(Insurance Claim Case Study)
Fire Damages Luxury Condominiums
Introduction
The luxury resort is situated on a quiet bay along Kohala Coast on the island of Kona, Hawaii. A fire disrupted this peaceful lifestyle, creating a case for quality-of-repairs for Adjusters International to resolve.
Case Description
The blaze destroyed a building of three-bedroom condominium units affecting individual owners, the association of owners and the resort corporation. Two neighboring units were also damaged by the fire.
List of Issues
- The insurance company stated that it had confirmed the availability of suitable, matching, building materials, which meant that the scope and specifications of the damage and repairs was a major issue.
- Adjusters International agreed upon the scope and specifications of the damage and repairs with the insurer's independent adjuster and general contractor, subject to availability of suitable, matching, building materials. When the general contractor eventually produced its estimate, the carrier refused to provide a copy to us, stating that it was overstated, and they had decided to secure a second estimate from another local contractor.
Solutions Applied
Adjusters International first verified the specifications and the availability of building materials. Our team obtained samples and proved to the carrier that suitable, matching, building materials were, in fact, not available under the price estimate. Due to the concrete evidence prepared, the insurer agreed to our position and adjusted its scope and specifications of the damage and repair accordingly.
Adjusters International performed a background check of the newly appointed contractor chosen by the insurer, and we established that the contractor was not qualified to perform the repairs.
Outcome
The standards of repair outlined by Adjusters International for the insurance carrier, in the end, overruled any counterpoints the carrier raised. Adjusters International maintained its own standards of professionalism, expertise, and attention-to-detail throughout the negotiations, and the carrier ultimately agreed with our position and settled the loss based upon our estimate.
The Islands at Mauna Lani
The initial shock was devastating and the inevitable questions were being asked: Do we have adequate insurance? Will we be able to rebuild the building? Will it cost the owners any money? We were out of our league without sufficient knowledge to make these important decisions until you and your staff arrived on the scene. Your knowledge of the claims process and ability to focus the necessary expertise on our claim was invaluable.
Harvey Gates
President, Association of Apartment Owners
The Islands at Mauna Lani
