What to Expect During Your Property Loss Claim
We understand that experiencing property damage can be overwhelming. This guide will walk you through the typical process, timelines, payments, and your role during a property insurance claim and restoration project.
Project Timelines
Demo & Estimate: At this point, demolition is either in progress or already completed. An appointment has been set or has been complete by a reconstruction project manager to visit with you about the rebuild process.
Estimate Delivery: Your repair estimate is typically written within 48–72 hours after the project manager's visit. (The mitigation estimate/invoice will be separate from the repair estimate most projects will bill for the dry down(mitigation) than for the repairs(recon))
Insurance Submission: Once finalized, the estimate is reviewed by the project manager and submitted to your insurance carrier within 3–5 days.
Carrier Review: Insurance carriers may take 10–14+ days depending on the complexity of the loss, to review and respond to the estimate. Our Arrow Claims Department will follow up regularly to speed up the process and obtain approval as quickly as possible.
Understanding Insurance Payments
Your Deductible: This is the portion of costs you are responsible for paying out-of-pocket before insurance coverage begins. It will appear on every estimate and is not a duplicate charge.
Insurance Payments Overview: Depending on your policy, you may receive multiple payments:
Actual Cash Value (ACV) – This is the initial payment. It reflects the current value of damaged items, factoring in age and condition. Your deductible is subtracted from this payment.
Recoverable Depreciation – If your policy includes this, it covers the difference between the full replacement cost and the ACV, minus the deductible. This is paid once the work is completed and verified.
Supplements – Additional payments may be issued if unforeseen issues arise or additional work is needed that wasn't in the original scope.
Important: Sharing Information
Insurance companies may send payments or estimates directly to you without notifying Arrow.
If you receive anything from your insurance carrier, please forward it to the Arrow Claims Department so we can make sure we're aligned and working on the correct scope.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Insurance covers restoring your property to pre-loss condition using similar materials (called "like kind and quality"). You may choose to upgrade, but you'll be responsible for the cost difference.
Example: If your original floors were sheet vinyl and you upgrade to vinyl plank, you'll pay the upgrade difference. Or if you are wanting to change from wallpaper to drywall with texture.
Cause of Loss
Insurance typically does not cover repairing or replacing the cause of the damage—only the resulting damage.
Example: A burst pipe may be covered, but replacing the entire plumbing system is not.
Who to Contact
Estimator – Your main contact for questions about the estimate or what has been sent to insurance.
Project Manager – Your contact for any questions about the repair scope, work schedule, or progress on-site.
Our Role
Arrow Restoration cannot determine what your policy covers—but we can and will work directly with your insurance to negotiate the scope and cost of repairs on your behalf.
