There’s one thing standing between you and faster payments for your restoration work.
It’s not your customers or the quality of your work (we know you’re a professional).
It’s how you work with your insurance adjuster.
These fine folk are the claim-approving gatekeepers who often slow down or stop your hard-earned payments. That said, these guys don’t have to be a constant source of frustration. Instead of adopting an adversarial stance, what would it be to understand and collaborate with your insurance adjuster?
If it meant faster payments, more business, and smoother processes, would you be game? If so, read on.
This article will walk you through the psychology of adjusters; how to address their pain points; leveling up your professional communication; thinking lifetime for long-term benefits; and how to handle disputes should they arise.
Become the kind of contractor they want to work with. Once you shift your approach, you’ll find that claims move faster, disputes shrink, and those checks hit your bank account before you can blink. There is a way to play their games – and here’s how you win them.
It’s time to supercharge your bank account and accelerate your business with faster cash flow.
Understand Your Adjuster: Your Path to Faster Payouts
If you want to influence someone, you need to understand them. Your insurance adjuster is no different. They also just happen to be your payment gatekeeper. Because hold the power to approve or deny your claim, how you interact with them determines whether your payment is delayed or delivered. So let’s get started by understanding what their job actually entails.
What Does an Adjuster Do?
Adjusters wear many hats. They evaluate the damage, determine what’s covered under a policy, and figure out what work should be paid. To wit, their job is to protect the insurance company from overpaying, and, as a result, they are meticulous. Here’s the full list out of their responsibilities:
Damage Assessment
They inspect the damage; verify if it’s covered by the policy; and determine how much the insurance company should pay for repairs. This assessment determines the scope of your job and what of your work will be covered by the insurance or the individual.
Label and tape off all damaged areas or items that need work to ensure the adjuster doesn't overlook anything. Clear markings help highlight the scope of work, improving the accuracy of the estimate.
Cost Estimation
Adjusters also make sure that the repairs you’re charging for are priced in accordance with the industry standard. They then compare your estimates with their own research to ensure that you don’t overcharge.
In your estimates, tell the story behind every charge. Adjusters are often moving quickly, so explaining the "why" behind each line item ensures everything is justified and nothing gets overlooked.
Fraud Prevention
Adjusters are on high alert for anything that seems inflated or unnecessary. They’re trained to spot potential fraud, so they’ll question anything that doesn’t seem right. Make sure you communicate frequently and stay honest in your work.
Approving or Denying Claims
Ultimately, your adjuster is the one who says, “Yes, this claim is approved,” or “No, we’re not paying for that.” It’s their job to be the bottom line in terms of claim approval. Your job is to help them get them to “yes” as quickly as possible. The rest of this article tells you how.
Be The Professional They Want to Work With: Anticipate Their Pain Points Alone
The first way to accelerate your adjuster to a yes is to understand your adjuster’s pain points. Despite the power they wield, adjusters are human, just like you. They’ve got deadlines, quotas, and a high-pressure job. They’re dealing with dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of claims. If you’re the contractor who can make their job easier, you’re the contractor who’s going to get paid faster.
Here are the constant points of friction in their day-to-day
A High Volume of Claims
Reminder: They’re not just handling your claim; they’ve got a stack of others to get through too. If your paperwork is incomplete or your communication is spotty, it slows your adjuster down. And if you slow them down, they won’t hesitate to put your claim on the back burner.
Tight Deadlines
Insurance companies set strict deadlines, and adjusters have to meet them. Like you, your adjuster doesn’t have time for delays, and if you’re slow to provide information, you’re making it difficult for the adjuster to support you and meet their deadlines. This damages your social capital with them and slows down your payment timeline. Again, the more difficult you are the work with, the more frustrating the process is…for everyone.
Multiple Stakeholders
To further complicate matters, adjusters have to balance the needs of three different power players: the policyholder (your customer), the insurance company, and you (the contractor). This balancing act can create tension, especially when interests are at odds.
Build social capital by signaling that you understand these three dynamics. Respond promptly. Have thorough documentation. Extend and articulate empathy to diffuse tension. All of these tactics willstart building a connection that will serve you in the long run.
