Who Gets the Insurance Check

This is the part that surprises people. The money does not always come the way you expect, and a check can sit on your kitchen counter for weeks because nobody told you what it was.

Here is how it usually works.

Who does the insurance company send the check to?

It depends on the carrier. We have seen all of these.

A check made out to us, sent to our office. A check made out to you. A check with both our names on it. A check with your mortgage company on it. Once in a while, a check made out to a trust.

We ask your insurance company to pay us directly. Sometimes they do. Often they do not, and that is normal.

Why is my mortgage company on the check?

Because they have an interest in your house.

If you have a mortgage, your lender wants to know the damage is really being fixed before the money is spent. So the insurance company puts them on the check too.

When that happens, everyone named on the check has to sign it. Then it goes to the mortgage company, they endorse it, and they send it back to you. That takes time. Start it the day the check arrives, not the week after.

What should you do when a check shows up?

Tell us.

We are not asking so we can chase you. We are asking because insurance companies do not always say what a check is for. One check might be for the drying work. Another might be for rebuilding later.

People spend the second one thinking it was the first, and then find they are short. A two minute call stops that.

When do we send our invoice?

Within three to five business days after we finish the drying work.

It comes with a full report. That report has the photos, the daily moisture readings and everything else your insurance company needs to see. If you filed a claim, we send the same invoice to you and to them.

How long do you have to pay?

Thirty days from the day you get the invoice.

You do not have to pay us the moment we finish. And often the insurance company pays before then. Just know that waiting on your insurance company can slow down getting your house put back together.

What if you cannot pay it all at once?

We have financing. Our office team will walk you through the options.

Ask early rather than late. It is a much easier conversation before the invoice is overdue than after.

What if your insurance pays less than the invoice?

Call us the same day.

Sometimes a carrier pays part of an invoice because they have a question about a line on it. Most of the time it is a misunderstanding, and most of the time it gets sorted once someone explains the readings and the report.

We will talk to your adjuster and work it out.

What red flags should you watch for?

A company that tells you not to worry about the bill. You are responsible for the invoice. Anyone glossing over that is setting you up for a surprise.

A company that asks for the full amount in cash up front. Ask what the payment terms are and get them in writing.

A company that wants you to sign the check over without explaining it. You should know what every check is for before you endorse it.

A company that will not give you a written report with the invoice. Your insurance company needs it. So do you.

Who do you call?

Us. Our line is answered every hour of every day.

If a check arrives and you are not sure what it is, call us and read it out. We will tell you what it looks like and what to do next.

None of this changes what we do on site. You can read how we handle a water damage repair or a storm damage job, and where we work across Southeast Michigan.