Insurance Claims for Tenant Vandalism in Florida Rental Properties

Tenants don't always treat your rental property as if it was their own home. When does their damage rise to a level that justifies making a homeowners' insurance claim?

The relationship between a landlord and tenant can range anywhere from very good, to a passive business relationship, to outright contentious. If a tenant doesn't respect the landlord's property, or a contentious relationship manifests itself physically and revenge turns into property damage, you might have grounds to make an insurance claim for that damage, and possibly even loss of use if the property is uninhabitable because of the damage and you’ve lost rental income.

An experienced local public adjuster can review your insurance policy and compare it to the specific situation you might find yourself in. VIP Adjusting's public adjusters are based in Port St Lucie, and handle property insurance claims throughout Florida's Treasure Coast, including claims for damage to rental properties.

What do Landlord Insurance Policies Cover for Rental Properties?

Homeowners insurance for rental properties in Florida are relatively similar to homeowners insurance policies for owner occupied dwellings. They require disclosure of occupancy as a rental property, though you'll find the major difference in coverage for contents. 

The dwelling/building coverages are almost identical. A standard homeowners insurance policy for an owner occupied dwelling is an HO-3 or "all risk" policy, which means the policy covers all direct physical loss, and then limits coverage from there. The corresponding policy for landlords insuring rental properties is a DP-3 policy, or "Dwelling Policy" form 3. It shares the language for the dwelling with an HO-3 and is also an all-risk policy. 

A DP-3 policy for landlords may have limited, or no coverage for personal property or contents. This is important to discuss with your insurance agent in advance so that you aren't renting a furnished property without the proper coverage. Many landlord policies do cover landlord's furnishings. Again, this an issue you should check with your insurance agent or insurance broker on before you find yourself with property damage and having to make a claim.

There is also a less popular, and lesser quality policy for landlords, a DP-1 policy. It's cheaper and that gets some people to fall for the trap, because it really is an inferior policy that only covers a list of what are referred to as "named perils."

For purposes of the information in this post, we'll assume a landlord has the more common DP-3 all risk policy.

Wear and tear, and age related factors are not covered under landlord policies

Insurance policies have specific exclusions for wear and tear and other age related factors, because homeowners insurance is meant to cover direct physical loss and accidental damage to property. Insurance is not meant to upgrade or remodel your home, or to take care of overdue maintenance. If the carpets are getting old, that's not something your insurance policy is meant to pay to replace.

Likewise, what's sometimes referred to as "hard living" is not covered by property insurance. Anything that would normally be considered something that would be covered by the security deposit (although the security deposit would also apply to items beyond this type of damage, including your deductible if you need to make a claim) is typically not covered by your insurance policy.  Worn and stained cabinets wouldn't be covered by your insurance, or scuffs on tiles, excessive cleaning, worn paint or dirty walls. These types of things might be the tenant's responsibility, but likely not your insurance company.

What would a landlord's insurance policy cover then?

We've handled a number of claims for damages caused by tenants to a landlord's rental property. The two most common scenarios for these are damages caused by parties or party related activities, and angry tenants who have had a dispute with the landlord or been evicted, and before leaving the property have attempted some kind of revenge.

Some of the damages we've seen related to the type from parties or partying would be sizable holes in walls, cigarette burns to carpets (and sometimes fire or smoke damage if that isn't noticed right away), broken tiles from dropped objects, and, believe it or not, we've seen damaged roofs, decks, and patios from shenanigans related to pool parties. 

Sometimes the landlord tenant relationship can become incredibly vindictive and the tenant, in possession of the property may seek their metaphorical pound of flesh. Claims VIP Adjusting's public adjusters have handled from tenant damage have included smashed and broken tiles, stolen appliances, ripped screens and broken windows, holes in drywall and plaster, broken pipes (and related leaks), and damaged AC units are the most common. We've also seen a number of bullet holes. 

We have also handled a large commercial tenant vandalism claim over space related to a supermarket where the former tenant, after obtaining a new location and in order to protect their own business from a competitor went through the building destroying fixtures and utility hook ups, flushed concrete down the building's toilets, stole the air conditioning units on the roof, and poked holes in the roofing membrane. 

