FAQ : Your questions about claims management answered

Your insurer's detailed estimate may not be provided to you. If it is, it may contain quantities but not prices. In any case, it is important to validate all points of the estimate. The insurer asks for contractor quotes on these estimates, but in reality, the insurer will not take the time to validate if the information they contain is correct. If you choose to call for bids, they will try to negotiate the work at the best possible cost.

We need to verify quantities, measurements of parts, quality of materials, hourly rate and number of hours required, rates for administration and contractor's profit, and what is allowed in the overhead of the file. Only a building estimator can do this work with precision and this is the way we do it.

Be careful, because we believe this situation is critical. Beginning reconstruction work without knowing the amounts involved can lead to surprises. By doing so, you do not respect your legal obligation to prove the nature and extent of your damages (art. 2471 CcQ) and this could cause you prejudice. In a free and enlightened market, you should have a choice of supplier and not be forced to choose the one with whom your insurer has made an agreement. In addition, the relationship of patronage between the accredited contractor and the insurer is not the same as for you. In a dispute situation, the contractor will tend to agree with the insurer. The amount of the indemnity and the nature of the work must be determined before the work begins. Otherwise, it is impossible to know exactly what quality and quantity of materials to use and whether you will be responsible for a portion of the work.

It is much easier to let your insurer make all the decisions for you by removing you from the negotiation process. However, this situation is far from ideal, since if you were dissatisfied with the settlement, you could not blame your insurer for not having properly accounted for your losses, having failed to meet your legal obligations. Keep in mind that it is up to you to prove your losses and the nature and extent of the damage. Leaving the insurer to act alone makes it much easier and faster to settle the case, but it is normal that the settlement will be less advantageous. The insurer has to compensate you, but naturally wants to keep the costs as low as possible. They hire an adjuster, an estimator, and use their trusted network to select their suppliers, but who is there to represent you if there is no adjuster to represent you? The insurance adjuster cannot represent the interests of the insurer and yours at the same time, he would be in a situation of conflict of interest.

A major incident claim involves exorbitant amounts that will exceed your premium payments. Even if you accumulated the total paid in premiums over your lifetime, the claims could exceed these amounts. When the insurer collects premiums, it does so through its underwriting department. The claim will be settled by the claims department. The attitude and policies of these two departments are not the same. Underwriting is about selling and collecting. At claims, the opposite is true as the money is disbursed. The threat of cancellation of your insurance policies will not have the desired effect.

Yes, however, the role of the insurance broker is to ensure that you have the required coverage in the event of a risk, at the best rates on the market. Therefore, his role is to buy or sell insurance, not to claim indemnities. The estimation of a building, the inventory of goods and the knowledge of the field related to the expertise in the settlement of a claim is not that of the broker. It is possible that the broker will be able to put pressure on your insurer if it does not act properly, but he will not be able to determine the value of your goods, your building and your contents. He is also not trained to handle the process of negotiating and quantifying discrepancies on claims.

The settlement and reconstruction of a major disaster can take 4 to 6 months and sometimes more, depending on the complexity of the case. It is important that you find a place to relocate yourself and your family members where you will be comfortable until your home is habitable again.

There are a multitude of reasons to hire your expert, but here are a few:

You want to get the most out of your settlement.

You don't have time to respond to your insurer's requests.

You do not fully understand your insurance policy and its provisions.

You don't have the expertise and skills required.

Your damage and the amount of money involved are important.

Your insurer offers you a quick settlement.

Your insurer extends the settlement period.

Your insurer's settlement offer does not seem adequate.

Your insurer's expert advises against hiring an expert to represent you.

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