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Congratulations to Gale, Kyser, et al. on reaching this significant milestone. As claims handlers, we should applaud the folks at PowerClaim for putting their money where our mouths and minds are.

Lee thank you for your kind remarks. I saw your post three weeks ago and kept meaning to say thanks. As noted we did get PowerClaim Net Services released and Release 17 of PowerClaim XML shipping and yesterday we released our new from ground up web version of PowerClaim I2V. PowerClaim I2V not only does a property evaluation but it also permits the attaching of photos and creating a cover sheet for writing up the underwriting inspection report. It is all web based so there is nothing to download or install but just access to the web by any browser. There are no reports or photos to email or mail because they are all on the web for all authorized individuals to view, print or store. Since the year is winding down we are offering our web based PowerClaim PV Plus without cost or obligation for future use until 1 Jan 2008 where you are a current PowerClaim PV user or not. The staff has knocked themselves out on this project and I would like everyone to see and use their fine work and then share your thoughts with them. It can be used for many different reasons but underwriting inspections is where it shines. Anyone can call 800-736-1246 ext. 3 or email to sales@powerclaim.com to get your free account(s) set up and use our new web based PowerClaim PV Plus solution free for the rest of 2007.

At HRI we have kept moving forward supporting current customers, finding new ones and continue to update and add new solutions. The new releases of PowerClaim XML and PowerClaim Net Services are being well received and we continue to seek your thoughts on what you would like to see in the next generation. Our property replacement cost valuation tool called PowerClaim PV that is resides inside of PowerClaim XML and as a stand alone version will still available as such but the enhanced next generation is now available as a web application and is referred to as PowerClaim I2V. In reviewing the PowerClaim section on CADO I realized I had never added 2 new solutions that we would appreciate feedback either directly or just sharing your thoughts on what you see as industry needs. I will set up threads for PowerClaim Net Services and PowerClaim I2V.

PowerClaim XML release 17a is ready for download at http://www.powerclaim.com/download/...17a . Included in this update are a wealth of new features, including:

• Tax Overhead & Profit
• Add multiple Insured contacts
• Add multiple Claimant contacts
• Auto-number invoices
• Advanced Activity Log item fields

editing

www.powerclaim.com/about/ceomessage

Finally I have updated my Message from the CEO page. A lot has happened at HRI since my last update. Thanks.

I have been an adjuster for 20 years and have used all kinds of software . I recently came out of retirement to do 3 storms for 3 different carriers who used xact , it had been 9 years since I had used Xact, I had no trouble to master the two programs ,24 and 25 to do 210 claims in 28 days . The amazing thing to me is that the soft ware is now not as good as it was 9 years ago and that the service and support by xact has deteriorated to below 0. It is impossible to rate their customer service as it is nonexistant. The upload functions at best work properly on less than 50% of the time . Yes you could use a pencil and ledger and do claims faster than with this bundlesome corrupt and overly complicateed piece of s(*&^ software. I bought a months lease of this crap on 3 different computers , on 3 different  Fridays during the past two months, and each time my profile was set incorrectly and no one was around to support the  software or to correct their mistakes over the weekend . Naturally I had to contact them each Monday to get the problem corrected . They eventually got the profile set up for me , but they never mentioned to credit me for the lease time I had lost, While talking to probably 6 different people at xact about this I never had anyone say thank you , im sorry , screw you, or any thing like we are glad you gave us money for nothing. THESE MORONS ( did I spell that Right) are sub human and they are a disgrace to the cat family. I also paid them for a dual liscence to run 24 and 25 on one computer , this they never got to work and after hours of talking to them and chatting I finally gave up. I would like to post my chats with their staff just to show what its like to have to deal with them ,but it is  like about 30  pages of  a conversation with a fifth grader. I also had the expertise of my companies computer department try to set up the dual liscence they couldnt do it .And these are people who are hired solely as a liasion to deal with the problems of xact , they do this everyday and they couldnt get my dual liscense to work . I did not get a credit from xact on this either, and oh by the way I didnt get a kiss or an apology .

