While residents of Freehold woke up Sunday morning to extensive damage from a late Saturday night storm that looked for all the world like a twister had struck, weather officials have ruled out a tornado and fingered an uncommon supercell storm as responsible for all the damage.

“Supercell storms are mainly responsible for a lot of high-end severe weather,” said Jim Hayes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

“If it had been a tornado, there would be signs of a defined path and rotation on the ground,” said Kristin Kline, another meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “From all indications we’ve received as far as damage reports and radar, it looks to be straight-line wind damage. When winds descend from a thunderstorm, they hit the ground and travel horizontally outward from that center point.”

A supercell storm is a strong version of a thunderstorm that lasts for a couple of hours as opposed to the average thunderstorm length of 20 to 30 minutes, Hayes said.

The two weather conditions needed to produce a supercell storm are an atmospheric area with high instability and an increase in wind strength with altitude. These two conditions create a spinning storm that then powers itself, Hayes said.

Saturday night’s storm brought wind gusts as high as 60 to 65 mph between 10 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in Monmouth County. That 30-minute span was the most damaging part of the storm, Kline said. Trenton-Mercer Airport registered a gust as high as 63 mph shortly after 9 p.m., she said.

Saturday night’s storm, which followed an afternoon storm that caused flooding in parts of Ocean County, originated in Bucks County, Pa., and then passed through Mercer County before it entered Monmouth County.

The Freehold area and borough of Eatontown suffered the brunt of the storm’s fury. The storm left more than 4,800 Jersey Central Power & Light customers in the Freehold area without power Sunday morning, according to the company’s power outage map.

Hayes recalled such a storm that hit the area between Toms River and Howell townships with reported 75 mph wind gusts just two weeks ago. But Hayes said supercell storms are more commonly found in the southern and central plains.

COLORADO SPRINGS  — Charred and contorted metal strips formed a stark barrier around piles of blackened rubble that used to be a two-story ranch style home at 5533 Majestic Drive.

“These were our beige gutters,” said Michael Fender, nudging the metal with his right foot. “I just don’t know … I don’t know what it is anymore.”

Fender and his wife lived in the three-bedroom home for 13 years, and on Thursday afternoon began preliminary inspections for what can be a painful and lengthy claims process in the wake of the Waldo Canyon fire. Aerial photographs show their street and a planned neighborhood known as Parkside lost at least 139 of their 178 homes in the blaze.

“It’s a rough situation,” said Mark Nix, an insurance property adjuster with Allstate who worked with couple. “In this first meeting, I just needed to measure the foundation and driveway and take some pictures.”

Since arriving in Colorado Springs earlier this week, Nix said he’s inspected about a dozen properties destroyed by the fire.

Following the initial site visit, the adjuster will then meet with residents a few days later to go over their personal property lost in the disaster.

“There’s a number of stages that it takes,” Nix said. “Eventually we hope to write them an estimate to get them rebuilt.”

Nix, based in Texas, travels all over the country — he has seen the damage wrought by floods, tornadoes and hurricanes.

“They’re all bad,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Colorado’s two largest property insurers reported Thursday that they received 1,449 claims for wildfire losses or expenses. The claims include total structural losses as well as damage from smoke and fire and requests for temporary living expenses from property owners displaced by fires.

Officials with State Farm said it had received 150 claims from northern Colorado’s High Park fire and 390 claims for the Waldo Canyon fire. Farmers Insurance representatives said the company has received 909 claims from all Colorado wildfires, with the majority from High Park and Waldo Canyon.

Both companies expect the numbers to grow as more fire damage is discovered and reported.

With a heavy thunderstorm forecast for this weekend, monsoon season likely to arrive in late summer and hillsides stripped of vegetation by the flames, residents in the area face another danger: Mud.

“Many homeowners do not realize the standard homeowners insurance policy typically excludes mudflow type losses,” Christopher Hackett, a director for the Property Casualty Insurers of America, said in a statement.

Across Majestic Drive from Fender’s home, Eugene and Cheryl Keckritz stood in their concrete driveway fixated on the foundation where their 2,200-square-foot home of 18 years once stood.

“It was Navajo white, with Zeus green trim,” said Cheryl. “We lost a lot. My dad’s old tool box … he died four years ago, and that’s what I kept as a memory of him. Now it’s gone.”

