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Last Post 06/13/2011 6:29 AM by  catwoman
Photos and Photo captions
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RandyC
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Posts:197


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09/07/2008 11:03 AM

    Reviewers, what photos do you like to see on the claims you review?  What details on captions do you like on which photos?  What photo do you not see that you'd like to see?  Adjusters what are your favorite photo and caption tricks you'd like to share?  What do you not like to see?

    Randy Cox

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    Ray Hall
    Senior Member
    Senior Member
    Posts:2443


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    09/07/2008 4:34 PM

    Randy a good question. File examiners love good photos and good captions. Let the photos sell your scope for you. If 4 is required send in 10. Do your photos just like your inspection. When you drive up take a lond shot of the front of the house from the street of more than the front, but I always try to get in the complete front and one complete side. The caption should say Looking N,E,S. W or any compass point in between. Then I do a rear shot the same way if I have room (a 24MM) is a good investment. Allways take long shots to give an overall feeling and a close up of the damage. If you have a 2 slope roof do down to the end of the ridge and get a long shot of both slopes and saw which way you are looking in the caption. If its a hail hit roof the test square will show in this shot, but then come in close and take the hit shots circled with chaulk. Do the same inside but if you do not have a 24-28 mm its hard to get the whole room, but try.ALWAYS put NORTH on the roof diagram. Always start at the front door and go around the house CW or CCW and label your photos the same. If you use sketch print an extra copy of the floor plan with NORTH indicated by an arrow. You can show the examiner by a pen were you took the photo from. Just think of it like this you do not buy ink or paper, but all this "paper" you are sending is selling your claim by the pound. Old time IA's , lawyers, public adjusters, engineers have been doing this for 75 years and I did not learn this until I was 25 years old........ but it works. Always glad to help out an old bud Randy, call me anytime. In my younger days I can still remember my SF file reviewers on an open file review make the statement . O nice to meet you Ray I have enjoyed the amount of time you spend on your Photos ( and this was 35mm days) with paste up captions and glue on the back of photos, but all my files sailed right through and I usally stayed around for clean up if I wanted.

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    RandyC
    Member
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    Posts:197


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    09/07/2008 8:28 PM
    Thanks for the tips, Ray. I remember watching a seasoned GA walking across a busy street into the unsure footing of undeveloped land, farther and farther he went just to get the right picture of the risk. I remembered that when I was standing on the edges of backyard lakes, having to to move into the mud sometimes even a bit of water to get the picture that I needed. "Let the pictures tell the story," I believe you said.

    Randy Cox
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    HuskerCat
    Veteran Member
    Veteran Member
    Posts:762


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    09/07/2008 9:47 PM

    Room names, directions (N,S,W,E) on roof slopes and exterior elevations should always be a given.  But sometimes the directions and floor level are forgotten on photos of interior walls/ceilings on questionable losses regarding wind vs. flood. 

    But maybe the bigger issue is photos of "no damage" areas.  Once the field adjuster leaves the scene, the contractor or PA shows up.  And then, when we begin to compare the FA's estimate to the later repair estimate it's nice to have that documentation.   A prime example of this is a new home under construction that had wind damage to the shingles. Nothing else, no broken windows, no wind-driven rain claim.  But it sat idle for months with no A/C or dehumidifier, etc.  When the builder decided to continue completion, they found all the main level laminate wood flooring  & baseboards warped.   Clearly not a covered loss, and although they wanted to claim after the fact that maybe the wind had blown out some windows & allowed rain to enter.....the original adjuster had sufficient photos and there were no broken windows, nor any tiny trace of drywall damage on the main floor.    The house had just sat there several months in high humidity conditions. 

    So, even though the vendor instructions may say you only get paid for "x" number of photos, it's the digital age.  Doesn't cost you any extra to upload a few more, but would cost you in terms of time if you need to go back & try to explain yourself weeks later.  This doesn't mean you should go overboard on photos, but recognize those certain areas/circumstances that just might raise a question later on.  Do your best though to avoid the overkill. I remember one particular newbie that sent in over 100 photos on a $15,000 loss, including every flourescent light fixture in a veterinary clinic just to show that they didn't have water in them. 

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    Ray Hall
    Senior Member
    Senior Member
    Posts:2443


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    09/07/2008 11:45 PM

    Randy you are one of the best student I have ever had. Just remembered something else. When you get to a roof claim, please walk all around the house and look for siding and window damage. Also splatter marks from hail on oxidized paint on AC condensers, and electric boxes, and black charcoal grills in the back yard. And point out damage to the homeowner they were unaware of.

    When you get inside ask if they have water marks in any other rooms..... And then say well since I am here let me look in all the rooms, because I know what to look for (East Texas). This will stop a 2nd inspection many times. It make me think if some of you never have any call in's like this about your inspection. You may be over paying each claim. You don,t have to be Santa Claus, just fair and accurate

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    Ray Hall
    Senior Member
    Senior Member
    Posts:2443


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    09/11/2008 6:47 PM

    Since digital photos and paperless many carriers will not pay enough on photos to label them. But photos always sell your scope and I would cut adjusters loose on the first cut that did not treat this part of the file as # 3 in importance.

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    Jwteer
    Guest
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    Posts:14


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    05/09/2011 9:14 AM
    When an examiner gets a claim, they basically have the estimate, narrative, and photos to evaluate the adjuster's recommendations. Therefore, my photos and their descriptions have always been integral to my ability to close claims. The narrative is very important as well, but w/o photographic evidence to back it up, it's really worth very little. Obviously, the photos could not stand on their own, so the narrative is almost equally as important. But since I take so many photos and have to label and write a description for each one, preparing the photos takes the most amount of time per claim of all the estimates and other reports that we have to prepare. I'd venture to guess that the photos alone take on average as much time as all the other parts of the final report combined, meaning the estimate, diagrams, narrative, SOL, and other things on a per claim basis. As such, I've always wondered if other adjusters' photo preparation takes an equal amount of time (on a relative basis) to the amount of time I spend on my photos. How much of your time spent preparing a final report is devoted to the photos? 10%? 25%? If most of you are not spending the amount I am (40% - 50%) and you get > 95% of your claims approved on the first submittal, I would definitely appreciate any advice you could offer to reduce the amount of time I spend on photo prep - because although they're vital, they're my least favorite part of the claim. As for the amount of shots I submit/claim: let's say, normally distributed, 35- 80, with 35 and 80 each being 3 standard deviations away from the mean, making the average number around 55-60 per claim. Thanks again for any advice you guys could offer.
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    ChuckDeaton
    Life Member
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    Posts:1110


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    05/10/2011 6:40 PM
    Always use the caption to describe the image. Never use the caption to reiterate what coverage you may think applies.
    "Prattling on and on about being an ass with experience doesn't make someone experienced. It just makes you an ass." Rod Buvens, Pilot grunt
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    ChuckDeaton
    Life Member
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    Posts:1110


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    05/10/2011 6:40 PM

     

    "Prattling on and on about being an ass with experience doesn't make someone experienced. It just makes you an ass." Rod Buvens, Pilot grunt
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    catwoman
    Member
    Member
    Posts:47


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    06/13/2011 6:29 AM
    Ok I'm sold. I always tell my hubby he takes too long to name his photos. Guess I'll shut my mouth now. Shh.. don't tell him, I don't like him to know he's right.
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