"Contents Pack-out" is a term used by water and fire restoration contractors, and insurance companies. It is the process in which the contractor sends trucks, boxes and workers to your home. They pack up all of the damaged personal property in your home or business and transport it back to their warehouse. Once the personal property is at the warehouse, the contractor begins the cleaning and restoration process.
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Insurance companies do not like to replace personal property. They would rather clean or repair it and give it back to you. That drastically slashes their claims cost, which makes them happy.
I've been an insurance adjuster for over 16 years, and in the insurance business for over 35 years. I've seen very few instances where seriously damaged personal property can be just cleaned or repaired successfully. Most fires burn or infuse toxic chemicals into personal property, like wood or textiles. Same goes for a flood loss. My personal opinion is that replacement of damaged personal property is better than repair or cleaning.
So, what is the trap?
Insurance adjusters like to swoop in with their favorite approved restoration contractor and do a "pack-out." But your insurance policy has a limit on Personal Property. All of the money that the insurance adjuster authorizes to have your contents cleaned is paid against the policy limit. So, if the restoration contractor cleans a bunch of your damaged property, but you reject it as damaged, the contractor still gets paid. But you have less money now to replace your damaged personal property.
The trap is that a pack-out can penalize you when you are submitting your insurance claim!
Here's the Escape Strategy
1. You own the personal property...not the insurance company and not the restoration contractor. It is YOUR DECISION what gets repaired and what gets replaced, not the adjuster.
2. Call in your own restoration contractor for a second opinion. It shouldn't cost you anything, but even if it did, it would be money well spent.
3. Make sure every single item that gets removed from your home is listed on an inventory sheet.
4. Based upon your contractor's opinion, negotiate the replacements with the adjuster and settle the claim.
If you have experienced a property loss, whether fire, wind, flood or other, you need to know winning insurance claim strategies. The insurance company will not tell you the claims process, but I will. I will show you how to take control of your insurance claim, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlement. For more information, go to the website listed below.
Owning a functioning warehouse or facility is a big responsibility. You owe it to yourself, your company, and your employees to make sure that the area is as safe as it was. You should never leave safety to chance. There are many ways to make sure that your warehouse or facility stays safe under your watch, and these are just a few of the ways to make sure that operations go on as smoothly as ever:
Make sure all areas are properly lighted. Your employees cannot work safely if they cannot see properly. Dimly lit areas are places where accidents are most likely to occur. Your lights are bright and properly angled to provide your employees with great sight of what they are doing. Always replace dead or dim bulbs as soon as possible. Do not let your employees work in the dark or in dimly lit areas.
Certain areas, steps, and other dangerous places are visibly marked with signs, paint, or tape. You do not want your employees accidentally walking into an unsafe area just because they Wood Floor Cleaning near me near me were not aware that it was a dangerous zone. You can easily make certain areas and walkways stand out with marking tape, paint, and signs. You may also need to have these markings to comply with the law or certain safety standards, so make sure comply with your area's safety regulations.
Make sure that all of your employees are properly trained to use specific equipment. You should never let any employee who is not properly trained or certified to use certain equipment. New employees are properly supervised before allowing them to use equipment alone, even if they have prior certification. Safety is your number one concern at all times, and it is your job to make sure that employees know exactly what they are doing before leaving them alone with dangerous equipment.
Regularly go over safety drills with your employees. They need to know exactly what to do if someone is hurt, if equipment malfunctions, or if there is a fire or other problem. They should know who to contact in the event of an emergency, and they should be able to reach a phone easily to do so. Instruct your employees on how to stay safe and calm during emergencies, and practice emergency situations if need be during training.
Inspect all equipment regularly for any defects. Look at power cords, operating boards, and other parts of the equipment to make sure that nothing is broken, damaged, or losing its usability. Pay close attention to what your employees tell you about the equipment and fix any damages or replace the equipment as soon as possible. Do not let your employees use equipment that is not functioning correctly.
Always make sure that all sprinkler systems and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working. Do regular testing to make sure that everything is in good working order. Make sure that these items will still continue to work in case of a power outage. Replace batteries of the detectors as needed, and consider having a professional to inspect the sprinkler system regularly.
Make all fire extinguishers are available and exits are not blocked. Extinguishers are highly important in cases of small fires, and employees should know where they are located and how to properly use them in case of emergencies. At no time should an exit ever be blocked by anything at all, especially heavy equipment or vehicles.
Common sense, regular inspections, and training go a long way in keeping your facility and employees safe from harm.