Expect More From Your Insurance Provider

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 08/21/2014 04:37 PM EDT

Alright. I need your advice on what you believe you are missing from a coverage standpoint? How can the insurance providers in the industry improve on their already coverage specific offerings?

At InspectorPRO, we already feel like we are offering a superior product. I want your opinions on how to make it better and what else is missing related to insurance or any other item in your business?

----Don't tell me you want coverage cheaper or for Free. All insurance agents already know their clients want more for less.

I'm referring to additional coverage and offerings that are under-serviced in the Inspection World: Disability Insurance, Life Insurance, Workers Comp, additional types of inspections and services that you don't currently have coverage for? How can Customer Service improve and Education of what your really buying be delivered better?

I know...lots of questions and ideas already. Being the best option isnt enough. Even the Best need to continue to improve.

GO

....

and as always, if you havent already gotten a quote for the best coverage in the industry for the best Price....https://www.inspectorproinsurance.com/application/?c=wcolton

I'd like it to be cheaper...

Lol!

I need workers comp

Id like GL for dewinterizations

Workers Comp has to be at the top of the list. I can't seem to find a carrier who wants a 1-2 man operation or who has a clue what we do..once they hear "roof", well we are expensive roofers on top of expensive "electricians" on top of expensive "insulation contractors". I'm afraid to even mention the word "ladder".

Larger options on Inland Marine for tools (many inspectors now carry well over $20k in tools/eqpt per truck)

Short term disability

I seem to have a gap in my auto coverage for signage on the vehicle. Full truck wraps can cost $5k. Since we all know the insurance won't cover the real cost to replace the vehicle (unless you pay cash thru craig's list to an unknown owner, 150 miles away in a dark parking lot), we are definitely screwed for any expensive lettering/advertising. I would like to entertain a rider type policy apart from my auto carrier.

How about equipment / tools and vehicle coverage

Eric

You can already get tools and equipment coverage up to 10,000 in coverage on our policy. Email or call me for specifics.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 08/22/2014 10:23 AM EDT

This is Great Stuff Guys.

as an insurance provider, i would love to diversify my business with some of these additional offerings and believe that many of them will be added in the future. I hope to soon have available and option for short term Disability, workers comp, GL for some additional outside the box services like winterization and larger amounts for equipment. The auto wrap coverage may be a difficult one, because it will require a commercial auto policy which many inspectors will unlikely want because of additional expense. It will work great for the larger operations with a fleet of vehicles, but will be very expensive for the one man operations.

Workers comp is definitely a challenge because they are basically classifying you currently as roofers, but i promise I am working on something and hope to have success in getting a decent rate per inspector.

Disability (short and long-term) and term-life would be of interest. Policy inclusion for those looking to offer just IR business, or a separate side type policy?

Larger amounts for equipment would be good, since many are now getting into IR, I know I had to seek out another company when I went well over the 10K limits. I know as a franchise we had a company look into disability and life for us last year and it fell through Will. If InspectorPro is going to be at our conference in January as a sponsor, I know many would like to hear more about what could be bundled and offered as many of us are super happy and impressed with our coverage and options with Citadel.

First of all, I will say that I am a current satisfied InspectorPRO insurance customer. Great coverage for a great price.

I am expanding my business, so workers compensation coverage is something I am looking at for sure. Not just for inspectors, but for an office/marketing person.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 09/17/2014 12:12 AM EDT

I have no idea who this "wColton" guy is, but woman is WAY to hot for him. Must be his sister or something.

Anyways...Will, here is the situation that I run into. You guys scare the hell out of me and I want to tell you NOTHING. I am being very serious. It would be awesome to have a process where you could actually HELP us, without us fearing retribution.