Loss of Use and Additional Living Expenses

If a building has sustained significant enough damage that it's no longer habitable, your policy may cover lost income from the inability to rent (or in a commercial policy, business interruption coverage), but only if certain conditions are met and only for certain time periods. This is one of the reasons assistance from an experienced public adjuster can be the difference in your claim. Lost rental income can exceed the damages to the property and can quickly become the driving point of a claim, putting your investment in the property itself at risk.

If you've found yourself in a situation where your former tenant has caused damage to your rental property, call or contact VIP Adjusting today for a free claim review. 

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More info about the background of VIP Adjusting’s public adjusters

The Most Common Landlord Insurance Claims

A good landlord insurance policy is essential to the smooth running of a rental property.  Although property owners tend to view the premiums as a necessary evil, it makes good business sense to have adequate landlord insurance.

 It can save landlords from paying the penalties for many damaging events that can occur in a rental. However, when buying insurance, landlords should also endeavor to get the most coverage at the lowest premium.

 They can do this by finding out what insurance claims property owners are most likely to make. And having known what these claims are, they should strive to avoid the risk of making similar claims.

 What are the most common insurance claims that landlords make?

 1.   Loss of rental income

As with every business, owning rental property comes with a measure of risk. One of those risks is that tenants in a property may stop paying rents. This can happen if some adverse event makes the home uninhabitable and the tenants move out, as a result, or simply refuse to pay the rent. Examples of events that can create such a situation include storm, flood, fire or smoke. When a property becomes uninhabitable, the landlord's rental income stops, but their bills do not. This is why loss of rental income is the number one insurance claim that property owners make.

 How to avoid it:

Most loss of rent claims come from events beyond a landlord's control. Property owners cannot do anything to prevent rainstorms or floods. What they can do, however, is limit the risk of man-made events which also lead to loss of rent, such as fire or smoke damage.

 2.   Water Damage

This results from damage due to the unintentional discharge of water. The common cause of the problem is faulty plumbing, poor plumbing maintenance, and tenants' negligent behavior. This problem is fairly common and very costly to fix. Water damage, if left undetected, can result in massive damage to a property.

How to avoid it:

The best way to solve water issues is to prevent them. The landlord should implement a regular schedule for thorough inspection of the home's plumbing. Tenants should be properly oriented on how to manage the plumbing. And the lease agreement should include clauses on the consequences of tenant-originated water damage.

 3.   Accidental damage

This claim results when items in the home, or some parts of the structure, are unintentionally damaged by occupants. This could be a case of damage to wooden floors, torn furniture, ripped-up carpets, or a broken television set. Accidental damage poses a risk to a rental property because it makes it less attractive to potential tenants and reduces the home's resale value.

How to avoid it:

Landlords cannot completely eliminate the chance of this happening but they can reduce it significantly. One way they can do this is by using décor that is durable and less likely to get damaged.

 When installing fittings and fixtures, owners should prioritize hardiness over other qualities. A thorough vetting of tenants will also help to eliminate renters who are prone to engage in activities that increase the chance of accidental damage, such as parties.

 4.   Malicious damage

This is damage that is intentional. It includes things like large holes in the walls, kicked-in doors, cigarette holes in furniture or some other form of blatant acts. Most of the time, malicious damage is done by outsiders, such as, visitors to a tenant's apartment. It could also result from vandalism or burglary.

How to avoid it:

The best protection against malicious damage from criminal activity is to implement appropriate security measures. Installing window grills, burglar alarms, motion detectors, and bright lights around the perimeter can deter criminals.

Having sturdy locks on gates, doors and windows, as well as CCTV cameras on the premises will reduce incidences of malicious damage. And landlords should make it the tenant's responsibility to pay for damage caused by their visitors.

 5.   Weather damage

Storms and floods happen all the time. When they do, they often leave their mark on a property in the form of damage. In some areas, winter storms are the major problem, in others areas, the damage is caused by strong winds.

Floods can also be the cause of damage to a property. There is not much a property owner can do about these acts of nature, except to prepare for them and possibly reduce their negative impact on the property.

