Insurance Claims--I say NO

[iladelf]

Wanted to get your feel for insurance claims. I don't do them anymore, because I've gotten burnt with those. I'm talking about the ones where the customer contacts you, needs your professional opinion to sign off on the fact that the PC is damaged (by lightning, etc.), and needs a document from you (signed) stating as much. For me, either the customer or the insurance company ends up whining about something.

The two times I did this, I got burnt:

1. First customer was up in arms because my document had no "official" letterhead. Yes, lady, I'm going to go out to Kinkos right away and have 1000 letterheads copied off just so I can look "official" the one time in a year when I do these frickin' calls for an hour of labor (and it ends up three because of all the !@#? you do for the customer and insurance agency).

2. Second one, the woman's boyfriend was her insurance agent. Sent the document, and the insurance guy gave me flack about my being honest on the document, stating in light of lower PC costs today (between $400-$500), it's cheaper for the company to replace PC instead of all the guts of the old one. He had a cow, basically because he was trying to get his girlfriend a $1500 computer. And this is why our insurance rates are so high; fraud.


Just had a lady call me about this, and I turned her down. Yes, it's turning away business, but it's more hassle than what it's worth.

[cmonova]

I do claims and even have one insurance company call me to do their claims. But, I charge the customer when I am there. On the invoice it states that they paid and they can file it with their insurance company.

The insurance company I deal with has no problem with that and nor has any customers.

[PC ZONE]

I Do

Charge the insurance company not the client for the inspection/diagnosis

Quote the insurance company for the replacement/repair as well

Take the client out of the equation

Don't inflate/deflate the goods

[Jory]

I've actually never had to do one personally, but a shop I worked at did one once and it was a total PITA like you said. All that was wrong with the computer was a bad power supply because of an electrical fire. The customer complained because they wanted a whole new computer, and the insurance company complained because they thought the repair cost was too much.

It took more time to work out the problem with the customer and insurance company than it did to actually repair the PC. It sat there for like a month while they squabbled with each other and us.

After seeing that I wouldn't even consider doing insurance claims. Plus I personally think insurance companies are more like a criminal organization than a legitimate business. I tend to avoid dealing with shady people regardless of whether their scam is legal or not. I don't need the headaches or bad karma.

[Johnthegeek]

I have done them and will do them. I write it all out on my invoice for whatever amount (quick books online) but I warn them I will write down what damage is done and what it will cost to make them whole in my opinion. I tell the customer I do all of it on the up and up and I don't exaggerate at all.

I bill 2x my normal rate. So when I get calls from the insurance company to explain my notes I am not doing it for free.