As a water damage specialist, how you approach your relationship with insurance agents matters. Your interactions with agents can support your business goals, or they can hold you back from profit.
A positive mindset is essential to building these positive relationships. If you’re expecting the worst, anticipating each interaction with an agent to be filled with disagreements and tension, this is likely what you will get. However, if you can expect the best from the agent, approach the relationship with understanding, and connect with insurance agents on shared values, you can build a positive and mutually beneficial relationship.
We’ve been working in this industry long enough to have learned a lot about contractor-agent relationships. Through trial and error, we have nailed down five tips that are essential to positive, long-term relationships with insurance agents.
#1. Value the Agent’s Role in the Claim
Why should you care about your relationship with an insurance agent? Bringing new policy holders on board may be their primary role, but that doesn’t mean they don’t impact your work as a contractor. While adjusters work on individual insurance claims, agents maintain relationships with the homeowners they have signed. The may serve as a middle man during a claim and they may be the person homeowners turn to for referrals when they become the victims of water damage.
When you have a great relationship with agents, they can easily become one of your primary sources of referrals. Valuing the agent’s role in a restoration claim is the first step to building a strong relationship that will benefit your bottom line.
#2. Connect on Common Ground
You might not see it at first, but you have a lot in common with the insurance agents you interact with while working on a restoration claim. You both want to retain customers and you both want to build a reputation that results in word-of-mouth referrals.
You both understand that a good reputation is built on satisfied customers. You both want loss-victims to be pleased with the work you have done at the end of the day. If you connect with agents on your mutual desire for a happy homeowner, you can work out any differences that may arise.
#3. Provide Free Phone Estimates
Not all restoration jobs necessitate an insurance claim. Some homeowners may compare the cost of the claim to their deductible and choose to pay for the work out of pocket. Other jobs may not be covered at all because of the nature of the damage.
If you can begin to provide a rough estimate of the work to insurance agents over the phone, they may be able to determine if that job will require an insurance claim. This will save you both time and the insurance agent will appreciate your willingness to streamline the process.
#4. Control the Claim Cost
There is nothing that makes an agent and their policyholder happier than a contractor who cares about controlling the scope, and the cost, of the work. Approach each job with a dry-first mentality as a means of keeping costs low. Whenever possible, avoid tearing out and replacing items in the home in favor of salvaging existing items.
Additionally, prioritize controlling claim costs by avoiding relocating the homeowner during the job. Moving out for water damage restoration is inconvenient and costly. Do what you can to keep them in their home. You can be certain that the agent and their policyholder will thank you.
#5. Communicate!
Remember, insurance agents have stake in the game, too. They want the loss-victim happy with the work that is being done and the time frame of the job.
Because of this, it’s a good idea make sure you are keeping agents informed. If the scope of the job changes, including the time frame for completion or the cost, send them an update. It is also a good practice to send updates when things are going well, letting them know you are making progress. Using real-time communication by equipping on-site crew members with smartphones is a great way to keep everyone involved on the same page.
At More Floods, we help water damage restoration specialists address the difficulties they face in their business. Whether you’re struggling with the agent-contractor relationship or having a hard time hiring the right employees, we have developed operational procedures for simplifying each of the daily tasks you face. To learn more about becoming a member, click here or call 1-866-667-3356.