April 17, 2008

1. Mark your calendar for upcoming
Roadmap to Recovery meetings…
Thursday, May 1, 2008: Local Building Requirements
and Rebuilding “Green”
Thursday, May 15, 2008: Rebuild Options – A variety of
contractors present their approaches to rebuilding
Thursday, May 29, 2008: Fund Control, Special rebuild
vendor offerings and concept of Owner/Builder
Thursday, June 12, 2008: Post-Disaster Legal Issues
Revisited, including overview of current status of Ins.
Code Sec. 2051.5(c)

2. R2R Presentations Available On-Line
RBCPC Firestorm Recovery Plan
The mission is simple: To befriend Survivors of Firestorm 2007 and help
restore lives and homes by ministering to physical, emotional, and spiritual needs
Click: www.rbcpc.org Firestorm
Road to Recovery Series
- PDFs
- Powerpoints

3. SoCal 2007 Wildfire
SoCal 2007 Wildfire
Roadmap to Recovery:
Roadmap to Recovery:
April 17, 2008, Meeting #11
April 17, 2008, Meeting #11
Claims Handling Refresher
Claims Handling Refresher
Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church
Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church
Karen Reimus
www.unitedpolicyholders.org

4. The Fine Print…
The information provided in this program is intended for
general educational purposes only. It should not be
construed as legal advice
The speakers at today’s program are volunteering
their time as educators
Neither United Policyholders nor the Rancho Bernardo
Community Presbyterian Church endorse or warrant
the quality or services of any volunteer speakers

5. United Policyholders announces:
“Ask An Expert” On-Line Forum
A new information resource for ’07 Firestorm Survivors
On the Forum, you can pose a question to:
A Lawyer
A Claims Handling Professional
A Previous Catastrophic Loss Survivor
“Ask An Expert” is restricted by invitation only. If you
are a 2007 Firestorm Survivor and wish to receive an
“invitation”, send an e-mail to:
Emily@unitedpolicyholders.org
Please put: “Ask An Expert Invite” in the subject line of your
e-mail.

6. Mark your calendar for upcoming
Roadmap to Recovery meetings…
Thursday, May 1, 2008: Local Building Requirements
and Rebuilding “Green”
Thursday, May 15, 2008: Rebuild Options – A variety of
contractors present their approaches to rebuilding
Thursday, May 29, 2008: Fund Control, Special rebuild
vendor offerings and concept of Owner/Builder
Thursday, June 12, 2008: Post-Disaster Legal Issues
Revisited, including overview of current status of Ins.
Code Sec. 2051.5(c)

7. Claims Handling Refresher
Ron Reitz
for
Roadmap to Recovery Meeting
April 17, 2008

8. Objectives
Provide useful tips for effective claims handling
Provide tools to address challenges of poor claims handling
by the insurer
Learn how to identify and resolve issues of underinsurance
Dealing effectively with your mortgagee

9. Content
• Who We Are and Why We’re Qualified
• Role of Public Adjuster
• Most Common claims issues
• Claims handling tools
• Addressing Under insurance
• Dealing effectively with mortgagee
• Q&A

10. Who we are
• Locally-based public insurance adjusters, licensed nationally
• NAPIA, CAPIA, NAIC
• Experts in mortgage servicer rights under the policy
• Extensive work on Katrina, Rita and Wilma claims (worked with
over 5,000 homeowners)

11. Role of public insurance adjuster
• Bring insurance expertise to clients
• Reduce pressure on clients to comply with all policy
provisions
• Assess policy coverage, determine claim amounts,
present claim and negotiate an equitable settlement
• Dispute denials and maximize recoveries

12. How to Select A Public Adjuster
• Check licensing status with the CA Department of Insurance
http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-industry/0070-check-license-status/
• Is the Public Adjuster a member of the California Association of
Public Insurance Adjusters (CAPIA) or the National Association of
Public Insurance Adjusters (www.napia.com)
• What credentials do they have such as professional designations
other licenses, professional affiliations (BBB)
• Do they have Professional Liability insurance
• Do they require payment in advance
• Do they have verified references
• How do they give back to the community

13. Most common challenges
• Low-balling
• Under insured
• Proving your claim
• Multiple adjusters
• Compliance with CA Fair Claims Practices
Regulations
• Determining amount of claim

14. Effective Claims Management
Maintain a claims log
Follow-up in writing
Have Regs on hand
Ask for a certified copy of policy
Understand authority levels
Know chain of command
Inquire where reserves are set
Request copy of the adjuster’s detailed scope
Request copy of the insurer’s claim file
Resolving an impasse

15. Addressing Underinsurance
• Use detailed, independent scope of loss as the basis
• Ask carrier to reconsider policy limits
• Involve underwriter and Broker
• Talk to attorney with expertise in underinsurance issues

16. Dealing Effectively with Mortgagee
• Review of mortgagee claim process and role
• Why is the mortgagee involved
• When is mortgagee named on loss drafts
• What the mortgagee requires
• How to escalate issues with mortgagee (who to talk to)

17. RFA
REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE
YOUR SILVER BULLET
One Cedar Fire Survivor’s
Experience Using the RFA
Process
Jack Mueller
UP Mentor and '03 Cedar Fire Survivor

18. RFA
• THE ISSUES
• INSURANCE COMPANIES USE SECRECY & ONE ON ONE NEGOTIATING TACTICS
• THE INSURED DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME CLOUT/NO LEVEL BATTLEFIELD
ONE SOLUTION: RFA
• USE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE TO LEVEL THE BATTLEFIELD
• FILE AN RFA---NOW AND OFFEN

19. RFA
• HOW DO I FILE AN RFA?
GO TO
WWW.INSURANCE.CA.GOV/CONTACT-US/0200-FILE-COMPLAINT/
OR CALL
1-800-927-HELP(4357)

22. Mark your calendar for upcoming
Roadmap to Recovery meetings…
Thursday, May 1, 2008: Local Building Requirements
and Rebuilding “Green”
Thursday, May 15, 2008: Rebuild Options – A variety of
contractors present their approaches to rebuilding
Thursday, May 29, 2008: Fund Control, Special rebuild
vendor offerings and concept of Owner/Builder
Thursday, June 12, 2008: Post-Disaster Legal Issues
Revisited, including overview of current status of Ins.
Code Sec. 2051.5(c)

23. Invitation to Supper at RBCPC
Fire Survivors, Supporters, UPC Mentors
RSVP Needed
May 15th, 5:30 – 7 pm
RSVP to 487-0811, extension 211

24. Break Out Sessions
for Fire Survivors
Open to 9:30 pm: Firm Stop time
Upstairs:
State Farm : Dormer West
Farmers : Skylight West
Allstate : Upper Courtside East
USAA: Small room off lobby
Other Companies: Sanctuary

25. United Policyholders announces:
“Ask An Expert” On-Line Forum
A new information resource for ’07 Firestorm Survivors
On the Forum, you can pose a question to:
A Lawyer
A Claims Handling Professional
A Previous Catastrophic Loss Survivor
“Ask An Expert” is restricted by invitation only. If you
are a 2007 Firestorm Survivor and wish to receive an
“invitation”, send an e-mail to:
Emily@unitedpolicyholders.org
Please put: “Ask An Expert Invite” in the subject line of your
e-mail.

26. R2R Presentations Available On-Line
RBCPC Firestorm Recovery Plan
The mission is simple: To befriend Survivors of Firestorm 2007 and help
restore lives and homes by ministering to physical, emotional, and spiritual needs
Click: www.rbcpc.org Firestorm
Road to Recovery Series
- PDFs
- Powerpoints