Post-Claim Support From Your Assessment Partner

Expert assessments and actionable reports are essential to settling property loss claims confidently and accurately, and you likely know what to look for in a vendor who provides both. However, your expectations shouldn’t stop there; you could need support immediately after reading over the report, or something may come up months or even years after you’ve settled the claim. A reliable assessment partner is ready and willing to continue your partnership and gives you a more accurate and convenient customer experience. Look for partners whose expertise can help you reach, support, and – if necessary – defend your decision post-claim, whether it’s answering questions, managing your evidence, or serving as an expert witness during litigation.

Detailed Answers About Complex Concepts

Adjusters need comprehensive cause of loss reports to feel confident that they’re resolving a claim with an understanding of the failure. Though a partner-focused expert report lays out complex engineering, electrical, or fire-related concepts in relatively simple terms, you may want additional explanations about the process, ideas, and conclusions before you make your settlement decision.

True assessment support means delivering the report and having a team on hand to clarify the results or concepts as needed, ensuring the adjuster and policyholder fully understand the conclusions.

Not only does your decision rely on you knowing your expert’s conclusions, but your relationship with your policyholder can be helped through better understanding as well. The expert was on their property, after all, and they’re more likely to feel comfortable if you can explain what the assessment found and how you arrived at the settlement.

Even when you’re clear on the report’s concepts and conclusions, you may need to contact your assessment vendor again if you receive new background information from the policyholder. These revelations sometimes require additional expert insight, such as a supplemental report, to ensure all concerns have been addressed.

To avoid being left without a subject matter expert to help you when these questions arise, verify that your vendor will be standing by to help you. Alpine Intel’s suite of services has teams trained to address your follow-up questions and, in certain cases, put you in touch with the report’s author or a team of subject matter experts. These experts know about the items and materials involved in the claim, as well as the codes and regulations that apply to it.

Safeguarding Valuable Evidence

During a structural assessment or fire investigation, the expert may collect evidence that supports their conclusions or needs further testing in another location. If you use a vendor who feels they’ve fulfilled their responsibilities once they release their findings, you may find yourself wondering where that evidence ended up, or even realize that you suddenly need to find a place to store it, or a way to dispose of larger items.

A partner who is dedicated to managing evidence throughout the process, including beyond report delivery, can take on the responsibility and alleviate concerns about its location and condition. Where many shipping companies see a damaged item, a company well-versed in property sees valuable evidence and takes measures to prevent spoliation that might reduce its value to the carrier.

A reliable assessment partner will manage evidence well after the claim is resolved, including shipping it as needed or storing it in a secure facility like this one at Component Testing Laboratories (CTL).

That’s why a service like CTL’s Loss Logistics offers a single-line chain of custody from the loss location to CTL for further testing, storage, or disposal. Evidence can be stored for years, safely and conveniently discarded, or shipped to another location at your direction in a manner hat eliminates the risk or lost items or spoliation.

Expert Witnesses at Your Service

A final reason you should expect your assessment vendor to provide post-claim support: litigation potential. When a claim goes into litigation – which may occur years after an assessment occurs – vendors are often called as expert witnesses. Their testimony can support your settlement decision with facts and details about the claimed items, the inspection process, and data they may have used to reach their conclusion. This is another instance where stored evidence may be pertinent.

Look for an assessment partner who is prepared to provide expert testimony about their findings without adding responsibilities to carriers during the litigation process.

A professional who understands not only the equipment but also the insurance industry delivers expert testimony. Alpine Intel offers ongoing in-house training to subject matter experts on how to articulate the assessment process and findings.

Experience a partnership that extends well beyond the comprehensive, objective report. Alpine Intel’s brands, including HVACi, StrikeCheck, National Fire Experts, Donan, and Component Testing Laboratories, deliver answers insurance professionals can rely on and provide post-assessment services for carriers. Submit an assignment to get claim support for as long as you need it.

Alpine Intel’s content is meant to inform and educate readers using general terms and descriptions. They do not replace expert evaluations that determine facts and details related to each unique claim.