Plaskoff Construction and Remodeling Summer 2003

The Adjuster

An adjuster is a person trained by the insurance industry to assess the damage. He is not your advocate, but rather that of the insurance company. The more information you have about your possessions the faster your claim can be settled.

Before disaster strikes, develop a complete inventory of the items in your home that includes a description of the item, photos, model and serial numbers, the original cost and the cost to replace it. Store this information off-site such as at work or in a safe deposit box.
Create a list of the damaged items. Photograph the damage and put them with copies of the receipts.
Throw nothing away until the adjuster sees everything.
Reread your policy to refresh your memory on what is covered and what is not.
Make a list of everything you want to show the adjuster when he arrives.
You need a separate flood insurance policy to cover flood damage from any rising water. Homeowners’ insurance policies don’t usually cover flood damage. They generally do pay for damage from rain coming through a hole in the roof or a broken window from storm damage.

There is one more lurking issue that Plaskoff Construction can help you with: You will have to rebuild in accordance with current building codes, which may have changed since your home was first built. In some cases, complying with the code may require a change in design or building materials and may cost more. However, your policy may not pay for these extras.

“We’re here for the homeowner,” Matt added. “Not for the insurance company’s bottom line."



Vol.9 • No.2 Summer 2003 PRESIDENT Matt Plaskoff VICE PRESIDENT OF PRODUCTION Michael Cook PROJECT MANAGERS Joel Jeffrey Gregg Cook Mark Baker Jaime Navarro Christopher Alan Monte Vajnar CUSTOMER SERVICE Miquel Lagos Ernest Martini Fernando Ayala LABOR SUPERVISOR Raffa Castellanos PURCHASING MANAGER Phil Silver ESTIMATING Joseph Nargi ESTIMATING & PURCHASING ASSISTANT Diana Tran CONTROLLER George Khoury ADMINISTRATION Teddi Best Allison Hopkins LABOR Jose Alcala Jose Ramirez PAINTING FOREMAN Ramon Ramirez PAINTING CREW Luis Rivas Jamie Zambrano	When the bough breaks, the adjuster will call...
	Once upon a time, a water pipe burst. A little pipe with a huge cost. In five short hours, two floors of a million dollar home sustained more than $200,000 in damage. “Tragedies like this can be turned into the perfect opportunity to improve a home,” said Matt Plaskoff. “We can bring our experience with insurance companies to bear on a client’s behalf and usually help them achieve other goals in the process of rebuilding their home and their lives after a disaster strikes.” Matt Plaskoff has a great deal of experience in successfully assisting homeowners with insurance issues. “A homeowner has a right to select his or her contractor of choice,” Matt said. “The insurance adjuster works for the insurance company, not the homeowners. Adjusters are trained to price repairs based on questionable national database price lists geared for track housing, not the high-end homes in our area. There’s a huge difference between ‘fixing’ something and restoring it to its original condition and that difference shows up in the quality of the materials selected and the expertise of the construction firm.” When a homeowner selects Plaskoff Construction for the repair after a disaster, Matt negotiates with the adjuster, educating him if need be, on what actual replacement costs will be. Homeowners who engage Plaskoff Construction will find that the firm has ample documentation to support their cases for a proper renovation. Plaskoff Construction has negotiated many such projects, some as high as $300,000. Should disaster strike, Plaskoff Construction offers the following tips: The Claim — 6 Steps 1. Immediately contact your insurance agent. Alert him of your losses. Provide the address and phone number of where you can be contacted. 2. Call Plaskoff Construction as soon as possible to avoid costly errors. 3. Your insurance company should advance you money if you need temporary shelter, food and clothing if you can no longer live in your home. They may also advance money if you need to replace major household items immediately to continue living there. 4. Keep receipts for everything you spend! Make sure the check for additional living expenses is made out to you and not your mortgage company. 5. Working with your insurance company, we will initially make only those repairs necessary to prevent further damage to your home. 6. Do not use electrical appliances, including televisions and stereos, which have been exposed to water until they have been checked by a technician. You bought insurance to take care of emergencies and you should be satisfied with the way your insurance company honors its part of the contract. When Plaskoff Construction is your contractor, we make your needs our number one priority, not your insurance company ’s bottom line.
		The Adjuster An adjuster is a person trained by the insurance industry to assess the damage. He is not your advocate, but rather that of the insurance company. The more information you have about your possessions the faster your claim can be settled. Before disaster strikes, develop a complete inventory of the items in your home that includes a description of the item, photos, model and serial numbers, the original cost and the cost to replace it. Store this information off-site such as at work or in a safe deposit box. Create a list of the damaged items. Photograph the damage and put them with copies of the receipts. Throw nothing away until the adjuster sees everything. Reread your policy to refresh your memory on what is covered and what is not. Make a list of everything you want to show the adjuster when he arrives. You need a separate flood insurance policy to cover flood damage from any rising water. Homeowners’ insurance policies don’t usually cover flood damage. They generally do pay for damage from rain coming through a hole in the roof or a broken window from storm damage. There is one more lurking issue that Plaskoff Construction can help you with: You will have to rebuild in accordance with current building codes, which may have changed since your home was first built. In some cases, complying with the code may require a change in design or building materials and may cost more. However, your policy may not pay for these extras. “We’re here for the homeowner,” Matt added. “Not for the insurance company’s bottom line."

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