When a claim is priced from photos

One of the most common situations I see starts the same way every time. An owner has a water loss and the carrier never sends anyone out. They look at photos and come back with wear and tear not covered or a check for the fraction of the contractor's bids. The owner appeals on their own and gets the same answer. Before they decide whether to accept it that they should know what actually happened to their file.

So the building owner is getting the same answer because what is being done is called

a desk adjustment.

The adjuster did not physically see the property and the damages.

Nobody was sent out by the insurance company to assess the damages.

So essentially, the adjuster is either looking at photos from a phone or is basing their

reserve on what has been provided to them and not a physical inspection.

So before you accept a number or appeal on your own, you will want to make sure that you're providing the adjuster with additional information that they will need to assess the damage.

Or additionally, request that the insurance company send one of their representatives out to assess the damage.

Yes, the claimant does have the right to ask the insurance company to have a representative come out and assess their damages.

So do this. Before you accept a number or appeal again on your own, get somebody who doesn't work

for the carrier to look at what they priced and what they didn't. That's the only thing that

changes a desk decision. If you own a building, a desk adjustment is almost always missing what's

inside the wall. Don't argue the number. Get it opened up and documented, then send that.

If you own your house or home, don't send the carrier another email disagreeing. Send them

something they didn't have.