What  I  no)ced  is  that  some  poten)al  clients  have  decided  that  they  know  best,  and  that  they  are  smarter  than  everyone  else  who  have  experienced  an  insurance  loss.    This  very  same  theme  is  why  Home  Depot  is  a  mul)-­‐billion  dollar  company  and  TurboTax  is  a  household  name:  there  are  a  lot  of  things  that  you  can  truly  do  yourself  and  poten)ally  save  money.      

 But  there  is  a  difference  between  using  a  CPA  vs  taxes-­‐in-­‐a-­‐box.  This  phenomenon  is  not  new.    There  have  always  been  those  who  look  for  a  cheaper  way  to  do  things,  or  shortcuts  to  their  goals.  Here  are  4  myths  people  are  most  guilty  when  

in  comes  to  claiming  their  insurance.        

Myth  1.  I  can  handle  my    own  insurance  claim,  I  think  it  is  easy  

We  have  electricians,  plumbers,  CPAs  and  doctors  because  their  trades  are  sufficiently  complicated  to  be  regulated  and  licensed  by  ci)es,  states  and  the  Fed.    Yes,  there  are  simple  things  that  we  can  all  do  for  ourselves.    Beyond  the  simple  things,  we  are  all  beLer  off  leaving  it  to  the  real  professionals.  

The    Truth:    If  it  were  easy  (and  safe)  enough  for  laymen  to  do,  

there  wouldn’t  be  specialty  trades.  Workplace  Safety    

Myth  2:  I  can  always  ask  advice  without  cost.  I  know  some  close  

lawyers  friends      

The  Truth  2:  Advice  given  freely  doesn’t  equal  a  

specifically  tailored  soluHon.  

When  someone  asks  me  a  “general”  quesHon  about  insurance  claims  or  XacHmate  esHmates,  I  give  an  equally  general  answer.    My  advice  does  not  speak  to  the  person’s  individual  situaHon,  policy  language  or  claim  circumstances.  And,  as  I’ve  learned  from  my  dad’s  experience,  if  someone  does  ask  me  to  speak  about  their  specific  circumstance,  I  (usually)  ask  them  to  sign  a  service  contract.  Which  leads  to…  

Myth  3.  I  thinks  I    can  live  with  my  friend’s  advise    

TRUTH  3.    AcHon  taken  on  free  advice,  which  ends  poorly,  provides  the  recipient  

with  ZERO  recourse  on  the  one  who  gave  the  advice.                  OathLiability  policies,  Errors  &  Ommissions  policies,  malpracHce  and  contractor  bonds  are  all  things  that  exist  to  protect  clients  from  mistakes  that  people  make.    That  is  why  some  trades  like  lawyers  have  strict  policies  against  providing  ANY  consultaHon  or  specific  advice  without  compensaHon  or  retainer.  

Myth  4.  I’ll  cross  the  bridge  when  I  get  there,  I  think  I  know  how  to  claim  my  insurance    even  

without  experience  yet.    

This  brings  me  to  the  heart  of  the  maLer.      If  you  believe  that  you  are  smarter  than  me,  why  are  you  asking  me  for  advice  and  informa)on?    If  you  believe  that  you  can  do  my  job  

beLer  than  me,  if  only  you  can  get  a  couple  “pointers”,  then  why  are  you  doing  something  else  for  a  living?    

The  Truth  4:      The  world  is  full  of  smarter,  more  

experienced  people  

What  really  gets  me  is  those  people  who  think  they  can  outsmart  industries  and  companies  that  have  

been  around  for  HUNDREDS  of  years.        

Do  you  really  think  that  the  IRS  hasn’t  already  figured  out  the  “trick”  you’re  about  to  try?    What  makes  you  think  that  your  insurance  company  

doesn’t  know  that  people  are  constantly  looking  for  a  way  to  take  advantage  of  their  property  claim?    

The  reality  is  that  most  trades  have  more  poten)al  piXalls  than  jackpots.    Professionals  make  their  livings  by  

knowing  the  rules  and  playing  by  them  day  aYer  day.    Ge[ng  rich  quick  just  doesn’t  happen  (very  oYen).  St  

Paddy's  Day        

For  every  story  about  finding  the  tax  loophole  or  insurance  claim  trick  that  landed  someone  thousands  of  dollars,  there  are  hundreds  of  people  that  found  out  the  

hard  way  that  messing  around  with  trillion-­‐dollar  industries  is  a  bad  idea.    

I  make  my  living  the  hard  way:  going  to  work  every  day  and  figh)ng  for  my  clients.    The  fact  that  there  are  so  few  companies  like  mine  out  there  is  a  testament  to  how  difficult  my  industry  is.    Truth  is,  the  insurance  claims  industry  is  downright  hos)le  to  new  players  with  new  ideas  about  how  things  can  be  done.    Dima  and  Toma  

 I  con)nue  to  do  my  work  because  I  believe  that  I  DO  have  a  beLer  way,  and  I  want  to  change  my  industry.    Yet  my  approach  is  measured,  in  a  “beLer  mousetrap”  kind  of  

way,  NOT  in  a  “card  up  my  sleeve”  way.    

So,  to  all  of  you  out  there  who  fight  the  good  fight  every  day  in  their  chosen  profession,  who  put  the  best  of  

themselves  into  everything  they  do  because  it’s  the  right  thing  to  do,  I  say,  “Carry  on  men  (and  women)!”      

 We  are  the  light  (or  something  like  that).  For  those  of  you  

with  a  problem  that  needs  solving,  find  a  quality  professional  to  help  you  out.    Ask  people  you  trust  for  

referrals,  and  take  the  advice  of  friends.  And  to  everyone  looking  for  a  shortcut  via  free  advice,  be  warned.    You  

WILL  get  what  you  pay  for.  

When you are ready to stake your claim, just call: 888.745.7568 Claims Delegates is your resource, advocate, and knowledge center

on the front line of the insurance claims process. We support contractors, homeowners, and property managers, giving our clients insider knowledge, management, and estimating services so they can

make the most out of the claims and restoration process.

When it’s time to talk to your insurer, talk to a Claim Delegate first. Claims Delegates is ready to serve and support you through the

process, whether you’re looking to expand your restoration business or recover from a catastrophy. CONTACT US, We make insurance

WORK.