I did want to say that I have used the Hawkins soft ware on 2 storms in the past and found them to be very professional and cooperative  as a matter of fact I just mentioned to them once, I would like for the software to do this or that,  and in less than a week they called me back and said to download the software again and had implemented my suggestion in to their  new version. This company is awesome and I have believed for years that they will be rewarded some day by being the most popular software. But it takes too long for insurance moguls to make a move and the web based stuff will probably win out.

This is the type of people that the industry needs , we dont need people from Utah.

Foutunately im an old fart and I have the luxury of being able to work when and where I want, In the future I wont be working for carriers who choose to put adjusters through the brain damage associated with xact.

Unfortunately some large carriers have people in ivory towers that choose this software without consideration of the people using it, One can only assume that the  kick backs on this decision must be really good as I cannot imagine  any  other possible reason for intelligent people to use such an inferrior product that is rented for such a high price. Especially when there are a multitude of really good products out there that actually work.

9 years ago after working for state farm and using this software I started a list of people I would never work for again during my lifetime , In the last month I have added  three more carriers to that list, but there are still plenty of people out there I can work for,  I just dont have to have my small amount of intelligence insulted by these people. Over the past 9 years my life has been simpler and much more profitable without state farm , and im sure that my new additions to my list will also improve my life and my fortune.

I just feel for the new adjusters out there that do not have the luxury I have to tell these people to stuff it.

http://powerclaim.com/beta/downloadbeta.php

Today we uploaded the second beta version of PowerClaim XML estimating software. While release 17d Beta2 contains several updates the main reason for the update is first it adds some new reporting features for contractors and second it is designed to install on the new 64 bit version of Vista.

I do have a deal to offer 64 bit Vista users who are not current users. If you will install and authorize this beta version I will see that you get 90 days of full use of our estimating software vs. the normal 30 days everyone gets. Heck not to leave anyone out I see that other non customers who down load and authorize (activate) the above version will get 90 days of full use at no charge.

One requirement to get the 90 days vs. 30 days is to email me at gale@powerclaim.com with your request otherwise you will get 30 days from the staff because for the three of you that take me up on this offer it is not worth confusing the staff by me sending an email to everyone. I will forward your request.

Here is what you do. Download from the above link by filling out the required fields so you will not be called for this info before you can get authorized. After you download, install and open PowerClaim XML for the first time you will see your Site Code of two strings of numbers in a GREEN box. Copy and paste that Site Code into an email to gale@powerclaim.com and I will see you are returned your 90 Site Key. Do note if you are using the 64 bit version of Vista.

Thanks for trying our new version of PowerClaim XML estimating software.

If you would like a free trial of our web based Net Services claims management solution just call 800-736-1246 any time M-F 7AM to 7 PM CST or leave a message 24/7. With Net Services we can have a vendor site set up with their on logo and 150+ adjusters receiving and sending claim files within 24 hours and there is no set up fee now or later. I am not sure what the other vendors do about a set up fee.

Gale,

Some time back, you gave me a free trial of your software and when I called to offer a suggestion or two, it was received as it was offered.  Constructive criticism with no hidden agenda.

I see you're still at it.  Making free offers, that is.  And still listening to those that may have a tidbit or two to offer.

I am impressed and would like to congratulate you on your ongoing service to the claims industry.  And, once again, I have no hidden agenda.

I currently am writing auto estimates instead of property but I have been keeping up with your progress and successes.  You are undoubtedly proud of what you do and who you are.  As you should be.

ATTABOY!!!

Happy Trails

Larry thanks so much for your encouragement over the years. If it had not been for the encouragement from people like you, Dave Hood and many others who in fact many have never even used our solutions I am not sure we would even still be standing today to be counted. Roy Cupps as to be given a huge amount of credit for our success because without the CADO portal into the world of claims handling our learning curve would have been much steeper than it has been.   

In fact a few said we would fail being the first property claims estimating package to come out of a software firm that contained no adjusting roots. It has been the constructive criticism since 1996 that has enabled us to developing into an industry player in the area of claims handling, contractor bidding and insurance underwriting. As the results of the help of many in the industry HRI has developed into a company that hopefully will continue to do even more for the industries that we touch.

