Insurance Claim Assistance for Fire, Water and Storm Damage

After a fire, a flood or a storm, the claim can feel like a second disaster. There’s an adjuster to meet, photos to take and forms to fill out. And you’re doing it all from a damaged house.

Kiser Construction’s insurance claim assistance is simple: we give your adjuster the evidence. Photos, moisture readings and a written, itemized scope of what’s damaged and what it takes to fix it. We’re a licensed Minnesota contractor (BC416441) based in Elk River, and we’ve been in business since 2003.

We also tell you plainly what we can’t do. Minnesota law draws a clear line, and you should know where it is before you hire anyone.

What our insurance claim assistance includes

Photos before anything is covered or removed

We photograph the damage the way the fire, water or storm left it, before we tarp, board up or tear anything out. Adjusters want to see the original condition.

Moisture readings for water damage

On water jobs, we log moisture readings as the house dries. Those readings show what was wet, how wet and when it was dry.

A written, itemized scope

You get a written scope that lists what’s damaged and what the repair involves. Your adjuster gets the same scope.

The scope is written in plain language. It lists each room or area, what we found there and what the repair involves. If something changes once walls are opened, we update the scope and share it again.

We meet your adjuster on site

We walk the property with your adjuster, point out what we found and answer questions about the damage and the repair.

If the adjuster asks for more photos or readings later, we send them. You don’t have to chase us for paperwork.

Updates for your mortgage company

When a mortgage company is part of the process, we keep it updated too, so you’re not the go-between for every phone call.

What to have ready before the adjuster visits

• Your claim number and your adjuster’s name and phone number.
• Your own photos and video, taken before cleanup.
• Receipts for anything you paid for, like tarps, hotels or meals.
• A list of damaged belongings, room by room.
• Our written scope, if we’ve already inspected.

Keep everything in one folder or one email thread. It saves time every time someone asks for it.

What Minnesota law says a contractor can’t do

A state law, section 325E.66, sets rules for home contractors working on insurance claims. In plain terms, a home contractor can’t:

• Tell you what your policy means or covers, or handle the claim for you. Only a licensed public adjuster can do that.
• Pay or promise to pay any part of your deductible.
• Offer you money or anything else for letting them inspect, for filing a claim or for referring them to others.
• Have you sign for repairs without also giving you a good faith estimate that lists the work and costs.

That’s why we document and you decide. We’ll show you exactly what’s damaged and what the fix involves. Coverage questions go to your agent, your insurer or a licensed public adjuster.

Your adjuster, a public adjuster and your contractor

Three different people may be involved in your claim, and they do different jobs.

Your insurance company’s adjuster

Works for your insurer. Inspects the damage, reviews the claim and decides what the policy pays for.

A public adjuster

Licensed in Minnesota to work for you on the claim. You hire them separately if you want someone to represent you.

Your contractor

That’s us. We document the damage, write the scope and do the repairs. We don’t speak for you on coverage.

Red flags after a storm

After big hail or wind, door-to-door crews show up fast. Some do fine work. Watch for these:

• An offer to cover or waive your deductible.
• A promise to handle or negotiate your claim when the contractor isn’t a licensed public adjuster.
• Pressure to sign before you’ve seen a written, itemized estimate.
• No Minnesota contractor license number on the paperwork. Ours is BC416441.

Storm damage claim assistance in Elk River and the north metro

Most of our storm claims start the same way. We tarp the roof, photograph the damage, inspect the roof, siding, gutters, windows and attic, and write the scope. Then we meet the adjuster. Our storm damage restoration page covers the full process, and our wind damage restoration page covers what straight-line wind does.

We work from our office on Meadowvale Road in Elk River and across Sherburne, Anoka, Hennepin and Wright counties.

What we document for fire and water claims

Fire

We photograph every room, including rooms the fire never touched, because smoke travels. We document the water from firefighting and the openings that need board-up. See fire damage restoration.

We also note which belongings were in each room, so your list and our photos match up.

Water

We document where the water came from, which materials got wet, and daily moisture readings until everything is dry. See water damage restoration.

Storm

We photograph the roof, siding, gutters, windows and attic before anything is covered. We note which side of the house took the damage and whether water got inside.

How the claim and the repair fit together

1. Free inspection

We inspect and photograph the damage at no charge.

2. Written scope

You and your adjuster get the same itemized scope.

3. Adjuster meeting

We meet on site and answer questions about the damage and the repair.

4. Repairs

Once you’ve decided how to move forward, one licensed contractor handles the repairs. You can follow the schedule in our customer portal. We work on 50/50 payment terms, and our work carries a one-year warranty from the completion date.

Call us

Good insurance claim assistance means clear evidence and a contractor who stays inside the lines. If your home is open to the weather, call (612) 518-8852. A real person answers 24/7, including holidays. For a free inspection and a written scope, call our Elk River office at (763) 633-2010.