Property Claims
Property Claims & Insurance Support
RJI Professionals is a locally based restoration and building contractor serving Illinois, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, and surrounding markets. With over 30 years of experience, our team has the expertise to handle storm restoration, remodeling projects, property claims, and insurance support with reliable service you can trust.
Weather can be impactful and damaging to your property, and it's a situation no one wants to face. Most business owners and homeowners want the problem resolved quickly and look for assistance. Dealing with insurance companies, inspections, material suppliers, contractors, stakeholders, and building requirements isn't what most property owners want to face daily. Supporting our customers through these situations is what RJI excels at.
How We Support Your Insurance Claim
RJI acts as your restoration contractor throughout the insurance claim process. Here's what we can do to support you:
- Offer an opinion on whether damage is from a storm or other incident normally covered by a homeowner's policy
- Prepare a detailed estimate and scope of work for the loss
- Discuss the estimate and scope of work with the homeowner
- Recommend that the policyholder file an insurance claim with their insurer
- Be present when an insurer's adjuster inspects the damage
- Answer questions the insurer or adjuster has about our estimates
Important notice: RJI does not employ public adjusters. RJI is not responsible for obtaining approval of your homeowner's insurance claim. We will not negotiate your policy rights with your insurance company. If a dispute arises with your insurance company over the price or scope of repairs, it is the responsibility of the homeowner — not RJI — to negotiate with the insurance company. Homeowners are responsible for reviewing their insurance policy.
Filing Property Claims
The first step is filing the insurance claim. Locate your homeowner's insurance policy and find the insurance claims hotline. This is also a good time to confirm what your deductible is so you know that information upfront.
If your insurance company allows you to file a claim online, we recommend doing that instead of calling — it tends to be faster. Visit the insurance company's website directly (not the website of your agent) to file the claim.
Once the claim is filed, contact your mortgage provider and request a claim packet. This step speeds up the process significantly and helps ensure the project won't be delayed. If the insurance carrier ever denies your claim, having the insurance claim packet on file is invaluable.
We work with all insurance companies. If you need to file your property claim, contact us at (877) 766-3310 for guidance on next steps.
The Adjustment Process
Once your claim is filed, the insurance company assigns an adjuster to your case. The adjuster will inspect the damage and determine what your policy covers. We can be present during the inspection to answer questions about the scope of work and estimates we've prepared — but we don't negotiate with the adjuster on your behalf.
Depreciation Recovery
Almost all insurance companies apply depreciated value to every item in a settlement. This is the difference between what an item is worth at the time it's damaged versus what it would be worth if it were restored.
When RJI performs the repairs, we do so within the amount the insurance company will settle for. When repairs are complete, the invoice is submitted to your carrier and typically covered in full.
The insurance company then pays you the depreciation amount they originally applied to the repaired items. We'll let you know when this invoice is being sent. It's a good idea to follow up with your carrier a few days later to confirm they've sent the final payment.
To receive the depreciation amount, you must complete the claim in full and provide all invoices for the work that was done. We'll follow up with your insurance company to help ensure the final settlement is sent to you.
If You Have a Mortgage
If you have a mortgage, your property claims may involve drafts that list the mortgage company as an additional payee. The insurance company places the mortgage company's name on the check due to their vested interest in the property — in the rare event that claim repairs aren't completed, the mortgage carrier could be left holding a loan on a home worth less than its appraisal value.
Because of the high-quality service we provide and the premium materials we use, insurance companies typically pay the claim in full.
Contact Us for a Free Estimate
The moment you experience storm damage, it's important to contact us as soon as possible so we can help secure the damaged area and prevent additional damage. You'll also receive a free estimate.
Contact us at (877) 766-3310 and we'll be happy to help. You can also fill out the free estimate form on this page and someone from our office will contact you.