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Last Post 07/23/2010 1:32 AM by  Nate
Nationwide
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mcgrawreed
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07/21/2010 8:47 AM
    I recently attended a certification testing for Nationwide in Fort Worth. There was an orientation presentation prior to the test by the Driector of Claims and the head QA guy. While going over settings for Xactimate the comments were made that the Base Service Charges should be turned off and that Nationwide, just about like everyone else, does not allow minimum charges. My question is: let's say part of the claim involves minor damage to drywall that can be reparied with one sheet (32 SF). If the BSC is turned off and I enter 32 SF for drywall it seems to me that we would be shorting the insured. The contractor is going to want the minimum or at least the amount added by the BSC. Does anyone know how this is handled through this company? Does this mean that the inside adjuster is going to take my estimate and turn on the BSC to pay the correct amount and try to hold down the cost of adjuster expenses? Or am I missing something here?
    Steve McGraw Professional Adjuster
    Ray Hall
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    07/21/2010 11:39 AM
    Its a guess, but I would assume the claim person thought you would use the drywall "mininum" repair code instead of one sheet of drywall and the BCS would not be needed. Put another way the BCS should never be used when you use minimum codes. It takes longer but a non x estimate does not have BCS and to be precise most estimates do not look good with more than 2 or 3 min.
     
    Example you have 4 rooms that has bad leaks that had to be cut out, figure the rock needed in each room like 4 sf  each room, add 50% to the min. charge, texture all 4 ceilings, paint and close the file, and make some notes in the line item. x does not have this ability I don,t think; but you can manuscript most other programs. See why I don,t like x
    host
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    07/21/2010 12:18 PM
    and make some notes in the line item. x does not have this ability


    It does have the ability.
    Natsa23
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    07/21/2010 11:31 PM
    It may have been a miscommunication or it may be a new policy, but Nationwide has been saying to turn off BSC's and apply only those necessary in lieu of a minimum charge.
    mcgrawreed
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    07/22/2010 8:32 AM
    Natsa23, that was the info that I got at this orientation.

    Ray, using the Florida database that I have shows the minimum repair for drywall at about $350 and the SF price at about $1.50. Seems to me you would need to show about 200 SF in order to get to the minimum that the contractor or painter would require. Also, since the time I've asked this question I have heard that several other companies also turn off the BCS. I'm no expert on Xactimate but it seems to me that a minor repair (32 or 64 SF) would be difficult to get an agreed price with the contractor if we can't get close to his minimum. Granted, the amount of money we're talking about here is a nickle compared to the overall claim amount but I was curious if anyone has used this method in the field and how it worked out.

    Thanks,
    Steve McGraw Professional Adjuster
    Ray Hall
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    07/22/2010 6:45 PM
    I think you do not understand a minimum charge , any sheetrock work in one or more areas is $350.00.  With this you could replace up to about 100 sf and retape one our two joints, or fill one hole etc. Just make a note of the area of damage and say covered by min. charge.
    Natsa23
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    07/22/2010 10:10 PM
    It really doesn't present a problem with most contractors I deal with.  Many use Xactimate for their estimates and we just let them know the carrier needs BSC's turned off.  It is an easy fix and really doesn't affect the claim amount too much if used correctly. 
    Joeblack
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    07/22/2010 11:37 PM
    My experience with carriers that do not allow minimum charges and do not allow base service charges is that those carriers will allow you to add labor hours to accurately reflect the cost of getting the repair done.
     
    As has been pointed out, if you had a claim with just 32 SF of sheetrock to repair, the unit cost of 1.50 SF for 32 SF would be well under the minimum charge. The only way to get the repair price up to a proper amount is to add labor hours in an amount that brings the estimate up to the minimum charge for the trade involved.
     
    If you make a note under the line item that explains what you are doing,  most carriers will accept it. After all, most carriers are reasonable, and understand that there is a minimum charge for most trades.
    swink_d
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    07/23/2010 1:22 AM
    Nationwide allows you to use base service charge on the needed items
    Nate
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    07/23/2010 1:32 AM
    I just sat through Nationwide certification today. We were told the same thing Natsa23 posted. The thinking being, a 32 SF repair with a BSC for that trade added to the estimate and you have essentially added a trip charge for the drywaller and the total dollar figure for that repair will be roughly $250 (not including texture). American Family approaches BSC in a similar way and generally speaking it works fairly well.
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