How to avoid it:

The part of a building most commonly damaged by storm is the roof. To protect against the probability of roof damage, gutters and downspouts should be maintained properly. Loose and missing shingles amplify the power of wind and water to damage a roof.

They should be repaired or replaced promptly. Raising air bricks around the property and keeping electrical sockets ground will help reduce flood damage. And when there is news of an impending storm, homeowners should take extra steps to protect the home.

Will THAT cause my homeowners insurance premium to go up?

As public adjusters, our clients often ask us whether making a claim will cause premiums to change.

The public adjusters at VIP Adjusting have been representing clients in Port St Lucie and Martin County for years, and even though we’re not insurance agents, our clients are often curious how making a claim will affect their premiums or whether or not they’ll be “dropped” or non-renewed. Okay, “curious” isn’t the right word. Concerned is perhaps a better description.

Our public adjusters never want to encourage a homeowner to make a claim for damage that isn’t covered, under deductible, or otherwise frivolous, but when the concern arises in connection with a legitimate insurance claim for property damage related to increasing homeowners insurance premiums, or the possibility of being dropped by your homeowners insurer, here’s what we usually tell our clients. 

Homeowners insurance premiums normally go up in Florida every year anyway

Making a homeowner’s insurance claim for property damage isn’t like automobile insurance where one claim is going to make your premiums skyrocket. Instead, your homeowners insurance premiums are more likely to be reflected by your location (either proximity to the coast for hurricanes, or certain zip codes), the age of your home, and your overall claims history.

One claim isn’t likely to make your premium go up, but if you have multiple claims in a certain period of time, it’s possible. 

Homeowners insurance underwriting in Florida is pretty mysterious, so we’re just telling you what we have experienced. It’s unlikely your agent can even get underwriting information. Short of working in the underwriting department, you’ll probably never know for sure.

To an insurance company, it’s all about risk. If your house is at a higher risk of having damage, they’ll either raise your premium, or try to slip in a coverage limit and offer a more competitive premium. If you have old cast iron pipes, you’re at a higher risk of damage from a plumbing leak (with an expensive repair), you might see a higher premium, or a lower premium, but with a cap on coverage related to plumbing. This is important to discuss in advance of a claim with your insurance agent.

If you have three plumbing leaks in the span of a year or two, they might re-evaluate the risk and up your premium. This is an indicator of an increased risk. Being the victim of a hurricane, however, doesn’t change the risk for the property at all.

But hey, this is Florida, and we’re talking about insurance. Insurance companies raise premiums every year anyway. Our public adjusters typically recommend speaking with your agent about a month before renewal to get quotes in case there are new companies willing to insure the home, or rates have changed. It can’t hurt.

If I make a claim for damage to my home, won’t the insurance company drop me?

It’s not common that an insurance company drops someone for making one claim, but it can happen. It might have been in the works anyway before you made a claim. Insurance companies throughout Florida are always changing and sometimes they change areas they cover, or agents they allow to write policies on their behalf. It’s possible that your claim changed your agent’s claim ratios and the insurance company has decided to drop your agent. 

Anything is possible, but if you have a legitimate claim, you shouldn’t stress about this possibility too much because Florida has a government run property insurance company that is a failsafe for anyone who can’t get insurance, or who can’t get competitive insurance rates. 

You must make repairs following a loss or damage to the home, though

After you’ve made a claim, you do have to make repairs or else you can be dropped, even by Florida’s insurer of last resort. The reason for this is because homeowners insurance provides more than just property insurance coverage. Homeowners insurance also provides liability coverage in case anyone is hurt on your property. If there’s damage to the property that is unrepaired, the likelihood of it causing injury is increased, and because of this, you can be dropped even during the policy period before the expiration. 

This sometimes happens when a mortgage company is holding the insurance proceeds hostage and a homeowner can’t get the repairs completed, leaving the homeowner in a terrible position.

VIP Adjusting’s public adjusters have been through these scenarios many times with our clients in Stuart, Hobe Sound, and Sebastian. Although it’s not the main focus of a public adjuster assisting you with an insurance claim, we will always be there for our clients to offer our advice and share our experience.

