What is the Homeowners Insurance Process for Crime Scene Cleanup in Arizona?
When we receive calls from trauma scene cleanup clients, an important part of the conversation is often discussing the benefits of using homeowner’s insurance for any type of biohazard cleanup in Arizona. As an owner of a certified trauma scene cleanup company who has encountered many different biohazard cleanup situations,
Arizona Crime Scene Clean-Up
I would suggest that understanding the insurance process and differences between other types of insurance can benefit a homeowner greatly. The ability to work with insurance providers and to advocate for our trauma scene cleanup clients saves everyone time and money. The following sections will explain how this is the case.
Trauma Scene Cleanup Costs; Cash-Pay Versus Homeowners Insurance
Using homeowner’s insurance for biohazard cleanup can reduce your overall trauma scene cleanup costs dramatically. With cash-pay situation, once the trauma scene cleanup process is complete, the customer then needs to replace or repair any personal property,
Trauma Scenes - Unattended Deaths
furnishings, or structural items damaged by the loss. On the contrary, with insurance, the structure is covered and the claimant will often receive a payment to replace affected items in the home through the policies content coverage.
When more severe situations occur, such as an unattended death with heavy odor and damage to tile and subflooring, homeowner’s insurance can really benefit the client. Insurance would save the client in this scenario the expense of replacing the tile and removing or restoring furniture and personal items affected by odor. Additional services like vent cleaning after biohazard cleanup would also be coordinated and often paid for through insurance.
Finding the Best Crime Scene Cleanup Company
It is typical when looking for any type of product or service to look for the best estimate or price. Biohazard cleanup customers tend to try this approach at first, which is understandable, but results in several issues. First, companies willing to provide an estimate over the phone tend to provide inaccurate
Biohazard Cleanup
estimates and change the price once work starts. More transparent and trustworthy companies will ask to provide an in-person estimate, but having several companies come out during a stressful time for the family can also be frustrating.
The billing process for cash-pay job compared to an insurance pay job however, are completely different. Insurance work is completed, documented, and then billed for using a program the insurance carries prefer trauma cleanup contractors to use. What this means for the trauma cleanup client is that he or she can focus their efforts on finding the most professional trauma scene cleanup company, rather than what may seem like the least expensive option.
Finding a company like Affinity Bio Solutions AZ, who partners with Affinity Claim Consultants, can ensure all aspects of biohazard cleanup and billing work are done effectively and efficiently the first time around. IICRC certified and experienced technicians with the correct equipment can complete work safely and correctly. Providing the insurance company, a professionally itemized invoice, picture documentation, and inventory of content and structural damage ensures client’s homes are returned to normalcy in a timely manner. The same detailed processes also help the client to receive replacement values they deserve for affected contents in the home.
Are Clients who use Insurance for Trauma Scene Cleanup Penalized by Insurance Companies?
People are often concerned about whether their insurance rates will go up once a claim has been filed for biohazard cleanup in the same way it may for something like an at fault vehicle claim. Customers can confirm with their insurance company to be sure before a claim is filed,
Phoenix AZ Crime Scene Cleanup
but in almost all cases, professional trauma scene cleanup does not raise insurance rates. The main reason is that with other claim types, customers could be found to be at fault in some way, but with a death, it’s viewed more as an unintentional and often unforeseen act on the claimant’s part.
Who Files the Crime Scene Cleanup Claim?
Crime scene cleanup insurance claims can be filed by either the crime scene cleanup company, a policy holder, or family member/personal representative. Insurance companies are often very understanding when it comes to the grief/stress experienced
Crime Scene Cleanup Insurance Claims
by family members after the loss of a loved one and do not wish for clients to relive or describe the scene. Most will allow the crime scene cleanup company to open a claim and ask questions on behalf of the client to avoid causing any more distress. Some carriers will require the family member speak with them briefly and give permission before speaking with the crime scene cleanup professional, but this is usually quite brief.
There may be some instances, like during the probate process or when an estate is being established, that an insurance carrier will want to verify the family member has the right to make a claim. This can delay the crime scene cleanup process on occasion, but is often overcome quite quickly as the carrier does not wish for the trauma scene to become more severe.
What Happens Once the Trauma / Biohazard Cleanup Process is Complete?
Once the crime scene, biohazard cleaning, trauma scene cleanup process is complete, there is still other work for the biohazard cleanup company to accomplish. After decontaminating equipment and vehicles, disposing of biohazardous waste responsibly, the trauma scene cleanup
Crime Scene Cleanup Equipment Demo
professional will then communicate with the insurance adjuster on behalf of the client. Coordinating with other trades and providing proof to the carrier they are needed to be covered as the result of the loss is quite common.
Another concern is collecting and preparing all necessary evidence and documentation so the claim is complete and can be settled quickly. With proper documentation of the trauma scene cleanup process, the adjuster approves the claim and payment is sent out. Payments for those who complete biohazard cleanup and other restoration work are sometimes sent to the claimant along with any replacement values for contents. Some companies will ask for the client to pay the deductible at this point, but at Affinity Bio Solutions we typically waive/relieve our customer on this.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between the cash-pay and insurance processes for trauma scene cleanup can help clients save time and money. The billing processes are different in the way that estimates are not needed before work begins with homeowner’s insurance coverage. This allows the client to focus on finding the best crime scene cleanup company for their needs, without having to worry about sacrificing service and quality for the price. Knowing that rates are very unlikely to increase after a trauma cleanup service, clients can feel comfortable using the coverage that has been paid for in this very scenario, to restore their home to its original condition.
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