Tips from the Experts: What You Should Do after a Storm

With spring and summer comes intense weather that can bring harsh, damaging storms to the area. When a storm hits and causes damage to your home, it is important to take the proper first steps to get your home and your wallet on the road to recovery. At Norcia, we offer insurance claims help for Minnesota and are here to offer help with all of your insurance needs. And, we’d like to start by giving you a few tips so you know where to begin.

First, not sure if you have a claim? File one anyway. Experts like those at Norcia can get you the insurance claims you need to get you started. Even if a claim is fairly minor, like a broken window, for instance and won't exceed your annual deductible, you should still report that damage. Why? If there's another storm this year, then together your claims from both storms might top your deductible and then you could be reimbursed.

Next, contact your insurance company. Contacting your insurance company is essential to starting the claims process. But, with insurance claims help help from Norcia, we can take care of this for you. A public insurance adjuster like us can come to your home, talk to y our insurance company for you, explain to you what is unfolding, clarify all aspects of the paperwork and contracts that you might otherwise have a hard time understanding.

Always be sure to document every single possible issue that can be deemed a “loss”. Take photographs and notes. Go room by room inside of the house, side by side on your home’s exterior. Take close-ups, zoom in. In cases of loss with regard to natural disaster in pursuit of recompense from your insurance company, it is far better to have way too much in the way of documentation than little at all.

If your home has taken on severe damage, it is a good idea to board up your windows and doors. This will aid in the effort to prevent it from taking on even more damage, in addition to protecting the assets within. If you bring in a contractor to do such work, keep the receipt. You never know and keeping an accurate log of all transactions related to the disaster your home has endured will go a long way in aiding the insurance claims management process.

One thing to always remember is that for all of these steps, it helps to have insurance claims help you can trust. We will be in your corner, not the insurance company’s. Our job is to look out for you to make sure that you get fair and reasonable compensation from your insurance company when you file a claim.

Are you interested in getting more information on insurance claims help in Minnesota? Call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to set up your Free Consultation.

How Was Your Holiday Home Safety? Up the Ante for Next Year

It’s 2018! Let’s make your New Year’s resolution a safe one! The holidays for your home most likely meant bringing a tree indoors, putting up many sparkling lights, sitting around the wood-burning fireplace and lots and lots of baking. But hopefully, your holidays did not include insurance claims! As many of us know, hazards can arise this time of year and the last thing you want to do is file an insurance claim.

At Norcia Insurance Consultants, we are the experts in insurance claims for Green Bay and the surrounding areas and would like to offer some tips on how to make sure your 2018 is a safe one! Take note of these safety tips for a safer holiday season next year:

• At least once a year, preferably either right before or right after winter, have your chimney professionally inspected and cleaned. In your fireplace, make sure the only thing you are burning is wood. Make sure you only burn wood that is dry and cured. This means the logs need to have been split, stacked and dried for at least 8 to 12 months. 
• Test your smoke alarms monthly to make sure they work, and be sure to install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every level of your home and especially near sleeping areas. 
• For Christmas next year, make sure your tree is fresh and not dry. Purchase a freshly cut tree, as they are more resistant to ignition. Keep tree watered and away from any open flames like candles or fireplace. 
• Before stringing up the lights next December, carefully inspect them each year and discard any with frayed cords, cracked lamp holders, or loose connections. When replacing bulbs, unplug the light string and be sure to match voltage and wattage to the original bulb. You can even use an outdoor timer to turn lights on and off but make sure it is certified by CSA International. 
• This applies to more than just Christmas lights. Never connect more than one extension cord together; instead use a single cord that is long enough to reach the outlet without stretching, but not so long that it can easily become tangled. By avoiding electrical hazards like these you can also decrease the chance for insurance claims this year. 

These are just some of the ways you can help protect your home this year. Avoid the need for insurance claims! For more information about insurance claims in Green Bay, call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to set up your Free Consultation.

When to Call a Public Insurance Claim Adjuster for Help

A public insurance adjuster from Norcia can help you with your insurance claim so that you can rest easy. But, how do you when to call us for help? When there is destruction to your home or property, there can be a number of things to think about; from ensuring the well-being of your family to dealing with emergency repairs. And, figuring this entire thing out with your insurance company is the last thing you want to have to have to deal with. At Norcia, we offer expert public insurance claim assistance in Minnesota and have gained years of experience helping homeowners like you get the help they need with their insurance claims.

With Severe Weather Awareness Week being April 17 through 21^st, we would like to provide you with some of the cues that indicate it’s time to reach out for public insurance claim assistance:

1. Don’t hesitate to call for all-important public insurance claim assistance! Call a public insurance adjuster at Norcia Insurance Consultants at the first sign of damage. Whether it’s a storm, tornado or similar situation, having an adjuster on your side right off the bat means you start on a level playing field with your insurance company. Your public insurance adjuster will know the certain conditions of your insurance policy that must be met and strictly adhered to before and during the claims process.
2. Call one of our public insurance adjusters at the first red flag that you get from your insurance company. One red flag is if they reassign your claim to another one of their adjusters. That can sometimes signal that your repair estimate is going to be revised several times before it is paid out. Public insurance claim assistance can help you avoid these types of delays.

Some assume they can handle the insurance claim process all on their own. However, in reality it’s more involved than just calling the insurance company, submitting paperwork and waiting to receive a check. Keep in mind that many insurance companies are just looking out for their own interest and you may be disappointed by what they agree to pay. Often, the amount you are entitled to and the amount they think they owe you are two very different numbers.

So when you need reliable and professional public insurance claim assistance in Minnesota, call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 1-866-512-LOSS (5677) or you can contact us to Request a Free Consultation.

