Call us at 864.363.4841

FAQs

What Do I Do Now?

If you’ve experienced damage to your property due to a fire, water leak, wind damage, hail damage, and the like, the first thing you need to do is to contact Garner Johnson (864)-660-9861 as well as your insurance company.

Garner Johnson will assist your insurance company’s adjuster in determining the extent of damage as well as determining the value of your loss and the cost of replacement.

Who Is Going To Pay For This?

Provided that your damage is covered under your property insurance policy, your insurance company is going to pay for most of the necessary repairs. As the owner you will only be responsible for your deductible. Average deductibles range from $500 to $1000.

How Long Is This Going To Take?

Garner Johnson works directly with your insurance company in an effort to expedite the claim process as quickly as possible. Some insurance companies may pay a portion of your claim in their initial visit, but most will take an average of two weeks to process a payment. Once your insurance company approves the claim, Garner Johnson will commence repairs immediately. Most repairs will take approximately two to three weeks. Roof replacements will only take one to three days.

Can We Change What Was There Before?

Absolutely. This can be a great time to make the renovations to your kitchen that you’ve always wanted, change your roof color, or upgrade your bathroom fixtures. Your insurance company is only going to pay to restore or replace your original property, but Garner Johnson will work with you to determine what changes are within your budget.

What is Hail Damage?

Hail can be found in moderate to severe thunderstorms as well as tornadic storms. Hail falls in the form of ice and its size can range anywhere from pellet size to softball size. Your roof will be impacted the most from hail damage. The immediately damage may not be apparent from the ground. Hail damage to a roof will greatly reduce the life of your roof. If in question, call Garner Johnson. We’ll inspect your roof at no charge.

What If I Have A Mortgage?

Depending on the dollar value of your claim and your policy, payments from your insurance company may be made payable to you and your mortgage company. Some mortgage companies will simply endorse the check back you. However some of the larger banks will require multiple steps or ”hoops” that you’ll have to jump through to get their endorsement. Garner Johnson is accustomed to working with you and your bank to expedite this process. In most cases we already have the required forms for processing.

Insurance Glossary

Replacement Cost Value – RCV – This is the value to completely replace your damaged property with something new.

Actual Cost Value – ACV – This is the value of the damaged property or the value of the damage to your home before you make repairs.

Depreciation – DEPREC. – This is the difference between the RCV and the ACV. The value of the depreciation is determined differently by each insurance company. Most are simply percentage based. This dollar amount is also called the “Recoverable Depreciation.”

Deductible – This is the amount that your policy states that you will pay out of your own pocket towards the damages.

These terms are important to understanding how insurance companies pay for your property damages. The following is a typical example and how payments are made by your insurance company.

TOTAL CLAIM or REPLACEMENT COST VALUE = $1000

DEPRECIATION or RECOVERABLE DEPRECIATION= $200

ACTUAL CASH VALUE = $800

DEDUCTIBLE =$100

The first check from the insurance company will be for the ACV of the damage minus your deductible.

RCV ($1000) – DEPREC. ($200)= ACV (800)

ACV ($800) – DEDUCTIBLE ($100) = First Check ($700)

In order to be paid for the depreciation or recoverable depreciation, your insurance company will require that the repairs be completed and that Garner Johnson provide your carrier with a copy of our contract, invoice, or certificate of completion.