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Why you should hire a public adjuster

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Central Florida has seen a recent spike in strong storms resulting in tornado damage

Back up, overflow, leak, or flood: What's the difference?

If you've had damage in your home caused by water, it literally pays to know the difference in the words you use.

Many homeowners have found themselves in the unfortunate position of discovering water in their home causing damage. A homeowner with this type of damage may have said "my home is flooded!" or "I had a back up," or "there's sewage everywhere!"

These words have different meanings to different people and unfortunately, using them in the wrong way can mean the difference in whether or not coverage is afforded for your claim. 

It's best to let an experienced public adjuster like the ones at VIP Adjusting guide you through this potential minefield, but here are the basics of what you might need to know if you've found yourself with water damage.

What types of damage does the typical insurance policy cover? 

The two most common types of insurance policies for homeowners in Florida are HO-3 and DP-3 policies, known as "all risk" insurance policies. These types of insurance policies usually cover all sudden and accidental damage, and then reduce that coverage through various exclusions. All-risk insurance policies normally cover water damage caused by plumbing leaks, and access to repair the damaged plumbing. 

Some HO-3 and DP-3 policies and some insurance companies have exclusions for all types of water damage, including plumbing leaks, or may have a cap on plumbing leaks with a special limit of liability, usually $5,000 or $10,000. For the purposes of this article, we are assuming these caps or exclusions are not in place. 

A less common insurance policy in Florida, even though it's often not much cheaper, is an HO-8 policy, which works in the opposite way of an all-risk policy. An HO-8 policy is often referred to as a "named perils" policy. Instead of starting with all sudden and accidental, or "fortuitous" losses, an HO-8 policy starts with no coverage and adds in only certain named perils, usually wind and hail, civil commotion and riot, smoke, aircraft, vehicles, volcano, explosion, vandalism and theft. Those losses are then even further excluded. This type of policy also does not cover plumbing leaks, at all. 

So where does that leave us with our water damage? What's a back up? What's an overflow? What's a leak? What's a flood? Which of them do my insurance policy cover if I have water damage?

Water damage caused by "back ups"

My toilet backed up and disgusting water is everywhere causing damage. Surely that's a "back up," right? Nope! A leak from your toilet is actually covered under an all-risk policy, whether there was a plumbing break or failure, or even if you just had a clog.

The language that excludes a "back up" in an insurance policy often reads "We [the insurance company] do not cover water damage caused by water which backs up through sewers or drains..."

Well, what about if water backs up from the drain in my sink or tub? Surely THAT is a "back up" then? Nope, wrong again. 

Florida's courts, in analyzing the language of insurance policy have held that back ups of sewers or drains are damages caused by water that has backed up from a leak originating off the property. The sewer is the ultimate destination of water that leaves your property, so a failure of plumbing off the property, or water coming from the actual sewer is a "back up" that wouldn't be covered under the insurance policy. The same goes for drains. A storm drain in the street would be a "drain" under your insurance policy, or perhaps, a drainage ditch would be a drain that would be excluded.

Otherwise, your insurance policy is meant to cover losses caused by water accidentally escaping from plumbing systems and appliances in your home, without distinguishing whether that water is coming or going. 

Water damage caused by an "overflow"

Along the same lines of water damage caused by a back up is water damage caused by an overflow. Overflows are often referenced in an insurance policy as water which overflows from a sump pump. If you have a pump meant to keep water out of your home and it is overpowered or overwhelmed, then water will have been deemed to "overflow." The same would hold true for exterior drains. If they've overflowed and result in water that ends up in your house, that would normally be excluded under your insurance policy.

An overflow is not, however, when water escapes from your toilet, your sink, or your tub. These are plumbing leaks and would be covered under a standard all-risk policy. 

Water damage caused by a "leak"

Plumbing leaks are a bit of a catch-all coverage under your all-risk insurance policy, because they are sudden and accidental leaks. Air conditioner and HVAC leaks are covered like this, as well. Depending on the insurance company, some all-risk policies in Florida still cover roof leaks as well. 