At some point all company founders tend to become the bottle neck in the long term future of their company. The customers, staff and owners pay a high price when this happens. Stepping back and letting the fine management team that has evolved put their mark on the company has not been easy for me but watching our young team keep moving forward without daily direction from me is a huge reward by itself.

For those who on CADO some time ago suggested that I focus more on the family (our kids turn 11 next month) and let the management team run the show at HRI I want to say thanks. A little over a year ago the kids asked if we could get a motor home and we did purchase an older one. It is a 1993 32’ Class A. Over this past year we have gone through it from top to bottom and end to end. The kids know a lot more about home and auto repair and upkeep than some four times their age and we are having a ball going places in it and doing fun stuff.

Please call on the staff if we can help you in any way. Thanks again to everyone that has helped us over the past 12 years bring new ways of doing business to the industry.

I have made this offer on ClaimsMentor before. I will still review PowerClaim estimates for new people and help them learn by doing good estimates. Contact PowerClaim and take them up on the sending files back and forth in the system and both of us will learn something, good.

I do not travel on long storms any longer and looking for a file examiner job that I can do from home and this will help me to learn also.

I too wish to congratulate you on overcoming all the negatives in the past. I have not used your program, but understand it is well thought out and that you take suggestions from the field and do everything you can to incorporate them into your program, if they are good suggestions. I wish you would offer your services to MS/B, perhaps they could learn something from you, ie, "respect and dignity".

Ray I just got word from William in Sales that you have been set up on Net Services our web base hub of solutions so thanks for taking the time to contact us. The CMS part of PowerClaim Net Service is a great way for remote file examiners to review PowerClaim estimates in a live format.

It is also good for those who want to review claims done using MSB, Simsol and Xactware solutions as well but they can not be edited because they move back and forth as PDF files but most all common image formats work as well. This feature makes Net Services more valuable to firms that permit adjusters to use any brand of estimating software.

Also Ray if you have any new people who you want to mentor we will keep them an active copy of PowerClaim XML at no charge when you email their complete contact info to Sales. We will give those 30 days at a time at your request. In 2005 the word got out they had free use of PowerClaim XML until they became profitable CAT adjusters. With $799 a year being about half what some adjusters are paying for adjusting software we do need to collect our small charge from those on the job.

Tom thanks for your comments. Actually at PLRB 2007 I did ask MDA management to consider giving us their base of estimating software users so they could focus on their core profit centers instead of investing a huge amount of money in building a new estimating system from ground up. Later I did learn the idea to spin off the estimating software division had been discussed prior to my offer but as we all know MDA decided to invest in a new claims estimating solution.

Beer price increases made the head lines yesterday and we all are seeing the price creep thing this year even in adjuster tools. While we are still nearly half the price of some of your other adjusting software options we still are committed to no price increase for PowerClaim XML in 2009. Our price still starts at $799 per year and go down from there. We all hear a lot of political noise these days and are concerned as to what is coming our way but life goes on.

School is back in session and hurricanes are forming so that means another summer is slipping past.

We at HRI have had an exciting and busy summer. PowerClaim XML Release 18a with a lot of tweaks and new pricing updates released last month. It also added the Canadian materials and labor cost data and a neat tool to handle exchange rate changes.

While Net Services (NS) our web based claims management solution continues to see more IA company and carrier use we have a special promotion for the individual adjusters who may not need all of the power of NS offers. It is called our PowerClaim Online Backup offer that is $79 for one year and you can go online or call for full details to insure your claim files are not lost..

Remember we continue to have free web-base PowerClaim XML training each week.

For those in underwriting or who work up valuations for underwriting try our online Replacement Cost Calculator (RCC) for residential, commercial and farm building valuations.

Call us at 1-800-736-1246 with any questions or needs and our staff will work to meet your needs and requests. For our full contact information please go to www.powerclaim.com

Thank you,

Gale Hawkins, CEO 

800-736-1246 ext. 101

gale@powerclaim.com