Normally, after an individual files a property claim, the insurance company determines a date and time for an in-person visit by one of their claims representatives. The insurance adjuster will arrive on location at the address provided and physically conduct an inspection of all initial damages sustained.
While this is still considered normal protocol by most insurance companies, mobile inspections are rising in popularity since the pandemic created more reliance on operating remotely. Mobile inspections are flexible alternatives to in-person property damage assessments.
The topic of remote viewing may come up when filing a property claim with your insurance company.
So, what should you do as a property owner? Would you feel comfortable with the accuracy of this type of assessment?
Here’s what you need to know about mobile inspections for property claims.
What are Mobile Inspections?
Mobile property inspections include any live or virtual video assessment collected from the property site. These inspections are typically done using a cell phone or tablet with an offsite insurance representative remotely viewing the inspection.
Think of any live video or face-to-face call and you’ll understand how mobile inspections operate the same way. Prior to the pandemic, the insurance industry rarely utilized mobile inspections. However, it is becoming more common as part of the claims process.
What to do Should Your Insurance Company Request One
Your insurance company may seek to use mobile inspections as a way to speed up the claims process and save them money. However, as a policyholder, you should always be aware of the disadvantages when taking this route.
Some of the risks associated with mobile inspections include:
•Inaccurate documentation/reporting
•Inaccurate value of loss
•Bypassing surface damages difficult to see using mobile viewing
•Not counting damages behind walls or other barriers
In order to ensure your claim is properly handled using mobile inspections, you’ll need to remain pro-active during the claim process, keeping your own detailed notes of what was viewed and discussed throughout the inspection. Maintain accurate calculations of the total loss incurred from the damaged and destroyed property, keeping in mind the highest amounts available to you through your insurance. Keep a documented record of your losses, requests, questions, proof, and estimates.
Don’t be fooled into thinking your insurance company always has your best interest at heart. Remember they are seeking to reduce the amount they lose in claims while you are seeking to restore your assets to the full amount owed.
It is a business negotiation where your knowledge will pay off if you do your due diligence and have the right support on your side. If you have concerns and questions that your insurance agent is unwilling or unable to provide, consider getting specialized professional help with your claim.
SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc. Advocates Only for the Insured’s Benefit
SunPoint Public Adjusters, Inc. (“SunPoint”) is the “Gold Standard” of the Public Adjusting industry. We comprehensively review and evaluate your insurance settlement, immediately deploy a team of specialists to assess and quantify your damages, and customize a strategy around your personal recovery to promptly and properly maximize the resolution of your claim.
Our in-house experts and external veteran professionals are experienced in quantifying and negotiating building, personal property, inventory, or other additional coverages. We work solely on your behalf to favorably resolve your claim. Our team ensures your insurance company does not delay, diminish, or deny benefits that are rightfully owed to you. Industry authorities agree that having a public adjuster like SunPoint on your side early in the process expedites and maximizes your recovery.
Policyholders have been benefiting from our knowledge and advocacy for decades. We have handled, managed, and successfully navigated claims ranging from homeowner losses; corporate losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars; disaster losses involving government entities and entire municipalities; agricultural and recall losses, and virtually any type of disaster claim that could be imagined. Our team of Public Adjusters, building cost consultants, inventory specialists, forensic accountants, and equipment consultants is unmatched in our industry. To obtain a free insurance settlement assessment of your specific circumstances and recovery please contact us and strategize your optimal means of recovery.