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The work of a restoration job doesn’t stop when the structure is dry and the truck leaves the site for the last time. Even after the restoration work itself is done, contractors still have to handle the insurance billing and payment process. The insurance claims process has its fair share of challenges for restoration contractors. One challenge contractors see is insurance checks getting sent to the homeowner instead of the contractor. Chasing down insurance payments that are sent to the homeowner is more than an inconvenience. It can also lead to unnecessary friction in the contractor-customer relationship and a delay in payment for the contractor.
At One Claim Solution, we’ve worked with a lot of restoration contractors who have been faced with this challenge before. Fortunately, the claim payment ending up in a customer’s hands can often be avoided, or at least made easier, with the right strategy. Today, we are here to talk about how.
Most homeowners are not familiar with how the insurance claims process works. Many have never dealt with a water loss before. “Most homeowners don’t know what to do with the insurance check,” OCS Co-Founder Josh Ehmke says. “They think it’s theirs.” With the limited understanding most homeowners have of the insurance process, it makes sense that they could come to this conclusion. After all, they are the policyholder.
But as every restoration contractor who has found themselves in this situation knows, this assumption can lead to some challenges. They may forget to send you the check, cash it for their own use, or assume you’ve already been paid. Then, your team has to spend hours tracking down funds for work you’ve already completed. Naturally, this can be really frustrating for everyone involved.
The longer it takes to collect payment, the more strain it puts on your business. Even in the best payment scenarios, you often have to pay your technicians and cover material costs before that carrier payment is in your hands. But when the check ends up with the homeowner, that leads to even more delays and cash flow pressure. It can be challenging to run a successful business when funds are low and you have payment for several large jobs up in the air at the same time. The sooner you can get paid, the better. When one job’s funds are held up by homeowner confusion, the time it takes to track down that money impacts every other job on your calendar.
It’s always going to be uncomfortable to have to call a customer and ask them for money that they were never intended to keep. Most property owners could use the extra money. It can be hard for a homeowner to hear that the money isn’t theirs, unlike they thought. “We’ve seen homeowners get a check and be 100% convinced it was theirs,” Josh shared. “They thought it was compensation for the loss they went through.” Even if the conversation is handled professionally and goes well, asking for that money creates friction and adds unwanted complications to your relationship. In less ideal scenarios, this misunderstanding can escalate into the homeowner refusing to pay or posting bad reviews. It’s always going to be better to avoid having to have this conversation in the first place.
So, what can you do to avoid insurance payments from ending up in the wrong hands? The right paperwork and conversations can help you prevent this scenario, or at least make it less painful.
An Assignment of Benefits (AOB) gives restoration contractors the legal right to work directly with the insurance company and get paid directly without it having to pass through the hands of the homeowner. When an AOB is in place and the insurer follows it, you don’t have to worry about the homeowner spending the payout or losing the check. You also don’t have to waste time chasing down that check from the homeowner or have those awkward conversations.
Having an AOB is also often better for the homeowner. They don’t have to learn overnight how the insurance process works. Instead, they can count on their contractor with claims experience to act in their best interest. They can also skip the long phone calls to their insurer. That alone is often a good enough selling point for homeowners. No one enjoys hold music.
After a water loss, homeowners are in a vulnerable position. They just want to understand the process enough to alleviate their worries of being taken advantage of. The key is to clearly explain how an Assignment of Benefits agreement works and how it benefits the homeowner. When you do this, an AOB is a relief to the homeowner, not a concern.
While AOBs are permitted and recommended in most states, Florida and Texas have restrictions surrounding their use. If you’re a contractor in one of those states, they may not be the right solution for you.
Communication will always be one of the most important keys to avoiding frustrating situations with the homeowner. Every restoration job should begin with you explaining to the homeowner the key parts of how the insurance process works. Explain that insurance funds are intended to pay the contractor, not the homeowner. If you are in a state without AOBs, or you have other reasons to suspect insurance funds may end up in the homeowner’s hands, explain from the start that they will need to direct that insurance payment to you. When this expectation is established from the start, you can avoid many of the biggest challenges that come with insurance payments ending up in the hands of homeowners.
At One Claim Solution, we’ve helped restoration contractors navigate getting insurance funds returned to them from the homeowner. We also help our contractors make sure their paperwork and communication strategies are designed to give them the best chance of avoiding that situation in the first place. Let OCS help with your insurance billing. We’ll handle the paperwork, the follow-up, and the negotiations so that you can focus on the work, not chasing money. Give us a call today.
335 E Germann Rd #340
Gilbert, AZ 85297
Hi there! I’m Connor, the Account Executive for One Claim. My goal is to guide our contractors through the sales process, ensuring you’re equipped with all the information you need to make your decision and hit the ground running once aboard. We view ourselves as an extension of your business and I strive to make the process an enlightening and consultative one.
