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And Steve, you wonder why me as the farmer boy from Nebraska didn't get around to answering your "farm & ranch" hypothetical question on "that other website"?   You just answered it yourself....when it comes to farm claims, no database is going to come close and there is always coverage somewhere to cover whatever it is.  The best part of it is (at least in this neck of the woods), is that the majority and the biggest majority of the farmers are the salt of the earth and will be truthful and honest with you.  I've always found that they are the only one's who want "only what I have coming to me", and really mean it.   This has strayed off from the original topic, but.... 

exactimate not high enought to do the work....... what a myth...... seems its from the same water suckers who started the mold myth.

Seems like I cant remember if this was a true story or an urban myth started in an Appleby's parking lot but the story was along these lines. A large National contractor who follows storms across the US happed to meet some adjusters that he knew from prior storms in the lot and requested they introduce some new blood to him. The pitch was: Use the xmate estimate and the adjusters scope, add 10 & 10 for O & P, print out a copy and  a 10% finders fee after the work was complete would be in cash. Now that does not sound honest, but it may be the truth.

As I recall a contractor ask what is the usual percentage several years ago and it caused a lot of indignation from this community.

The whole concept of contractors using adjusting software to, basically, adjust claims for the carriers is patently in violation of most Insurance Regulations. These are individuals who do not have adjuster licenses, are not trained or educated as adjusters, have not taken ethics classes, have not undergone continuing education requirements.  I think it is time for adjusters to begin enforcing the laws that WE HAVE TO FOLLOW!  If servicemaster and xactimate try that routine in my city, they will get at least one complaint to the insurance commission. It is one thing for a contractor to write a repair estimate and send it to a staff adjuster, it is another for someone who just fell off the turnip truck to work with the insureds in adjusting contents.  Actually, I am not sure if there is a big difference there either.

David,

This is the fifth of sixth time I have seen the pendelum swing from staff to I/A then back. This time it has become more extreme with the advent of the direct repair programs being pushed as hard as they are. You just have to wait for the current management to move on and then some things will change though not always the way the field folks want them.

In regards to your comment about someone waking up someday and showing the severity increase by using contractors, extraction companies to do the estimating, you have to remember one thing. Historicaly, companies can go to the local DOI and request a rate increase due to increase of severity of the paid claim and not for increases in cost of handling the claim. Thus, untill the local DOI's allow for the cost of doing business to be included in rates, more and more programs will be tried. At least that is what I was always told by upper management.

Larry,

With the way food prices are escalating, I think the free lunch is going to be about as likely as someone offering you a free fill up of gas for your vehicle.

This story is from the days when insurance policy,s were rolled into a manual typewriter and ALL the numbers were typed in. The VP of claims for American General Insurance Co (Maryland Casualty- AIG) was giving a dinner speach about the Texas 148 End. (all risk of loss and replacement cost coverage). The adjusters in the room were making statements like "its a maintenanace policy" its new for old" "it will break the insurance claims departments"

Mr. Raymond Mauk had a MBA from Wharton School and I still remember his words. Now you guys in the claim department settle down ,we know what we are doing. Let me explain, you hear talk about underwriting profit, well we all know thats premium dollars less claims paid, but we make our profit on INVESTMENT income and we strive for 5%. So just think that when the girl in the agents office rolls the policy in the typewriter to put in the premium amount which is determined by paid LOSSES, which is better for us , its now $100.00. Would it not be better for us if it was $200.00 or $300.00.

In the great state of Texas with the mold gold that was started by the water sucker industry and exploded by the plaintiff attorneys, ever homeowner in Texas will be punished for 10 more years by homeowner rates triple what they were before 1999.

The water suckers are making the insurance companys  money by running the premiums up higher each year on paid losses. Who is the best adjuster on a storm.? The one who has the FEWEST REOPENS and FEWEST COMPLAINTS. This is impossible if you are not overpaying ever loss you inspect. The most demanded estimating program in the industry today did not get there by competetive bidding on reconstruction work,but by partnering up with the water suckers.