3 disaster mitigation reports restoration contractors need to get paid

Insurance adjusters have several responsibilities when adjusting property insurance claims, including determining if the insurance policy will respond to the loss, ensuring there is sufficient funds available to restore or replace the insured's damaged property and making sure exclusions from the policy are not included in the scope of work.

The preliminary report: setting the scene

The preliminary report is a summary of your initial findings documented during the first site visit of the job location.

In this report, restoration contractors should include:

• A comprehensive explanation of all of the damages including materials, contents of the structure, foundation of the building, surrounding areas, and anything else.
• Damage that may have been pre-existing including mold that was in the structure before the incident, or other physical damages not related to the water intrusion event.
• Thorough descriptions of what caused each aspect of the damage
• The current ambient conditions of the affected and non-affected areas.
• The details of your drying plan to accomplish your drying goal including:
• Concerns about power
• Equipment requirements
• Site challenges that can lead to complications or complexities
  
  

The 72-hour report: showcasing your efforts

Think of the 72-hour report as a mid-status report. It is meant to explain what disaster mitigation steps you are already taking and show the insurance company how your efforts will ultimately save them money. To demonstrate this, you’ll want to showcase:

• How you prevented further damages - by acting quickly to remove water
• How your drying efforts halted water absorption that could have destroyed building materials of personal content.
• Maintaining ambient conditions that prevent microbial or bacteria amplification

Psychrometric conditions in the affected areas to demonstrate that you have removed excessive water vapour from the air and water from affected materials.

The final report: the entire restoration process, from start to finish

Your final report should be an exhaustive account of everything you’ve done to remediate the property. Be sure to write it in a way that is understandable to someone who doesn’t have technical knowledge of water damage restoration so they can grasp the full value of your services. It should include:

• A detailed description of every action you took, with photos and videos accompanying every facet of the job
• Before and after photos
• A complete outline of how your expertise and work throughout the process saved the insurance company money or will save it money in the future
• A thorough explanation as to why the job is complete, including how your work prevented further problems down the road as a result of this event

Thorough disaster mitigation reports are the best way for restoration contractors to make a strong case for the compensation they deserve. As a professional, you need to show the work you have completed and the reasons it was needed. They also allow you to reassure the insurance company that you have both their and your customers’ best interests at heart.

Pro Tip: The best disaster mitigation reports are written to leave no anticipated questions unanswered. You’re the expert in the field who is drafting a compelling story outlining the facts as they occurred, the options available, the decisions made and ultimately the results of your decisions.

Encircle: document, report and deliver with ease

Creating all three of these disaster mitigation reports with accuracy is a critical part of your restoration business. Do you have the tools and technology you need to make it as clear and easy as possible? Encircle is an all-in-one field documentation solution tool that provides restoration contractors with everything you need to create and share detailed, impressive reports that meet and exceed the insurance industry’s strict reporting requirements. Our solution is trusted by thousands of restoration contractors, insurance companies, and independent adjusters alike.

Contact us to discover how Encircle can connect all aspects of the claim process, and simplify the creation of mitigation reports documentation.