Learn More About the Preferred Vendor Chosen by Your Insurance Agent and Provider
11/20/2021 (Permalink)
If you've experienced property damage, your insurance agent may have steered you toward a specific cleanup and repair business. Insurance companies choose these preferred vendors to ensure top-quality results at affordable prices. Property restoration companies, such as SERVPRO of Colorado Springs, CO, must meet specific qualifications before becoming part of a preferred vendor program. If you're unfamiliar with this type of situation, you may have several questions:
- Why would the insurance company prefer vendors?
- How does the program benefit property owners?
- What's the value of the qualification requirement?
It's natural to want answers to the questions you have about insurance companies and their preferred vendors.
Answers to Questions You Might Have for Your Insurance Agent
The more you know about the relationship between the insurance company and the cleanup and restoration company, the easier it is to make educated decisions. Here are some common questions from property owners, as well as answers to those questions.
Why Do Insurance Companies Choose Specific Vendors?
One of the main reasons that insurance companies create relationships with preferred vendors is to keep costs within specific boundaries. It allows the insurance company to make a quick referral to a damage restoration company because a quick response to water, fire, and mold damage is crucial. When insurance companies choose specific vendors, they do so to have a consistent working partnership. This means there are fewer questions and unknowns. This is good for the property owner, the insurance company, and the restoration company.
How Do You Benefit as a Property Owner?
When you need cleanup and restoration professionals for your property damage, you are not required to use one of the insurance company's preferred vendors. However, there are important benefits to hiring the recommended cleanup and restoration company:
- Confidence that the insurance company and vendor have a positive working relationship
- Paperwork takes less time, so work is completed more quickly
- An expectation of good quality results that protect the company's reputation
- The cost of the work will be kept within set boundaries
Remember that insurance companies establish standards of professionalism and specific qualifications to which vendors must adhere.
Why Are Qualification Requirements Important?
There are several requirements that property restoration companies must meet to become part of a vendor program:
- Background checks for employees
- Routine equipment maintenance
- Regular safety training
- Compliance with IICRC standards
This shortlist is just a sample of the requirements established by insurance agencies. If you want to know the specific qualifications required by your provider, reach out to your insurance agent. SERVPRO, for example, meets at least 21 qualifications. These requirements ensure that you receive a high standard of professionalism, reasonable prices, and quality assurance.
Cooperative Partnerships for Mutual Satisfaction
When your insurance agent makes a recommendation, you can rest assured that the insurance companies expect the vendor to do great work without waste. You can trust the results of the restoration work and have a reasonable expectation of what the work will cost. Your agent can feel confident that you will be satisfied, and the entire restoration process can be less frustrating for everyone involved.