If you’ve ever done residential restoration work in Ottertail, MN, it’s probably happened to you: The job is taking forever and the property owner isn’t happy, even though your team has done everything right. What’s the problem? Working with the homeowners insurance company seems to lead to delays and complications at every turn, causing a simple project to drag on and on. Read on for three common tactics insurance companies use to slow down the claims process, and what you can do to protect yourself and your crews.
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1. Confusing the Issue
Insurance contracts are notoriously dense and are often filled with incomprehensible industry jargon. It can be hard to know where you stand just from reading the policy. Unfortunately, calling the company for clarification usually just complicates matters further.
Many adjusters are adept at misdirecting your attention, often pointing you to some ambiguous clause or requesting an obscure document. Stay focused and act quickly to be sure your team won’t be blamed for delays.
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2. Denying the Claim
Homeowners insurance companies have come under scrutiny in recent years after reports revealed that many of the nation’s top insurers made it a policy to routinely deny claims as a way to avoid payment. Make it difficult for insurers to justify denials by using clear, complete invoices that are drafted with bulletproof language. If your current invoices aren’t doing the trick, consider hiring a third-party billing service with insurance experience.
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3. Delaying the Project
Of all the tactics used by insurance companies, delay is perhaps the most infuriating. From not issuing or returning claim paperwork on time to taking ages to reach a decision or respond to an inquiry, insurers can often make a project take much longer than necessary. Minimize delays by frequently following up with the insurance company when the ball is in their court.

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So, what can you do to reduce the headache of dealing with homeowners insurance companies? The restoration professionals who get the best results are usually those who act wisely and take diligent action with insurers.