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For most restoration businesses, the bulk of their revenue comes from payouts from insurance carriers. Trying to secure payment from carriers can be frustrating. It’s not uncommon for the period between a job’s completion and payment to drag on for months. So what can restoration contractors do when they’re dealing with an insurance company that’s dragging their feet? Keep reading to learn from One Claim Solution law expert Josh Ehmke about your options.
Understanding your rights as a contractor is key to your success in getting insurers to pay promptly. Familiarize yourself with the laws applicable to contractors and insurers in your state before taking further action. Almost all states have prompt payment laws that dictate payment deadlines for construction projects, including restoration projects. The timeframe allowed and other details specified in prompt payment statutes vary by state. Many states also have prompt response laws that require insurers to respond to contractor communication within a certain time frame. Familiarize yourself with the applicable laws in your state. Make sure you understand the exceptions and exclusions included in these laws that allow carriers to extend the time they have to respond or pay.
So what can you do when an insurer violates prompt payment laws? As Josh sees it, you have four options:
“Your number one recourse is to go to the Department of Insurance,” Josh explains. “It’s the cheapest resource, and it can get some traction.” Each state has a Department of Insurance designed to act as a referee between contractors and carriers. If a carrier violates a prompt payment or prompt response law, you can file a complaint with the Department of Insurance. They are then required to notify the carrier, and the carrier is required to respond. What happens after that point is up to the department’s discretion. While filing a complaint isn’t necessarily a cure-all, it can help get the claim process back on track. Sometimes, even informing a carrier of your intent to file a complaint if action isn’t taken can lead to issue resolution.
The complaint filing process varies by state, but, typically, you can file a complaint online by visiting your state’s Department of Insurance website.
If you’re struggling to get responses from your adjuster, consider escalating the issue to their supervisor. In some cases, this can lead to some momentum in the claims negotiation process.
Getting the homeowner involved is another option restoration contractors have for addressing payment delays. Many restorers are understandably hesitant to get the homeowner involved in any disputes. But, ultimately, the insurer’s customer is the homeowner, and they’re more invested in keeping them satisfied than their contractor. Having the customer reach out to their provider and ask why their contractor isn’t getting paid can be a powerful way to prompt
action from the provider. When determining if involving the homeowner is wise, take into account your relationship with the customer and your knowledge of their relationship with their insurer.
Litigation is always an option available to contractors. Filing a lawsuit against the carrier for not paying in time “gets it out of the adjuster’s hands and into the insurance company’s attorney’s hands,” Josh explains. “[Litigation] can take a long time, but there are times where it’s the only choice.” Litigation is best left as a last resort. Unlike many of the former steps contractors can take, litigation gets expensive quickly. Before filing a lawsuit, consider if the potential payout will be worth the financial and time cost of litigation.
“Being able to know when to push, when to sit back and just wait is important,” Josh says. At OCS, we negotiate thousands of invoices for our contractors. Our dedicated claims team understands the inner workings of each carrier and how to best advocate for our clients to get paid quickly. If you’re a restoration contractor who is tired of how much time and effort it takes just to get paid by insurers in a reasonable amount of time, reach out to OCS to see how we can transform your collections.
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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!