I had/have a guy ( I think we talked about this) who is trying to get me to pay for his remodeled bathroom. He sends me a letter 6 months after the inspection, no calls, no emails...a certified letter wanting me to pay $8000 for a bathroom remodel he had done 4 months earlier. He said I missed a leak that caused mold and he had to rip out the bathhroom. I never go to see the defect, I never got to see the bathroom before it was remodeled, hell never even go to see it AFTER the remodel! He just "tells: me I missed it and I owe him $8000, which now he has lowered to anything I will give him.

So far I have busted him in about 20 lies and fabrications....but instead of handing it to you (because #1 insurance companies have a mind set to "settle" on these issues because it is cheaper for YOU. But in the end it SUCKS for US, because our premiums go up and all decision making has been taken away from us.

So I would like to see a way you can help, and with input from us, and without reprisal and fear if we bring some of these issues up to you, that we will be helped an not actually punished.

BTW, I use Will for my Home Inspection insurance needs and no matter the cost, I will not go elsewhere. He is a class act, an understanding professional and simply put....a good guy.

Russ

I completely understand your frustration and this scenario has also been a frustration for me as an agent at times. A current benefit of your policy is Pre-claims assistance. This provides guidance and response letter assistance prior to many situations needing to be an actual claim. Our policy and carrier have a very aggressive claims philosophy and settlement is not something we rush into doing. I can promise you that there are many cases where it makes sense for all parties involved though.

This is a very complicated discussion. The truth is insurance regulation, insured responsibility, and many other factors play into the way the claims process is handled. There are many situations that can definitely be handled without a claim needing to be opened. The scariest part is many inspectors are not as capable of handling these situations as well as you have handled the mentioned situation and we have had cases where handling them without the involvement of the adjuster and claims department has increased the severity of the claim and the defense of the inspector. Not to mention, acting without reporting can affect your coverage.

My advice to my clients is to ALWAYS contact me to discuss. This doesn't open a claim and protects you if the situation becomes a claim or already should be one. I believe my insurance carrier and claims department continue to improve in the handling of claims and the dismissal of frivolous claims. I have also discovered that many inspectors continue to improve their risk management habits.

To keep things simple, here are a few keys to live by:

1. GET YOUR CONTRACT SIGNED 100% of the time
-Yes this applies to clients who arent at inspection (i.e. - out of state buyers, investors, etc.). in todays world, electronic signature of simple confirmation and agreement by email is easy
-Make sure your contract contains some type of limitation of liability
-Get your contract regularly reviewed by legal counsel (every few years)
2. Take a ton of Pictures-I always get harassed for this one, but take a ton. not just of problem areas or of things included in the report, but of the entire house. i can site mulitple situations where pictures indemnified the inspector
3. Communicate Professionally in potential claims situations - NEVER ADMIT RESPONSIBILITY OR FAULT in an E&O claim situation.
4. Contact your Agentt-Discuss ALL potential problems with your Agent
5. Understand the value of your Time and Referring Relationships - sometimes it will make a ton of sense to refund an inspection fee or simply take care of a minor situation, especially when it is a valuable Realtor or other referring relationship. In the inspector world, your time is your money.
6. Release of Liability - if you ever offer a refund or other monetary solution, GET A RELEASE SIGNED. If you dont have one, email me and I will send a few sample forms.

I hope all this helps

The solution for 98% of all issues is to turn it into a 90-Day Warranty claim first. That way it's not a reportable event, and we can gather data for you and take things to resolution almost every single time. I've only had three events in the last five years I couldn't prevent a claim from- two this week went in the inspector's favor and I'm dealing with a hot one right now in...guess where...Florida.

This was well over the 90 day mark.

Will instead of "taking care" of these issues. How about teaching the people how to defend themselves properly. Give a man a solution he learns nothing. Teach him how to devise a solution and the lessons are life long.

Will, I just applied ... so treat me right! LOL

Juan Jimenez wrote:I need workers comp

Id like GL for dewinterizations

Agreed for the (De)Winterizations. I tried calling InspectorPro about it and they didn't offer it. Since I don't have coverage I'm not offering winterization services like I want to.