Overcoming 3 challenges in property restoration claims

Property owners buy insurance as a financial safeguard in case disaster strikes. That’s a given. And as long as accidents and mother nature exist, disaster restoration will be a recession-proof industry. The historic flooding in California is a prime example.

But for insurance companies to accurately assess a claim, they require damages to be properly documented. That means working in conjunction with restoration teams to capture field data quickly and efficiently.

Except “quickly” and “efficiently” are two terms lacking in the industry as it stands. The disaster restoration market is forecast to reach $98.9 billion in revenue by 2031. That means property restoration insurance teams will be busy processing claims. What slows down the claims process? Lack of proper documentation from property restoration teams working on site. Most legacy tools for field teams are lacking in features. Either the software is difficult to integrate with other company systems (like their accounting software), or it takes weeks simply to onboard users.

First major challenge: keeping track of multiple claims projects

When claims are disaster-related, such as flooding from torrential rains, the number of affected properties will be staggering. That means multiple restoration companies working on multiple projects. Tracking each one involves accurately logging the correct data (photos, damage assessments, estimates, etc.) and attaching it to the corresponding property. It’s tedious, time-consuming work. When these errors are submitted to the insurer, the project is delayed.

Property restoration teams that are using different platforms for their data capture needs increase their risks of potential data capture mistakes. Even one photo uploaded to the incorrect property claim can lead to confusion, backtracking and revisiting the property to correct the information.

This kind of mistake directly affects the success of the restoration process and the policyholder’s satisfaction. Accurately linking data to the correct claim ensures that the right resources are allocated to the right property. It helps adjusters evaluate the scope of the restoration work and determine coverage. It minimizes the length of time spent on the restoration process and reduces the overall cost of the claim itself. It boils down to this: Insurance companies need accurate data to process claims. So when restoration teams are using one platform for photos and another for documents and then inputting the data back at the office, the room for error expands.

Second major challenge: mobile platforms that are difficult to use

Most organizations will agree that adopting new technology comes with certain learning curves.

Many restoration firms provide field teams with mobile platforms to capture the data needed for property restoration claims. But the main complaint is that it takes too long to onboard.

Finding a user-friendly, intuitive tool to streamline the property restoration process will improve:

1. Convenience and accessibility: With a smartphone in hand, field teams can access and submit necessary documentation in real time.
2. Increased productivity: Providing field teams with an intuitive platform means less time spent onboarding, and more time actually using the tool, directly affecting the speed of claims.
3. Improved customer experience: Getting accurate data to the office so agents can process claims quickly improves the company brand for all stakeholders, and the brand can differentiate itself from competitors.

Third major challenge: getting data back to the office

Capturing data in the field is chaotic enough. Then restoration teams have the added challenge of getting those documents back to the office. When they capture data in the field, and then must manually input that data back at the office, it doubles their work, increases their chances of mistakes, wastes time and leads to delayed claims.

Providing a mobile platform that allows data captured in the field to update automatically in real time is crucial to streamlining the property restoration insurance claims process. Eliminating that extra step of updating it manually will increase productivity, lower the risk of errors and ensure claims are properly processed.

Invest in tools now to streamline for tomorrow

Property restoration projects involve plenty of collaboration, especially between the insurance company processing the claim and the contractors doing the work. Adjusters want to be sure coverage is precise for the documented damage, and that work proceeds as needed when claims are approved. It all begins with accurately captured data. Finding the right tools to solve the challenges that come with on-site documentation is key to streamlining the process, and ensuring that all stakeholders are connected, communicating and collaborating during a property restoration project.

Joe Tolzmann is CEO of RocketPlan, a SaaS platform for property restoration insurance professionals and contractors. He may be contacted at [email protected].

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