The Keckritzes said they’re fully insured and estimated their home was worth $240,000.

“I want to rebuild. We hope to rebuild, but right now it’s just too early,” Cheryl said.

An insurance trade organization says the hailstorm that pounded Dallas this week could result in up to $2 billion in insured losses.

Sandra Helin, president of Southwestern Insurance Information Service, said Friday that the estimate is preliminary and based on claims filed over the previous 36 hours. Helin added that “we are hopeful that the damage estimates fall short of what we are predicting.”

Helin said Wednesday’s storm was catastrophic due to a massive number of vehicles caught in the open during rush hour, the tens of thousands of homes that received roof and interior damage and the number of historic homes that were heavily damaged.

Hail storms can cause massive damage to commercial and residential properties. Here are some facts you should know about hail damage.
-I took a look at my roof and called a roofer to inspect, but it does not seem like three are any problems.

Fact: Roofing systems must actually be inspected by someone who has training, knowledge and experience to establish if there is actual hail damage. An insurance company sends their adjusters through rigorous special training so they can properly identify damage from hail. Unfortunately, roofers and home inspectors do not go through the same training.

-I do not see any missing shingles, so I don’t think I have damage.

Fact: Missing shingles are generally related to wind damage. They can happen during a hail storm only if the winds become high enough. Hail damage is unsafe in nature and may not physically cause leakage for years after a hail storm.

-I think I only have a year to file a claim.

Fact: There are several insurance companies that do have a one year time limit. However, due to the nature of hail damage, insurance companies may pay claims past the deadline if a hail storm is widespread geographically.

– I have a brand new roof on my home so shouldn’t it be covered by the manufacturers warrants, homebuilder, or contractor?

Fact: Generally, manufacturers, home builders, and roofing contractors will specifically name hail as an exclusion to their product warranty. If you have a newer roof, it can actually be more vulnerable to hail damage opposed to older roofs. This is because it takes a new roof time to cure from exposure to the elements.

-My roofer told me that my roof has very little damage and therefor I would not need to file a claim.

Fact: Even with minimal damage, it is very important to file a claim with your insurance company. Because your roof might not leak for years, as long as you notify your insurance company that the damage occurred, your claim can always be reopened later. This is why it is imperative to have a qualified expert inspect your roof.

– Won’t my insurance company throw me off my insurance if I file a claim?

Fact: In most states, insurance companies are prohibited from canceling policies for filing claims that occur from severe weather related events. You might want to check with your state and policy language.

– If I file a claim, the insurance company will raise my rates.

Fact: After any natural disaster, whether it is hurricane, hail, tornado, or flood, an insurance company can raise everyone’s rates. Even if you decide not to file a claim, your insurance rate might still go up. By not filing your claim, your rate increase can pay for everyone’s damage except yours.

The bottom line is that if you suffer from hail damage, you need an expert to verify your damage and you should file your claim immediately. The long term effects of hail damage are terrifying. You should protect your home at all costs. Isn’t that why you have insurance?

If you are located in the following areas, you may have sustained hail damage – Dallas, TX
Public Adjusters can also assist you with you vehicle claims as well. If you are unsure if the insurance company has paid enough for your vehicle or you have been paid and you do not feel that it was enough to cover your vehicles expense. Contact us today. You can receive more money for diminished value for your car claim. 800.501.1230

Flooding damage estimate in Escambia County reaches $20 million

Escambia County officials have tallied at least $20 million in damage to public buildings, roads, bridges and facilities stemming from the weekend’s near-record-breaking rainfall.

And they are still counting.

Calculating the damage from Saturday and Sunday — in which Escambia received more than 20 inches of rain — is a tedious task that Escambia’s government agencies are scrambling to complete this week.

If damage to public facilities or infrastructure reaches a threshold of $25 million, Escambia County will be eligible for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The assessment only takes into account damage to public structures, including roads, bridges and public buildings, not damage done to personal property such as homes and vehicles.

Typically, FEMA would pay 75 percent of disaster costs, the state would pick up 12.5 percent, and the remaining 12.5 percent would be paid for locally.

