Be A Project Manager? is designed to help contractors with the mindset and habits for success in this role. 

    Book #2 - Be Intentional: Culture, is a collaborative publication discussing how the small things enhance or undermine your efforts to build a thriving culture. 

    Book #1 - Be Intentional Estimating, is the 5 star rated book that helps estimators produce more consistent outcomes in the insurance claims process. 

    ​Jon is the host of The DYOJO Podcast, helping the skilled trades to shorten their DANG learning curve for personal and professional development. 

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