The provisions in the insurance policy often exclude repair to the system or appliance the water escaped from, meaning the repair to the plumbing, HVAC or roof is usually not covered, unless it was also damaged by a covered loss. If it failed because of old age, the system isn't covered, but if the roof was damaged by a hurricane, it is covered. The water, then, is what's often referred to as an "ensuing loss."

The all-risk policies that don't cover roof leaks have language that says something like it excludes damage caused by rain "unless the exterior of the building" is first damaged by either a "covered peril," or sometimes more narrowly and specifically by wind or hail. 

Water damage caused by a "flood"

This is the term that trips up most homeowners. "My house was flooded." "I came home to a flood." Flood is not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies because "flood" is a very specific term for water, outside the home, on the ground covering more than a certain area of land. A rising river is a flood. Storm surge is a flood. Abnormally high tide is a flood. Rain water in a low lying area is a flood. The rain storm that carried Noah's ark was a flood. 

An air conditioner leak is not a flood. A plumbing leak is not a flood. A roof leak is not a flood. 

Because of this difference, and some further limiting language in insurance policies, pretty much any water on the ground outside the home is not covered. An abnormally wet ground from heavy rains that exerts pressure on a foundation, or poor drainage are not covered. 

Flood insurance is usually a separate policy under the National Flood Insurance Program, administered by FEMA and the Federal Government.

If you've found yourself with water causing damage to your home in Tequesta, Jupiter, Hobe Sound, or anywhere else in Florida's Treasure Coast or Space Coast, it's best to consult with an experienced public adjuster like VIP Adjusting before your insurance company tries to trip you up in a recorded statement. Call today or contact us for a free claim evaluation.

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Cast Iron Plumbing Claims

Public Adjuster vs. Independent Adjuster: What’s the difference?

How does a Public Adjuster compare to an Independent Adjuster?

These terms are definitely confusing, and we want to shed a little bit more light on what the differences between these types of insurance adjusters are, each type of insurance adjusters’ duties, and who they work for. Knowing the difference can make a huge impact on the final result of your insurance claim.

Aaron Fessia, Public Adjuster Inspecting Roof

Public Adjuster vs. Independent Adjuster

Public adjusters are licensed insurance adjusters that represent the general public, homeowners, business owners, and insureds when they’ve had property damage or other direct physical loss to their home or business. Independent adjusters are also licensed insurance adjusters, and have similar qualifications to public adjusters, but they work for and on behalf of the insurance company. 

VIP Adjusting is a public adjusting company operating in the Treasure Coast, representing the homeowners and business owners of St Lucie County, Martin County, Indian River County and the surrounding areas. We fight for you and act as advocates for your claim against the insurance company.

Public Adjuster defined

Public adjusters are sometimes also referred to as private adjusters, public insurance adjusters, or private insurance adjusters. They might also be called a “PA.” Public adjusters are licensed and regulated by the state of Florida through the Department of Financial Services and overseen by Florida’s Chief Financial Officer.

The term public adjuster is defined by Florida Statute 626.854 as any person, except a duly licensed attorney at law who, for money, commission, or any other thing of value, prepares, completes, or files an insurance claim form for an insured, or acts on behalf of or aids an insured in negotiating or effecting the settlement of a claim for loss or damage.

A public adjuster is also any person who, for money, commission, or any other thing of value solicits, investigates, or adjusts such claims on behalf of a public adjuster. Other individuals may assist a public adjuster in their duties, and other professions, such as general contractors may perform duties that are typically associated with their license (like preparing estimates). General contractors cannot, however, negotiate with the insurance company on an insured’s behalf.

Attorneys may act as public adjusters but are exempt from licensure

Attorneys are exempt from the licensing requirement because they are already qualified to evaluate Insurance contracts and negotiate settlements by nature of their bar license. An attorney who would like to obtain a public adjuster license must also go through the requirements and testing from the state of Florida. VIP Adjusting’s founder is both an attorney who is a member of the Florida bar, as well as a licensed public adjuster.

Public Adjusting engages the Public Trust

Because public adjusters work for homeowners and other citizens of the general public, public adjusting engages the public trust. That means a duty must be exercised where the interest of the claimant is fairly and honestly put above the public adjusters own interests. 