Work at the Speed Trust: Accelerate Your Project with Clear Communication
When an adjuster trusts you, things move faster. If they’re confident that your estimates are fair, your work is top-notch, and you’re a professional, they’ll be more likely to approve your claim quickly.
So how do you build that trust? Assuming excellent work,* focus on how you communicate.
*To understand how to set your work a notch above the rest, read Outsmart the Mortgage Companies Controlling Your Payments in which we talk about how excellent work can ensure easy processes and fast payment.
In your communications, be consistent, transparent, and professional. Here’s how:
Consistency Is Key
Trust is built through consistency. Every claim you submit, every piece of documentation you provide, needs to be accurate, detailed, and professional.
When an adjuster sees that your invoices are always clear, your estimates are realistic, and your documentation is flawless, they’ll start to trust that you know what you’re doing. And when they trust you, they’ll stop questioning every little thing.
When this consistency continues across project after project, you begin to build your reputation. Imagine being the contractor adjusters recommend because they know you’re reliable, professional, and fair. That’s the kind of reputation that not only gets you paid faster but brings more business your way.
Be Transparent
Transparency is another trust pillar. If there’s an issue—whether it’s a delay in materials or an unexpected challenge on the job—communicate it immediately. Adjusters hate surprises. If you keep them in the loop and explain why something is happening, they’re much more likely to work with you to find a mutually amenable solution.
Let’s talk about overcharging. Don’t do it. Ever. You might think you can get away with inflating your prices a little, but adjusters are trained to spot this immediately. (Remember what we said about fraud? Their fraud-meter is always set to incredibly high and intensely paranoid.) Be fair, be transparent, and they’ll respect (and trust) you for it.
Professionalism Wins
Every interaction with an adjuster is a chance to prove your professionalism. That means show up on time; keep your documentation organized; and maintain a positive attitude—even when things get tough. You want the adjuster to walk away from every interaction thinking, “This is someone I want to work with again.”
This professionalism translates into faster payments because they’ll begin to extend more and more trust that you’re doing the job done right, on time, within budget, and with excellent documentation.
Beyond that, if they do have a difficult issue to broach with you, they won’t procrastinate in calling you because they know you’ll be a professional, even in the more difficult of conversations.
Professionalism wins, every time.
Think Lifetime: You Win with Adjusters as Allies
Building strong relationships with adjusters can transform your business. Instead of thinking of each claim as a one-time transaction, think of the lifespan of this relationship and the potential bigger-picture benefits. The more social capital you accrue, the stronger your relationship and potential earnings.
Also, adjusters talk to each other. They also work on multiple claims with multiple insurance companies. If you become a go-to contractor because adjusters and insurance companies know you’re reliable, you’ll find yourself at the top of their list (and that of their colleagues) for future work.
Here are some of the big-picture long-term benefits we’ve found when you’ve adjusted your relationship with adjusters:
Becoming a Preferred Contractor
Some insurance companies have preferred contractor lists—contractors they recommend to policyholders. When adjusters trust you, you’re more likely to land on that list, and that’s a huge win for your business. Think about it—every time a policyholder asks, “Who do you recommend?” your name comes up. Imagine that potential growth and shift in how you do business with your adjusters.
Gaining Repeat Business
As mentioned, adjusters often work with the same contractors over and over. If you build a reputation for delivering high-quality work, meeting deadlines, and communicating clearly, you’ll become a favorite. This means more jobs, more payouts, and more opportunities to grow your business.
Easily Navigating Complex Claims
Complex claims can be a nightmare for adjusters. They involve more paperwork, more scrutiny, and more chances for something to go wrong. If you have a strong relationship with the adjuster, they’re more likely to work with you (and that working together will go more easily) to find a mutually amenable solution. And when you can help them navigate those rough waters, they’ll remember you as the contractor who made their job easier.
Handle Disputes Like a Pro
Let’s face it—disputes happen. How you handle them can make or break your relationship with the adjuster. When a disagreement arises, your goal is to stay calm, stay professional, and focus on finding a solution. We guarantee you that no matter what happens, it could (and will) be a lot worse if you don’t keep a handle on the situation (and your temper). Here’s how to manage yourself, and your documentation, and push toward solutions.
