Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. We have a Virginia Class A Contractor’s License and are fully bonded and insured.
What is a restoration company?
We specialize in reconstruction for property insurance claims. We write a full insurance scope of work, negotiate with your insurance adjuster on your behalf, execute the scope and contract, and see the claim to completion.
When do we call you?
Right away. It’s a good idea to call as early in the claims process as possible. Even though we focus on the reconstruction step of property restoration, we are able to guide and educate you through the entire process from the moment the loss occurs. We would even recommend you call us before you open a claim so we can help advise on whether a claim would be worth the trouble. And BEFORE you open a claim that will be on your "permanent record” with your insurance company. Most of our clients call us after they have had mitigation and demo completed in the affected areas.
How much does an evaluation cost?
It is FREE. The first appointment is when we take pictures, measurements, and do our evaluation of the observable damage.
Can you work with my insurance company?
Yes. We are able to write a detailed estimate that your insurance adjuster is able to evaluate line by line for approval.
Do you work FOR the insurance?
No. We are not “in program” with any insurance companies. Which means that we are not beholden to the insurance’s strict scope requirements. We work for the Insured, YOU, not for the Insurance. Nothing restricts our scope that will bring your house back to whole. We are YOUR advocate, not the insurance’s. By serving one master in the process, we are able to best serve your needs and help you receive what you need to bring your home back to life.
Can I make upgrades?
Yes. After we have an agreed scope of repairs with your insurance, we can write up a change order for you to review and sign. You would be responsible for the amount above and beyond the insurance’s contribution.
My insurance has already paid me an amount. Is that final?
No. Initial payment does not mean additional payments cannot be made. The insurance’s initial scope and payment can be considered a placeholder until your contractor, HLC, is selected and begins scope development to determine the actual services needed to reach pre-loss conditions. Even after agreement is reached with the insurance, we are able to submit supplemental scope to your insurance for further adjustment up until we submit paper work to close the claim via our certificate of completion documents.
What is the typical process from beginning to end?
Once a loss occurs in your home whether a fire, pipe burst, roof leak, etc. the process is the same:
- You call HLC to tell us what happened. We determine a claim would be necessary in your situation and we provide emergency services or refer you to our trusted teams to provide specialised emergency response.
- You call your insurance and open a claim.
- Emergency services (tarping, mitigation, plumbing repairs, etc) are performed to stop further damages to your home.
- Now your home is ready to begin HLC’s 6-step reconstruction service.
Do I need to call three different contractors in order to satisfy my insurance?
Actually, no! While it is a smart practice to call multiple contractors for remodeling projects so you can interview each, compare costs, and have multiple opinions on the requested services, it is not a requirement to call multiple contractors for an insurance claim. Your insurance only requires that you select a contractor, and they will ONLY communicate/receive estimates with your SELECTED contractor. In an insurance claim you should be working with a contractor who is competent in the insurance process, is able to provide estimates and justifications that can satisfy your insurance company, and you feel comfortable with. The insurance process is unique in that the lowest price is typically not the best choice. Expert insurance contractors, like us, write estimates in the same software your insurance uses which means we share the same pricing data your insurance does. Because we use regulated, shared pricing, difference in price only means difference in scope. If a scope comes in low, it only means it's missing the steps necessary to bring your home back to pre-loss conditions.
How long does the development period take with the insurance?
This is the most common question we receive and unfortunately, there is no concrete answer that can be given. We can only say that we will not delay your claim process. We will provide our estimates in a timely manner (simple claims take about 48 hours, while more complex claims can take up to 5 days to provide a comprehensive estimate that satisfies the insurance’s requirements). From there we will continue to follow up with your insurance in order to answer their questions and stay on the top of their priority list as they review the claim. We have seen claims get approved within 5 days and we have seen others get approved after months of hard negotiation and very long durations between responses from the insurance. Every claim is different, but we are consistent in prompt response times and persistent follow-ups.