Experiencing damage to your home from smoke, water, or mold is stressful and overwhelming. As a homeowner discovering damage to your property, you look for a lifeline in somebody you trust and call your insurance company. You pay your premiums, and you trust them to take care of you when disaster strikes.

The agent on the phone is calm and reassuring. They tell you, “Don’t worry, we have a preferred vendor. We can send somebody out right now who we trust.” They’ve got everything covered, right? You breathe a sigh of relief. But before you say “yes,” you should understand what that “preference” is actually based on.

Experiencing damage to your home from smoke, water, or mold is stressful and overwhelming. As a homeowner discovering damage to your property, you look for a lifeline in somebody you trust and call your insurance company. You pay your premiums, and you trust them to take care of you when disaster strikes.

The agent on the phone is calm and reassuring. They tell you, “Don’t worry, we have a preferred vendor. We can send somebody out right now who we trust.” They’ve got everything covered, right? You breathe a sigh of relief. But before you say “yes,” you should understand what that “preference” is actually based on.

In the restoration industry, being a “Preferred Vendor” doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best at fixing your home. It just means they were the lowest bidder. Today, we are going to discuss the truth behind this program, some important information you should consider before making a decision, and why going with a local contractor is often in your best interest.

You have the right to choose the restoration company of your choice. We prove it.

Understanding Insurance Company’s Preferred Vendor Programs

Here’s a little secret of the insurance world: Preferred Vendors (PVs) always have a pre-negotiated business relationship with the insurance company. To get on that list (and get the steady stream of work that comes with it), they agree to offer the insurance carrier a discount. 

It is a volume-based trade-off. The restoration company agrees to cap their scope of work in exchange for the insurance company feeding them leads each month. The insurance company loves this arrangement because it controls their costs, but the homeowner is left out of the equation entirely. If you care about a job well done and don’t want substandard work, this arrangement will always matter to you.

Simply put, a business cannot operate at a loss. If a restoration company is giving a massive discount to the insurance company, they have to make up that margin somewhere else. That “somewhere else” is the quality and thoroughness of work done to your home.

In our experience as independent Arizona restoration contractors,we see a simple equation play out: Discount = Inferior Work. Not necessarily due to any malicious intent, but because the essence of their business model depends on a compromise being made. A compromise that can come at the cost of your home’s safety and long-term value. 

You have the right to choose the restoration company of your choice. We prove it.

How Preferred Vendor Agreements Affect Restoration Quality

Let’s get technical for a second, because this is where your home’s long-term health comes into play. Water damage affects far more than what is apparent to the naked eye: it seeps into and is absorbed by the structural materials that make up your home.

When we dry out a home, we follow the industry guidelines,IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) S500 Standards. These are the “Gold Standards” of the industry that dictate exactly how dry materials must be to prevent decay and ensure a job that will last. In a dry climate like Arizona, we aim to return materials to their equilibrium moisture content, which is often very low.

Let’s get technical for a second, because this is where your home’s long-term health comes into play. Water damage affects far more than what is apparent to the naked eye: it seeps into and is absorbed by the structural materials that make up your home.

When we dry out a home, we follow the industry guidelines,IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) S500 Standards. These are the “Gold Standards” of the industry that dictate exactly how dry materials must be to prevent decay and ensure a job that will last. In a dry climate like Arizona, we aim to return materials to their equilibrium moisture content, which is often very low.

Many preferred vendors, under pressure from the insurance company to close the file quickly and cheaply, will leave materials like sheetrock and wood framing with moisture levels around 17%.

To an adjuster, 17% may just be “good enough” to close the claim and save money. But as experienced local restoration contractors, that is a danger zone. Jobs that cut corners and accept subpar standards of quality control may save the insurance company money today, but it leaves you with a ticking time bomb that can affect you and your home’s well-being for years to come.

That lingering moisture can lead to:

  • Secondary mold growth behind the walls.

  • Structural decay of your wood framing.

  • Potential Health Hazards that fail to meet IICRC standards.

While your insurance company is there to help, their preferred vendor program prioritizes speed and cost over the quality restoration your property deserves.

Tucson’s

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You have the right to choose the restoration company of your choice. We prove it.

Why Arizona Restoration Pros Only Works For You

There’s an old saying: “No one can serve two masters.” This is especially true in the restoration business. A contractor cannot fully serve the interests of protecting your home and its value while simultaneously protecting the insurance company’s bottom line.

When a vendor is part of a preferred vendor agreement, they’ve made their choice. They serve the volume agreement and the insurance adjuster who sends them the work. They know that if they fight too hard for your repairs, they could get removed from the list.

At Arizona Restoration Pros, we’ve made our choice, too. We will work with all insurance companies, but we ultimately work for you. 

There’s an old saying: “No one can serve two masters.” This is especially true in the restoration business. A contractor cannot fully serve the interests of protecting your home and its value while simultaneously protecting the insurance company’s bottom line. 

When a vendor is part of a preferred vendor agreement, they’ve made their choice. They serve the volume agreement and the insurance adjuster who sends them the work. They know that if they fight too hard for your repairs, they could get removed from the list.

At Arizona Restoration Pros, we’ve made our choice, too. We will work with all insurance companies, but we ultimately work for you. 

We speak the same language as all the insurance companies do to ensure your claim is approved and covers what’s needed to get your home back to its original condition. We use the same industry-standard software (Xactimate) that insurance adjusters use. This ensures our pricing is fair, transparent, and accepted by carriers nationwide, all without having to cut corners in order to meet a discount quota. 

The difference comes in our standard of care. When you hire an independent expert, you are the one and only client. We do not have a discount agreement with your insurer. Our only obligation is to restore your home to its original condition, correctly and completely.

Your Right: Choosing Your Own Restoration Contractor

Don’t let an insurance agent nudge you into thinking you must use their guy. By law, you have the right to hire the contractor of your choice. Your insurance policy is a contract to pay for damages, not a contract that forces you to use a specific restoration company.

You are the owner of the property, and you should have a say in the outcome of your home. We don’t just say it, we prove it with our highly rated reviews! If you want a restoration team that follows strict IICRC standards over predetermined insurance maximums, give us a call today.

As your local restoration business, Arizona Restoration Pros can help you manage the process by documenting the damage, working with third-party adjusters, and handling jobs with or without insurance being involved. Contact our team today to learn how we can help you get back into your home safely and as soon as possible.

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