Understanding the Basics of Being a Public Insurance Adjuster

Have you ever wondered what a public insurance adjuster does? After all, they always seem to show up whenever there is a disaster of some type. This is because it is their job to inspect property and determine just how much the insurance company should pay out. They are there to help the victim(s) get back on their feet as soon as possible so they can move forward with life.

But, how does a public insurance adjuster do this? Is it just a matter of making an educated guess? No, of course it isn’t! There is actually a process involved that any reputable adjuster will employ. Here are the elements of that process: investigate, evaluate and settle. However, a public insurance adjuster has much in common with these other professions – appraisers, examiners and investigators.

With these roles involved, an adjuster may also find themselves doing a variety of other jobs. For instance, they may need to determine if the loss claimed was actually covered by the policy, contact the claimant’s medical professionals or employers regarding any questionable claims, speak to legal representation, negotiate settlement and set up payments.

The job of being a public insurance adjuster is certainly not dull! In fact, it can even mean travelling to other parts of one’s state or to other states to assess damages. In addition, the adjuster must know about a variety of topics that may range from dealing with the aftermath of a disaster like area-wide flooding to understanding the fine details of a worker’s compensation claim. They will interview claimants and witnesses, take pictures and statements and talk to any experts (accountants, architects, construction workers, engineers, etc.) in that field, so that they can be sure to get their client the biggest settlement possible within the quickest amount of time.

Keep in mind a public insurance adjuster is there to help you. It is their job to see that all parties involved are in agreement regarding the incident and the report turned into an examiner clearly explains the situation. In the event that one of the parties is not in favor of the claim or settlement, the adjuster will work with the attorneys and expert witnesses to reach an agreement that pleases everyone.

Should you be in the need of one, it is important that whether you hire one from an insurance company or have someone who is self-employed, that you take the time to make sure that they are licensed and that there are no complaints filed against them. You should expect to pay them at least 10 percent of whatever the final settlement is, as well. 

Simply put, the primary job of a Twin Cities public insurance adjuster is to help you, the client.

Insurance Adjusters Can Work For You, Or Against You

When you have a major property insurance claim, such as with storm damage, you will be contacted by an insurance adjuster who is assigned to handle that claim. The adjuster will evaluate the damage and follow up with a monetary offer to cover your loss.

There are many factors involved in determining loss. Not only is there the actual damage to the property, but there are secondary considerations. If the damage is to your home, there may be temporary living expenses incurred while the property is being repaired.

If the damage is to your place of business, you may have additional expenses that are required to continue operations while you don't have access to your premises, or you may have a loss of business income that is covered by your insurance policy.

It can be overwhelming to try to determine what is covered while you are already distracted by the displacement and interruption to normal activities. How can you possibly know if your insurance company's adjuster is considering all of the appropriate expenses and losses, when you may not even understand the intricate details of your insurance policy?

Insurance adjusters sent by the insurance company, represent only the interests of the insurance carrier, not your interests. His job is to settle the claim efficiently with the minimum financial impact on the insurance company. So what do you do?

The solution is to get your own Minnesota insurance adjuster. You can engage a Public Insurance Adjuster to represent you in settling the claim. A public adjuster represents only the insured party, is extensively trained in insurance, and is usually required to be licensed by the state.

He or she will be able to properly evaluate the losses that you have incurred, as well as determine the obligations of your insurance carrier. They will be familiar with the intricacies of insurance settlement and knowledgeable in the subtle differences in terms such as "actual cash value" as opposed to "replacement cost". These terms are quite different and don't necessarily mean what the average none trained person would expect.

To learn more about the role of insurance adjusters in settling your claim, click here to read the article, “The Truth about Insurance Adjusters.”

Insurance Adjusters: What Do We Do, Exactly?

Norcia Insurance Consultants has for over 20 years been in the insurance claims industry. But, what exactly does this mean? If you're not familiar with insurance adjusters, you might not be sure what are our duties as Minnesota insurance adjusters consist of. 

What an insurance adjuster does

The primary role of an insurance adjuster is to help his or her clients after they've experienced damage or loss of property, or were somehow injured. The adjuster investigates the claims to ensure the entitled settlement is disbursed to the proper party.

Skills needed to be an insurance adjuster

The most successful insurance adjusters are capable of working with a wide range of people, and need to compile a variety of information, including photographs and statements, and must be able to prepare reports about claims received. Putting together these reports requires talking with experts like accountants, lawyers, physicians and more, who can provide you with the necessary assistance. 

Official requirements needed by insurance adjusters

No educational requirements are necessary to become an insurance adjuster, as most companies provide novices with on-the-job training. If you pay close attention to details and quickly pick up on things, you'll be able to rise more quickly in the ranks. Having experience will help you in moving up to higher positions more quickly.

There will always be a need for insurance adjusters

Insurance claims adjusters like Norcia Insurance Consultants will always be needed, as people will require assistance and support when filing an insurance claim, and the industry is expected to grow dramatically over the next 10 years. 

Why hire Norcia Insurance Consultants?

When you experience loss due to a storm or other disaster, it can be an extremely trying and stressful time, made even worse by the fact that your insurance company may not be as helpful to you as their commercials would lead you to believe. When you want an unbiased, third-party look into the events surrounding the damage you've experienced, a fair inventory of what you've lost and assistance in submitting the proper paperwork for reimbursement, get in touch with Norcia Insurance Consultants.

Norcia Insurance Consultants are MN insurance adjusters that have been serving Minnesota and Wisconsin for over 20 years. If you're seeking the money you're entitled to from an insurance company after a disaster, call us today at (866) 512-5677 for a free insurance consultation.