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Ten Thousand Percent Return

Ten Thousand Percent Return

When was the last time you received a 10,000% return on an investment?  Sounds unreal doesn’t it? Did you know that is exactly what you get when you let Claims Delegates write your Xactimate estimates?  Go ahead and do the math: a ONE PERCENT fee means that for every...

Who Controls Your Xactimate Estimates?

Who Controls Your Xactimate Estimates?

Does the IRS do your taxes?No? Of course not.Then why do we feel compelled to let the insurance company settle our claims?I've talked about this a lot before, so I'll try not to repeat myself here.  I just wanted to put something out that was on my mind.Xactimate is a...

How NOT to Take Pictures for Xactimate Scopes

How NOT to Take Pictures for Xactimate Scopes

Excuse Me, Your Meter is Showing Alright ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for some brutal honesty.  You take crappy pictures. There, I said it.  And I won’t apologize.  The pictures you are taking are driving us nuts. We’re your estimators and your adjusters.  We know...

Xactimate is NOT a Sales Tool

Xactimate is NOT a Sales Tool

Insurance claims do not require multiple bids.  If you find yourself in a situation with multiple bid/estimates, run away.  No one wins when you sell based on price.  A "client" who is getting more than one Xactimate estimate from more than one restoration contractor,...

Mitigation Moneyball: Water Techs and the $1,000 Hour

Mitigation Moneyball: Water Techs and the $1,000 Hour

We all know that water damage mitigation (emergency services) provide the highest levels of profit margins of all our activities as restoration contractors.  That's why the most successful franchises started as (and most stayed) water damage service providers. As the...

The Insurance Claim Process for Homeowners

The Insurance Claim Process for Homeowners

What Does an Insurance Claim Feel Like?This post is an excerpt from an email I received from a client.  The city they live in experienced a sewer system failure and flooded their finished basement with sewer and storm water.State Farm denied coverageTheir own...

Restoration Marketing in a Crowded Marketplace

Restoration Marketing in a Crowded Marketplace

Breaking Through: Marketing in a Crowded MarketplaceI recently had the pleasure of interviewing Richard Braun of 1800-RESTORE on my podcast: The Claim Clinic.  He was kind enough to put together this article for us all to share.  I hope you like it!If you'd like to...

Does Home Insurance Cover a House Fire?

Does Home Insurance Cover a House Fire?

“Sure, sure. I have insurance. You’re totally covered.”I was young and naive. My eager landlord was young and naive.  Hear this: You are not covered.I moved into a condo in Northwest Portland, Oregon. It was a step above the apartment I was living in before. The last...