Did you have a flood or water leak in your house?

How did it happen? One day you were sitting on the couch relaxing, when all of a sudden you hear trickling water. It’s raining… inside your home. Whether it’s from a pipe, flood, or another source, you need to act quickly. 

• First, figure out where it is coming from. If you can, turn off the source or try to contain it with buckets and towels. 
• Next, make sure all of your electricity is shut off. You don’t want the water touching anything electric!
• Then, move as many items away from the water to reduce damage. 
• Lastly, try not to stay to close to the water. It may contain harmful bacteria. 
  

Do you have any other tips? Share them below!

Carton Contents Services – Located in Parsippany, NJ, we are a third generation family business working for insurance restoration contractors. Call us for your next pack-out and contents cleaning job in New Jersey. 973-781-1600.

How can we help adjusters determine what is best for the insured in handling contents claims?

Adjusters are always comparing the RCV (Replacement Cost Value) or ACV (Actual Cost Value) when deciding on how to handle the restoration of damaged contents. As a contractor, how can we help with this comparison, especially when time is of the essence? 

During the recent PLRB conference in Providence, Rhode Island, I sat in on a class presented by NARD and Enservio. The title of the class was "Controlling Personal Lines Large Loss Contents Claims," in which interesting statistics were discussed. The following statistics are important to keep in mind as we interact with claims adjusters, since we want to advise them of the best economic decisions.

The first is that Textile Restoration is about 23% of a large loss and the cleaning cost is less than 20% of the replacement cost value.  It may be easier to just say "throw everything out," but why recommend that to an adjuster when simply cleaning the garments and other textiles can save so much money? This kind of advice and guidance is financially smart for both the insured and the adjuster.

As for furniture restoration - About 14% of a large loss involves the furnishings and the cleaning expense will be under 50% of the RCV. The funds saved by cleaning and deodorizing the furniture are significant to the adjuster. In addition, the insured is saved the hassle of itemizing each item and documenting its value. 
 
For the insured's electronics, statistics show that 80% can be saved if a restoration company is given quick access to these items. The result can be up to a 75% savings in their Replacement Cost Value. These facts will help the contractor and adjuster determine the best course of action to take in handling the contents of a claim. 

About us: Located in New Jersey, Carton Contents Services only works for Insurance Restoration Contractors. We are happy to help out with any pack out, cleaning, deodorizing and storage loss you are involved in. Feel free to give us a call: 862-881-2655. 

Carton Contents Services 
Full Service Pack Out, Cleaning and Storage Company

Why Do Adjusters Say No?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen an adjuster make a mistake by saying no to a pack out and contents cleaning. Denying this service can produce negative results in three key areas.

1.     Can result a larger claim expense
2.     Greater number of in home remediation days
3.     An unhappy insured.

As a professional restoration contractor, you know how hard it is to work around contents. Even shifting from room to room is time consuming and is not the proper way to handle the insured contents. With the contents out of the way, you can be a far more effective and professional contractor. You’ll be able to remove, order, dry the structure, and perform the repair work required.

There have been several fire and smoke projects we have been called in on when the Insurance Adjuster has paid for cleaning and remediation. However, it was all done in the home. You know the story… the insured enters the structure after the work was done and smells smoke! If the contents had been removed and cleaned by Carton Contents this would not have happened. With the contents gone, the home could have been properly treated and sealed so there would be no soot or lingering odor. As a contractor, it should be done correctly the first time – the way a professional job should be.

Another frequent example is when the insurance adjuster says no to a pack out and cleaning after a water loss. As a contractor, you do your best to manipulate contents in a house and get the wall to wall carpet out, but there is just too much furniture and bric-a-brac in the way. You accidently break something or ding furniture and so you’re not able to do your job properly. It’s only when the insured starts to get upset that the adjuster gives you the green light to hire Carton Contents. In this case, you have lost days of remediation time, performed double the work, and the insured will be out of their home for a longer time.  

It’s in everyone’s best interest to take a few extra minutes and explain the benefits to an adjuster. It’s a more cost effective way to handle the remediation and it will help you to do a more professional job. It will also create the most positive experience for the insured as they work their way through the loss by reducing the days that they will be out of their place.

Carton Contents is a full service contents company and we are happy to help you with any contents project you may have. Keep your skilled people doing what they do best, either in the home or a commercial site, and let us handle the contents. We free up your people so they can handle more work and do a better job on the projects you already have. Call us on your next job that requires a pack out! 862-881-2655

Carton Contents - A Full Service Contents Company

We Work For Insurance Restoration Contractors - Like You!

J. D. Carton & Son, Inc. is a third generation family moving business that has started an insurance restoration contents company. Our 50+ years of packing, moving, storing and unpacking everything from fine china to exotic furniture guarantees your customers belongings will be treated with great care by our seasoned professionals. When contents cleaning and deodorization are required, our expert cleaners and ozone / drying chamber will be used. We will invoice the insurance company directly or invoice you through Xactimate and work out a referral fee schedule. 

Our services include:

•  Pack Out / Move Out
•  Ultrasonic Cleaning
•  Contents Cleaning
•  Contents Deodorization
•  Ozone Chamber
•  Drying Chamber
•  Contents Storage
•  Move Back and Unpacking
•  Xactimate Billing
•  Office Locations: Parsippany, Fairlawn, East Brunswick, New York City
 

My Experience: John Carton 

•  32+ Years moving industry veteran
•  IICRC -Water Damage Restoration
•  IICRC - Fire & Smoke Restoration
•  IICRC - Odor Control
•  Xactimate Level 1 Certified

Future blog posts will include relevant information about contents cleaning, about our company, and more.