First Claim - York Field Services
You've just received a new claim and we want you to succeed.
Below is a no nonsense approach to satisfying the request of the client and successfully closing your first claim (or second, third, etc...come back as often as you like).
Below is a no nonsense approach to satisfying the request of the client and successfully closing your first claim (or second, third, etc...come back as often as you like).
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Inspecting the Loss
What you will learn: 1. What to wear. 2. What to say. 3. What documentation should you bring with you? 4. Documents to gather. 5. Things to look for... 6. Reporting issues with inspection. 7. York First Inspection Call WHAT TO WEAR
Dress the part. You wouldn't inspect a high rise in coveralls, just the same as you wouldn't inspect a pig farm in a suit. But here is what you shouldn't wear:
No jeans, t-shirts, sandals or flip-flops, loose or baggy clothing, shorts or sportswear (sweat pants, sweatshirts, jerseys etc) or clothing with logos. WHAT TO SAY
As little as possible.
You are representing the client and gathering information to aid in their desk adjuster's investigation of the loss. No commitments of any kind are to be conveyed. Do not discuss coverage or the possibility for any exclusions. Do agree to the scope of peril related damages and do make sure that the insured or claimant understands that you have no authority to settle their claim. WHAT DOCUMENTATION SHOULD YOU BRING WITH YOU?
It's always important to bring the appropriate documentation to validate that you are the assigned adjuster on the file. A business card with your full contact information but without any company names can open many doors. Also, any loss notices or claim information that can assist in getting you onto the property past any security, etc.
DOCUMENTS TO GATHER
Short answer: anything the insured or claimant provides should be retained.
Specifically, the following items are of major benefit:
The most important documentation to gather is any of that which was requested as part of the assignment!
THINGS TO LOOK FOR
Causation - quiet possibly the most important question to be answered on any claim is 'what caused this loss?'. This is to be reported as the proximate cause, which you will recall from insurance school as the "The cause having the most significant impact in bringing about the loss under a first-party property insurance policy, when two or more independent perils operate at the same time (i.e., concurrently) to produce a loss..."
For example, in a claim involving water damage, it is important to note whether sudden and accidental and what caused the release...was it pipe freeze, plumbing failure or some other factor. Subrogation Potential - it's important to note that subrogation has nothing to do with the peril, it is an insurance term that relates to recovery. Just because a loss is an act of nature, does not disqualify it from potential subrogation.
It's important to note each states Statute of Repose and note any repairs that may have fallen within this period. For the purposes of reporting, there should always be a statement that identifies your subrogation investigation and the results. For example: Upon inspection of the water damaged property, it was noted that recent renovation of the plumbing had resulted in exposed water supply lines lacking insulation. Contractor who performed work is XYZ Plumbing (555-555-5555). Underwriting Concerns - be sure to photograph anything that would need to be presented to the underwriters on a loss that would affect the coverage in force. Examples would include large undocumented additions to the structure, severely deteriorated material or deferred maintenance, security issues, code violations, liabilities or any potential for future loss.
Now its up to you, add an entry for making contact on the claim using the instructions above.
Insured to Value - check for any coinsurance provisions on the scheduled property prior to inspection and be sure to measure and photograph so that an accurate Commercial Valuation can be prepared.
REPORTING ISSUES WITH INSPECTION
Any issues noted during the inspection should be discussed with the DA as soon as possible, documented in the FileTrac notes and, where applicable, discussed with your file manager or a member of our management team.
Any discord, exaggerated claims, public adjuster involvement or large reserves need to be reported to our management team as soon as feasible. YORK FIRST INSPECTION CALL
From the loss location of any York assignment, please call the number below to report your findings and reserves.
Phone Number: Dialing this number will put you in touch with a live York representative who will record the data from your inspection, including:
This information will be placed directly in the desk analyst’s file so they will be up-to-date. You will need to have the following information available before dialing to ensure the data is recorded in the correct file:
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