Public adjusters in Florida are held to very high standards, including multiple different required codes of ethics. One code of ethics is for all adjusters in Florida under Florida Administrative Code 69B-220.201. Public adjusters are also governed by Florida Administrative Code 69B-220.201(4)(5).

The public adjusters at VIP Adjusting are also members of the Windstorm Insurance Network and have been certified as appraisers and umpires, adding additional codes of ethics to which they have agreed to be bound above and beyond the ordinary codes of ethics. 

Public Adjusters work on behalf of the homeowner. Always!

Public adjusters fight for you! Their duty is to advocate for you and your claim. The purpose of insurance is to put you whole after a loss, subject to a deductible. Your insurance company is supposed to be restoring you to pre-loss condition, and your public adjuster’s job is to make sure that an insured gets paid fairly for their claim and that the insurance company is not causing unreasonable delays or taking advantage of the insured. 

Most public adjusters charge a percentage of recovery as a fee. Studies conducted by the state of Florida have shown that the average difference in payment between a homeowner making a claim on their own and a homeowner who has retained a public adjuster, more than makes up for the cost of paying a public adjuster. That figure is based only on the average dollar value of the claim without accounting for delays, denials, or other missteps related to a homeowners inexperience. 

Independent Adjusters work for insurance companies

What a misnomer, right? You read that right, though. Independent adjusters are licensed and governed by the state of Florida, similar to public adjusters, but their license does not allow them to represent homeowners or insureds. They work FOR the insurance company.

Independent adjusters either represent insurance companies directly, or work for third party adjusting companies that are retained by insurance companies on a job-by-job basis. 

Despite the fact that an independent adjuster’s salary is paid by the insurance company, many homeowners are lulled into a false sense of security because this adjuster interacts with them and may even seem very friendly. Independent adjusters may also make certain promises while walking through the insured’s home even though he doesn’t have the final say as to what gets paid. Homeowners may be confused thinking that because the adjuster is called “independent,” then his evaluation should be independent. This is not correct. 

When VIP Adjusting handles a supplemental claim for a homeowner, we often hear that homeowner refer to the prior evaluation by an independent adjuster as the report prepared by “my adjuster.” Remember, an independent adjuster works for the insurance company, NOT for the homeowner. 

Even when an independent adjuster is following all ethical guidelines, the continuation of his employment still hinges on the insurance company paying as little as possible for your claim, and even when an independent adjuster is well meaning, there’s a representative inside the insurance company that often reviews and modifies that estimate before it’s approved for payment.

What to do if you have damage

If you’ve suffered loss or damage at your home, it’s best to get in touch with a public adjuster like VIP Adjusting as early on in the process as possible. In addition to having experienced professionals working for you to make sure you’re paid fairly for your claim, a public adjuster also works to prevent delays in the claim, and protect you from the potential landmines of doing it yourself.  

VIP Adjusting always fights for you!

You might also be interested in:

Learning more about VIP Adjusting’s background

Why you should hire a public adjuster

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Propaganda

It’s no mystery…

Big businesses lobby in this country, and the insurance industry is one of the biggest. Insurance companies routinely spend more than $130 million annually to lobby, and more than $70 million annually in campaign contributions to influence politics, politicians, and legislation in their favor, and that’s just what we know about.

Before you ever make a claim, the deck is being stacked against you and it’s been stacked against you, for years.

As part of that strategy, insurance companies also rely on news articles and favorable reporting on issues that are often misrepresented to the public.

Let’s look at an example in the Miami Herald, before hurricane Irma.

South Florida’s leaky pipe problem poses risk to homeowners insurance

A brief introduction referencing the decade without a hurricane, followed by the presentation of a new boogey man. LEAKY PIPES! YOUR PREMIUMS ARE GOING TO SKYROCKET! CONTRACTORS ARE CHARGING TOO MUCH!

Don’t get me wrong, YOU should always remain in charge of your claim, and the contractor issue does need to be dealt with, BUT the main point of this article is that as homes age (or construction booms for new homes results in subpar workmanship), there are a LOT of pipes leaking.

