Tired of Insurance Games? Here’s How Restoration Contractors Can Go on the Offensive

If you’re a restoration contractor, you know the drill. You perform top-quality work, follow every guideline, and submit your invoices with fair expectations—only to get caught in a web of insurance delays and denials. It’s like the insurance companies have turned the whole process into a game, one where they make the rules and set the odds in their favor. For contractors like you, this is a frustrating, exhausting challenge that cuts into your time, profits, and client relationships. But here’s the good news: understanding these tactics can help you turn the tables.

This blog is a quick overview of what’s really going on with insurance companies, why they operate this way, and how you can protect your business from their common strategies. At the end we’ve got a special invitation for you to take a deeper dive. If you accept the invitation, we’ve got a special gift for you.

Keep reading!

Understanding the Insurance Game

Insurance companies follow a pattern that often feels like it’s designed to make your life more difficult. You’ve likely seen it: a client’s water-damaged property needs immediate work, you’re hired to perform an emergency mitigation job, and you do everything by the book. When it’s time to submit your invoice, you’ve got a reasonable number—say, $36,400—that reflects the real cost of the work. Your client hands this invoice to their insurance carrier, but instead of paying out, the carrier reviews it…for weeks, even months. Eventually, your client gets a check for a fraction of the amount—maybe $12,000.

Now, your client is left with a big gap between the insurance payout and the total bill. They’re feeling frustrated, and to make matters worse, the insurance company has stated that you are overcharging. Suddenly, you’re the “bad guy,” even though you did everything right. It’s a situation that plays out every day for contractors across the country, and it’s costing contractors like you millions.

The insurance industry’s “delay, deny, defend” approach isn’t just an accident or a coincidence; it’s part of a larger strategy to keep costs down and profits up. They delay payments to hold onto money longer, deny claims or reduce payouts to cut costs, and defend their decisions through extensive, often frustrating, review processes.

Why This Matters for Your Business

This pattern isn’t going away. In fact, as the insurance industry adapts and looks for new ways to protect its bottom line, contractors are seeing these tactics more and more frequently. If you’re not prepared to handle it, this cycle can hurt your business in several ways:

• Time Drain: Waiting for months on payments leaves you financially stuck, unable to invest in new equipment, hire staff, or take on new projects.
• Client Relationships: Clients rely on their insurance companies, so when those companies imply you’re overcharging, it affects how clients see you. You can lose trust and future business.
• Cash Flow Impact: Being paid only a portion of what you billed makes it difficult to cover your operating costs, let alone make a profit.

Changing the Game with Smart Strategies

Here’s where things get interesting. Understanding the insurance game gives you the power to set yourself up for success right from the start. With the right knowledge, strategies, and client communication, you can prepare for and overcome these common insurance obstacles.

1. Client Onboarding: The first conversation you have with a client is critical. By explaining how the claims process works and setting realistic expectations, you can build trust and get everyone on the same page. Helping clients understand their coverage, possible delays, and the realities of insurance claims can go a long way toward managing their expectations.
2. Clear Invoicing and Documentation: Submitting a well-documented invoice with clear line items and explanations can prevent some insurance pushback. When you show that every dollar is accounted for and justified, it’s harder for insurance companies to legally deny or reduce the claim without raising questions.
3. Learning from Experience: Many restoration contractors are turning to education and training programs to learn how to navigate insurance tactics. By understanding the history of the insurance industry and its profit-driven approach, you gain insights that make it easier to sidestep these tactics and stay focused on delivering great work.

Join Us to Learn More

If you’re ready to stop feeling like a pawn in the insurance game, consider learning more about how to navigate these challenges. Klark Brown, a seasoned expert in restoration, will be hosting a workshop titled CheckMate: Don’t Lose at the Carriers' Game of CHESS. In this series, he’ll break down the insurance industry’s strategies and show you exactly how to avoid the common traps that leave so many contractors struggling.

By attending, you’ll gain practical tools and strategies to take charge of your interactions with both clients and insurance carriers. You’ll leave with insights into how insurance companies operate, why they use delay tactics, and how to set up processes that keep your business running smoothly. Plus, you’ll walk away with confidence, knowing that you’re no longer alone in dealing with these issues.

Take Control of Your Business

Insurance games don’t have to be your headache. With the right strategies, you can take control, protect your profits, and create better relationships with clients who see you as a trusted guide rather than just another contractor. If you’re tired of letting insurance companies dictate your bottom line, this workshop is designed to give you back the power.

Whether you’re dealing with frequent claim denials, long delays, or just the frustration of being caught in the insurance red tape, there are steps you can take. Consider joining us for this insightful workshop to get the tools and knowledge you need to make a difference in your business.

For those who want to get a taste of how to navigate the insurance game differently, this workshop will be the beginning of a new chapter in how you handle claims, client expectations, and your bottom line.