My career has primarily been focused in software sales over a few different industries but the last few years were spent helping general contractors solve similar problems to what we’re doing here at OCS! Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, cooking and boating during the summer months.
Hello! I’m Nicole, and I’m here to champion for our employees, recruit for new talent, and impact culture at One Claim Solution. I find satisfaction in supporting a memorable employee experience and bring innovation, problem solving, and strategic view to the process. Nothing is more important than our people, and a healthy culture is my top priority! I have had the pleasure of building my career in various sectors, specializing in small to medium size firms focused on high-growth. My experience is centered around driving and implementing change, leading high-performing teams, and driving process improvements. I am excited to make an impact at One Claim. Outside of work, my family and I enjoy getting outdoors as much as possible to explore beautiful Colorado!
Great to meet you! I’m Elizabeth, and I’m the one behind all the emails and advertisements you’ve been seeing. As the Demand Generation Manager at One Claim Solution, my mission is to connect with contractors like you who need our services. I’m passionate about having an impact on others and I bring a wealth of experience in demand generation and marketing strategy to create moments of delight, curiosity, and education for you.
Prior to One Claim Solution, I had the privilege of building marketing departments from the ground up at companies in a variety of industries, including IT consulting, first protection, and healthcare. Personally, I love being outdoors, playing Dungeons and Dragons and board games, singing, and traveling.
Welcome! I’m Alisha, and I’m here to champion your success as the Director of Contractor Success at One Claim. With a passion for helping contractors thrive, I bring a wealth of experience in onboarding, customer service, and account management to ensure your journey with us is nothing short of exceptional.
Prior to joining One Claim, I had the privilege of scaling SMB and Enterprise Customer Success teams at fast-growing SaaS startups. With over six years of experience at companies like Mavenlink, Teamwork, and ServiceTitan, I honed my expertise in building high-performing teams and fostering proactive, consultative relationships. This background has equipped me with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by businesses like yours, and I’m dedicated to helping you overcome them.
Hi there, my name is Eric! I am the Chief Technology Officer here at OCS, spearheading our technical strategy. I have a background in computer science, graduating cum laude from BYU-Idaho with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Technology.
Before coming to One Claim, I served as the Director of Engineering at Slingshot Technology, Inc., a company later acquired by WorkWave in 2021. My professional journey has spanned both emerging startups and established corporations, with a steadfast focus on cultivating high-trust, low bureaucracy teams and innovating technology using agile methodologies.
In my free time, you can find me flying drones, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time with my family.
Hello, my name is Cam, I’m the COO of One Claim Solution! I come from a management consulting background (Bain & Company) and hold an MBA from the University of Michigan. I have worked at a wide variety of organizations, from Fortune 500 to small-cap, in an equally wide variety of industries. I have over 15 years of experience in operations and strategic growth, and I have spent much of my career focused on developing high-performing tech-enabled service organizations through early stage and high growth phases.
Outside of work, my wife Brittny and I have four kids, ages 13 to 6. As residents of Mesa, Arizona, we love to ski and explore the national parks of the southwest!
Hello, my name is Dan, and I am the CEO of One Claim Solution. I am super excited by everything we are doing at OCS to be the market leading insurance billing specialist that advocates on behalf of our restoration contractors.
My professional experiences are predominantly corporate in nature. My career started at General Electric in finance and accounting. Immediately prior to joining OCS, I spent time as an investor at Bondcliff Partners and management consultant with Bain & Company. I also hold an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and got my BS in finance and accounting from Northeastern University.
Outside of the office, I enjoy spending time with my wife, two young children, and our family dog, Whiskey. We live in Charleston, SC and take advantage of the beautiful weather by spending as much time as possible outside at the beach or adventuring around town
Hi, I’m Josh! In 2016, I co-founded One Claim Solution with my partner Jeremy Traasdahl, and I serve as General Counsel of One Claim Solution. Working in the restoration industry, Jeremy and I saw contractors struggling to get paid quickly and fairly and we knew there was a need for change. We founded One Claim Solution to be this change and it’s been my privilege to see our company grow and to advocate for our clients as general counsel.
Outside of my passion for helping the restoration industry, I enjoy spending time outdoors, fly-fishing, hunting, skiing, and coaching my kids’ baseball teams. I’ve been married to my amazing wife for 20 years and we have a beautiful family of 5 children.
Hey, I’m Jeremy! In 2016, I co-founded One Claim Solution with my partner Josh Ehmke. Working in the restoration industry, Josh and I saw contractors struggling to get paid quickly and fairly and we knew there was a need for change. We founded One Claim Solution to be this change and it’s been my privilege to lead our amazing team.
Prior to One Claim Solution, I started my career as an inside sales rep for Avnet, then moved to Pepsico as a district sales manager. Outside of work, I love spending time with my wife and four children, two boys and two girls!