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Change in the property insurance industry almost always has an impact on the restoration industry, so it’s important for restoration contractors to stay up-to-date on insurance coverage trends. At One Claim Solution, we interact with restorers and insurance providers every day. Here are some of the recent carrier coverage changes we’ve witnessed and advice from OCS Co-Founder Josh Ehmke on how restoration contractors can adapt their customer communication approach in response to these changes.
Weather and climate catastrophes are occurring more frequently. In response to the increased costs of disasters, many insurers are dropping customers or choosing to no longer offer new policies in high-risk areas and states.
Unsurprisingly, the states that are hit by the most expensive weather and climate disasters, like Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and California, are the ones being affected by these coverage trends the most. Major carriers like Allstate and State Farm no longeroffer new policies in California. Farmers dropped more than a quarter of their Florida homeowner insurance customers. Policies in high-risk states are also becoming increasingly expensive.
Source: NOAA
Another trend in insurance coverage that OCS is seeing is carriers selling policies with lower limits and more exclusions. For example, Josh has seen insurers sell policies with $10,000 limits for water damage claims. “Good luck getting your house put back together for that,” he comments.
“I do not believe that homeowners know what they’re signing when they sign up with their insurance company 99% of the time,” Josh explains. Then when they go to file a claim, they learn that they don’t have coverage for something that they thought they did.
It’s frustrating as a restoration contractor to get to witness first-hand how policy changes like these impact customers. While you may not be able to control policy changes, you can control how you respond to them. Here are some tips for how to adapt your customer interactions with these changes in mind:
Whether you want it to or not, your customer’s insurance policy can impact how you approach your restoration work. Early on in the restoration process, have your customer call their provider to learn about their policy’s limits and exclusions. Coach them before the call about important questions for them to ask. “It’s really just an educational process with the homeowner to make sure they’re asking the right types of questions from their adjuster on the front end,” Josh says.
In a world where customers have policies with lower limits and more exclusions, more of the cost responsibility falls to the customer. Because of this, it’s more important than ever to be upfront with your customers about the lien process so that it doesn’t come as a surprise. For more advice on how to explain lien and pre-lien, read our recent blog.
Be candid with your customers about the different courses of action you can take to mitigate a disaster. “You want your customers to be aware of and knowledgeable about the processes lying before them so that they can make an educated decision,” Josh explains. If their insurance coverage is limited, they may want less extensive restoration work to save costs. It’s important to be honest about the risks with them while also understanding where they are coming from.
If you’re a restoration contractor who wants more insight into the restoration industry and advice on how to communicate with your customers, subscribe to the OCS newsletter.
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Hi there! I’m Connor, the Account Executive for One Claim. My goal is to guide our contractors through the sales process, ensuring you’re equipped with all the information you need to make your decision and hit the ground running once aboard. We view ourselves as an extension of your business and I strive to make the process an enlightening and consultative one.
My career has primarily been focused in software sales over a few different industries but the last few years were spent helping general contractors solve similar problems to what we’re doing here at OCS! Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, cooking and boating during the summer months.
Hello! I’m Nicole, and I’m here to champion for our employees, recruit for new talent, and impact culture at One Claim Solution. I find satisfaction in supporting a memorable employee experience and bring innovation, problem solving, and strategic view to the process. Nothing is more important than our people, and a healthy culture is my top priority! I have had the pleasure of building my career in various sectors, specializing in small to medium size firms focused on high-growth. My experience is centered around driving and implementing change, leading high-performing teams, and driving process improvements. I am excited to make an impact at One Claim. Outside of work, my family and I enjoy getting outdoors as much as possible to explore beautiful Colorado!
Great to meet you! I’m Elizabeth, and I’m the one behind all the emails and advertisements you’ve been seeing. As the Demand Generation Manager at One Claim Solution, my mission is to connect with contractors like you who need our services. I’m passionate about having an impact on others and I bring a wealth of experience in demand generation and marketing strategy to create moments of delight, curiosity, and education for you.
Prior to One Claim Solution, I had the privilege of building marketing departments from the ground up at companies in a variety of industries, including IT consulting, first protection, and healthcare. Personally, I love being outdoors, playing Dungeons and Dragons and board games, singing, and traveling.
Welcome! I’m Alisha, and I’m here to champion your success as the Director of Contractor Success at One Claim. With a passion for helping contractors thrive, I bring a wealth of experience in onboarding, customer service, and account management to ensure your journey with us is nothing short of exceptional.
Prior to joining One Claim, I had the privilege of scaling SMB and Enterprise Customer Success teams at fast-growing SaaS startups. With over six years of experience at companies like Mavenlink, Teamwork, and ServiceTitan, I honed my expertise in building high-performing teams and fostering proactive, consultative relationships. This background has equipped me with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by businesses like yours, and I’m dedicated to helping you overcome them.
Hi there, my name is Eric! I am the Chief Technology Officer here at OCS, spearheading our technical strategy. I have a background in computer science, graduating cum laude from BYU-Idaho with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Technology.
Before coming to One Claim, I served as the Director of Engineering at Slingshot Technology, Inc., a company later acquired by WorkWave in 2021. My professional journey has spanned both emerging startups and established corporations, with a steadfast focus on cultivating high-trust, low bureaucracy teams and innovating technology using agile methodologies.
In my free time, you can find me flying drones, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time with my family.
Hello, my name is Cam, I’m the COO of One Claim Solution! I come from a management consulting background (Bain & Company) and hold an MBA from the University of Michigan. I have worked at a wide variety of organizations, from Fortune 500 to small-cap, in an equally wide variety of industries. I have over 15 years of experience in operations and strategic growth, and I have spent much of my career focused on developing high-performing tech-enabled service organizations through early stage and high growth phases.
Outside of work, my wife Brittny and I have four kids, ages 13 to 6. As residents of Mesa, Arizona, we love to ski and explore the national parks of the southwest!
Hello, my name is Dan, and I am the CEO of One Claim Solution. I am super excited by everything we are doing at OCS to be the market leading insurance billing specialist that advocates on behalf of our restoration contractors.
My professional experiences are predominantly corporate in nature. My career started at General Electric in finance and accounting. Immediately prior to joining OCS, I spent time as an investor at Bondcliff Partners and management consultant with Bain & Company. I also hold an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and got my BS in finance and accounting from Northeastern University.
Outside of the office, I enjoy spending time with my wife, two young children, and our family dog, Whiskey. We live in Charleston, SC and take advantage of the beautiful weather by spending as much time as possible outside at the beach or adventuring around town
Hi, I’m Josh! In 2016, I co-founded One Claim Solution with my partner Jeremy Traasdahl, and I serve as General Counsel of One Claim Solution. Working in the restoration industry, Jeremy and I saw contractors struggling to get paid quickly and fairly and we knew there was a need for change. We founded One Claim Solution to be this change and it’s been my privilege to see our company grow and to advocate for our clients as general counsel.
Outside of my passion for helping the restoration industry, I enjoy spending time outdoors, fly-fishing, hunting, skiing, and coaching my kids’ baseball teams. I’ve been married to my amazing wife for 20 years and we have a beautiful family of 5 children.
Hey, I’m Jeremy! In 2016, I co-founded One Claim Solution with my partner Josh Ehmke. Working in the restoration industry, Josh and I saw contractors struggling to get paid quickly and fairly and we knew there was a need for change. We founded One Claim Solution to be this change and it’s been my privilege to lead our amazing team.
Prior to One Claim Solution, I started my career as an inside sales rep for Avnet, then moved to Pepsico as a district sales manager. Outside of work, I love spending time with my wife and four children, two boys and two girls!