Stay Calm, Stay Professional
It’s easy to get frustrated when an adjuster questions your work or denies part of your claim. But getting defensive doesn’t help anyone. Stay calm, listen to their concerns, and respond professionally. Remember, your goal is to get paid, not to win the argument. Here are a few quick tips to keep you and your project in the zone:
Focus on the outcome
Always direct the conversation toward resolving the issue rather than dwelling on the disagreement. You don’t have to agree on everything to reach a solution that 80% works for both of you.
A response like, “What can we do to ensure the homeowner gets the necessary repairs while keeping this within the budget?” shows that you’re focused on problem-solving, which is the adjuster’s goal as well.
Be flexible with timing
Being flexible on one vector may offer you gains in another. Sometimes, an adjuster may need additional time to review or approve a claim. Be patient but firm, and offer to provide any additional information they may need to expedite the process.
Proactively Provide Thorough, Additional Documentation
If the adjuster challenges your claim, be prepared to provide additional evidence. This could be more photos, a letter of explanation, or more detailed invoices. The more evidence you can provide, the stronger your case. Offer such documentation proactively to build social capital and accelerate your dispute process.
Read our article The Power of Bulletproof Documentation to level up your documentation game.
Negotiate Solutions
Sometimes, you’ll need to negotiate. Maybe the adjuster can’t approve the full amount, but they’re willing to compromise. Be open to these discussions. You don’t want to burn bridges over a small disagreement. Find a middle ground that works for both parties and keeps the relationship strong.
Turn Theory into Success with AR Workflow
While the above may all sound well and good, how are you going to work this advice into already existing workflows and project processes? We know you’re already overworked, exhausted, and pushed to your limit.
Being professional, organized, and befriending your adjuster can be easy. We like to use all of the above with AR Workflow. While there’s plenty of project management tools out there, we designed AR Workflow for our industry and restoration professionals like you
Consolidated Documentation
Remember what we said about thorough documentation and transparent communication?
That can start with AR Workflow.
With AR Workflow you’re always ready for questions or conversations. Keep all photos, notes, communications, and status updates in one place. Save time, while you level up the quality of your project management. Build comprehensive dossiers for each project to accelerate project completion, easy communication, and your payment timeline.
Customized Analytics & Insights
AR Workflow helps you keep your own stress low and your head clear with easy-to-understand, real-time insights and analytics on your project. By knowing what’s going on, you’ll be able to successfully communicate and negotiate skillfully with your adjuster. Make data-driven decisions, standardize operating procedures, and refine your process. Success starts with these real-time AR Workflow insights.
Automated Email & SMS Reminders
Lastly, AR Workflow keeps your communication with your adjuster consistent and professional with reminders, automation, and customizable email and SMS templates. Communicate clearly to accelerate your project, and always be ready and prepared for a successful encounter with your adjuster.
Sound like the kind of business you’d like to be running? We think so.
Try our 14-day free trial and see the AR Workflow difference for yourself.
The Path to Faster Payments and Long-Term Success
The restoration business is tough, but when you master the art of working with insurance adjusters, you unlock the door to faster payments, repeat business, and long-term success.
Understand their challenges, build trust through professionalism and consistency, and document everything with precision. When you do this, you’re not just another contractor—you’re the contractor they trust and want to work with. And use this article to guide your success to becoming “that contractor.”
By leveraging tools like AR Workflow to streamline your documentation, communication, and project management, you make it even easier for adjusters to say “yes” to your claims. And the more “yeses” you get, the faster you’ll get paid and the stronger your relationship with your adjuster.
This is your time. Step up and become the contractor who makes adjusters’ lives easier. It’s time for your business to take off. Faster payments, stronger relationships, and endless opportunities are all within your reach—go after them by adjusting your relationship with your adjuster. That change starts today!
Take Back Control of Your Payments
and Your Restoration Business
Mortgage companies might be shaping the future of restoration payments, but that doesn’t mean you have to be at their mercy. By understanding their processes, building strong relationships, streamlining your operations, and managing your cash flow, you can take back control of your payments—and your business.
This is your business. Rise above the challenges, take control of the process, and create the space for exponential growth. The future is in your hands—are you ready to seize it?
Click here to sign up for your free, 14-day trial