Prior to Irma, plumbing claims were easily more than 50% of claims.

This is a job for underwriting though. If this were actually the problem, a better investment in underwriting and actuaries would solve this problem. But instead, for years, insurance companies in Florida have been fighting plumbing claims head on attempting to continually increase record profits. In addition to that, behind the scenes, they’ve been slipping in policy changes that work against you, before you even have a claim.

Plumbing leaks completely excluded from coverage? We’ve seen it.

$10,000 cap on plumbing claims? We’ve seen it.

$3,000 cap on emergency repairs to protect the property? We’ve seen it.

Complete exclusion on emergency repairs? We’ve seen that too.

The kicker is that these policies are often being sold with a negligible premium discount. For example, on one of our own homes, we got a quote from an insurance agent for a policy that completely excluded plumbing claims, and it only resulted in a $40 premium discount FOR THE YEAR! That’s a difference of $3.33 a month, for the most common type of insurance claim.

If plumbing problems were truly that much of a burden, would the premium difference really be $3.33 a month?

I don’t think so. That smells of a trick to trap the people just looking for insurance at the lowest price.

The lesson here?

Stay vigilant, educate yourself, and seek representation.

To help with that education, we’re working on compiling a bunch of information, both to let you know about our services, and to give you insight into what you’re up against. Feel free to check out our pages on:

What to expect if your home has suffered a break in; or

What to expect if your home has been flooded

Competition

Competition whose motive is merely to compete, to drive some other fellow out, never carries very far. The competitor to be feared is one who never bothers about you at all, but goes on making his own business better all the time. Businesses that grow by development and improvement do not die. But when a business ceases to be creative, when it believes it has reached perfection and needs to do nothing but produce-no improvement, no development-it is done.

~Henry Ford

We wanted to draft a blog post relating to competition. We believe that in business, healthy competition is the American way. Many captains of industry have come and gone, but the businesses and individuals with staying power are those at the forefront of innovation and those who are willing to adapt.

Sure, an idea can become stale and you can lose it all, but as long as you continue to strive for greatness, you can build it all again. Steve Jobs was ousted from Apple and bought it back on the verge of bankruptcy before transforming it into a world leader. Warren Buffet has given away nearly all of his fortune time and again and continues to perpetually be one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet.

Why are we talking about this? This is a blog about insurance and insurance claims.

We’re drafting this blog post after receiving a call from a competitor that he was upset that we started this business and wants us to shut it down because he believes he’s entitled to a certain territory.

We started VIP Adjusting for two reasons. 1) after family members relocated to the Treasure Coast, we had an opportunity to work together and combine our talents and experiences, and 2) because we believed the the public adjusting industry had suffered a noticeable dip in quality of service since 2013 and wanted to provide a better service.

To elaborate on that second point, around 2013 a few important developments happened, where insurance companies were attempting to pass legislation where public adjusters couldn’t represent certain claims and many insurance companies did away with appraisal as a remedy to disputed claims, attorneys became kings of the industry. But public adjusters still had the marketing advantage.

What ensued was a deterioration in the work product of many adjusters where they realized that the claim might end up in the hands of an attorney anyway, so why not put in the least effort possible. In the last 5 years, adjusters on the whole have become less informed and put in less work than before. Adjusters became glorified “runners” for attorneys. Some adjusters don’t even estimate claims.

With a return of appraisal in many policies, (and with the relocation of family) we started VIP Adjusting with the intent that we would give every claim 100%. We would leave it all on the field. If a claim that we handles ends up in the hands of an attorney or in litigation, it’s not because of slack from us.

We want to give every claim the best chance to resolve in the first 90 days after it’s reported. If there’s a dispute, we’re willing to go back through our documentation and estimates to have an intelligent and open minded discussion about what can be done to resolve the claim fairly.

That’s the service we provide, and that’s the representation we have earned and will continue to keep.

We’re going to keep working to provide provide the best service we can provide, and if for some reason we do something wrong or make a mistake, we want to hear about it so we can try to make it right, or so we can learn from our mistakes so we can do better the next time.

Nothing is going to stop us from working our hardest for our clients.

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