Insurance Claim

1
So youre handling your own insurance claim?
Really?
2
The number of reasons this is a bad idea for all
involved is too great to address in one sitting,
so Ill focus on the would-be client/pseudo-expert
.  Ill even number them for simplicity.
1)      If it were easy (and safe) enough for
laymen to do, there wouldnt be specialty
trades.  We have electricians, plumbers, CPAs and
doctors because their trades are sufficiently
complicated to be regulated and licensed by
cities, states and the Fed.  Yes, there are
simple things that we can all do for ourselves. 
Beyond the simple things, we are all better off
leaving it to the real professionals.
2)      Advice given freely doesnt equal a
specifically tailored solution. When someone asks
me a general question about insurance claims
or Xactimate estimates, I give an equally general
answer.  My advice does not speak to the persons
individual situation, policy language or claim
circumstances. And, as Ive learned from my dads
experience, if someone does ask me to speak about
their specific circumstance, I (usually) ask them
to sign a service contract. Which leads to
3
3)      Action taken on free advice, which ends
poorly, provides the recipient with ZERO recourse
on the one who gave the advice. Liability
policies, Errors Ommissions policies,
malpractice and contractor bonds are all things
that exist to protect clients from mistakes that
people make.  That is why some trades like
lawyers have strict policies against providing
ANY consultation or specific advice without
compensation or retainer.
4)      The world is full of smarter, more
experienced people This brings me to the heart of
the matter.  If you believe that you are smarter
than me, why are you asking me for advice and
information?  If you believe that you can do my
job better than me, if only you can get a couple
pointers, then why are you doing something else
for a living?  What really gets me is those
people who think they can outsmart industries and
companies that have been around for HUNDREDS of
years.  
4
Do you really think that the IRS hasnt already
figured out the trick youre about to try? 
What makes you think that your insurance company
doesnt know that people are constantly looking
for a way to take advantage of their property
claim?  The reality is that most trades have
more potential pitfalls than jackpots. 
Professionals make their livings by knowing the
rules and playing by them day after day.  Getting
rich quick just doesnt happen (very
often).   For every story about finding the tax
loophole or insurance claim trick that landed
someone thousands of dollars, there are hundreds
of people that found out the hard way that
messing around with trillion-dollar industries is
a bad idea.  I make my living the hard way
going to work every day and fighting for my
clients.  The fact that there are so few
companies like mine out there is a testament to
how difficult my industry is.  Truth is, the
insurance claims industry is downright hostile to
new players with new ideas about how things can
be done. 

5
I continue to do my work because I believe that
I DO have a better way, and I want to change my
industry.  Yet my approach is measured, in a
better mousetrap kind of way, NOT in a card up
my sleeve way.  So, to all of you out there who
fight the good fight every day in their chosen
profession, who put the best of themselves into
everything they do because its the right thing
to do, I say, Carry on men (and women)!  We
are the light (or something like that). For those
of you with a problem that needs solving, find a
quality professional to help you out.  Ask people
you trust for referrals, and take the advice of
friends. And to everyone looking for a shortcut
via free advice, be warned.  You WILL get what
you pay for.