Escambia and Santa Rosa counties’ state Legislative delegation on Tuesday requested Gov. Rick Scott to issue a disaster declaration in response to the weekend flooding. The letter was signed by state Sens. Don Gaetz and Greg Evers and state Reps. Clay Ford, Matt Gaetz and Clay Ingram.

A disaster declaration from Scott would allow for state and federal assistance for Escambia and Santa Rosa.
The Cost

“We’re just starting to get numbers in,” said Kathleen Dough-Castro, an Escambia County spokeswoman.

The county is collecting data from the City of Pensacola, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority and other local government agencies to submit to the state. The largest single source of damage so far is in damage to public buildings.

The Central Booking and Detention facility at Escambia County Jail suffered millions in damage when its basement flooded in Saturday’s heavy rains, officials have said.

Tax Collector Janet Holley said her Warrington office on North Navy Boulevard had damage that will cost thousands to fix. The floor, sheetrock and parts of the ceiling will have to be replaced, she said.

PURE Appointed as a “Write Your Own” Company through the National Flood Insurance Program

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., June 11, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — As Hurricane Season begins, Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) has announced the roll-out of its flood solutions coverage suite to owners of well-built, high-value homes across most of the United States.* PURE Flood Solutions is an innovative, customizable offering that allows PURE members (policyholders) to obtain a superior level of flood coverage and claim service. In addition to becoming a Write Your Own (WYO) provider of the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) primary flood coverage, PURE has developed several optional coverage enhancements that are expressly designed for owners of high-value homes.
A Leading Cause of Losses for American Homeowners
As the most common type of natural disaster, flooding poses a serious and costly threat to families nationwide, but is not typically covered on homeowners insurance policies. What’s more, damage from floods is not just isolated to coastal or high-risk territories. While nine of the ten most costly floods in U.S. history were associated with hurricanes and tropical storms, according to floodsmart.gov, the official site of the NFIP, more than 25% of flood losses have historically been paid for damages in medium or low-risk areas. Despite the common occurrence of floods, however, a 2011 poll by the Insurance Information Institute (III) found that 86% of American homeowners do not have a flood insurance policy.
“Responsible homeowners, like the PURE membership, are typically more likely than the average consumer to purchase a flood insurance policy as provided by the NFIP,” said Martin Hartley, chief operating officer with PURE. “However, we took a look at the needs of the homeowners we insure, and realized that we could do even better. PURE Flood Solutions is designed to provide more seamless coverage for coastal homeowners, and a more responsive claims experience for people throughout our membership.”
A Complete Flood Solution for High-Value Homes
PURE Flood Solutions makes it easy for successful families to obtain broad, customized coverage against flood.
PURE Flood Insurance is primary flood coverage, offered through the NFIP’s WYO program. Coverage is available in all flood zones, for up to $250,000 for the dwelling and $100,000 for contents within a home.
PURE Flood Extension will be offered to homeowners in high-risk flood zones and coastal areas, and closes the gaps left by primary flood insurance. PURE Flood Extension expands upon the NFIP’s definition of a “flood” to include single-home events, offers replacement cost coverage for damaged contents that may otherwise be subject to depreciation, and provides coverage for contents damaged in a basement.
PURE Flood Advantage will be available to homeowners in low-risk, non-coastal areas. In addition to broadening coverage similarly to PURE Flood Extension, PURE Flood Advantage increases coverage to exceed the limits offered by the NFIP’s primary flood policy. Homeowners are eligible to receive up to $1,000,000 in coverage for their home and contents.
PURE Excess Flood enables homeowners in high-risk and coastal areas to increase their coverage limits to allow them to adequately rebuild their home and replace contents following a total loss.
Seamless Service from One Adjuster
In addition to offering expanded coverage options to better meet the needs of high net worth individuals and families, PURE Flood Solutions provides a number of service advantages to members. Following an event that causes multiple kinds of damage – such as a storm that causes wind damage to a roof and flooding to the home and contents – members may enjoy the ease of a seamless claim process, as one dedicated adjuster can be enabled to handle losses associated with the home and the flood. This helps members avoid the delays or confusion that can result from multiple adjusters.
“After Hurricane Irene, many of our members suffered losses due to downed trees and flooding,” said Hartley. “By writing their flood insurance and their homeowners insurance with PURE, members will have a single, PURE appointed adjuster to handle their entire loss – and will enjoy the same excellent claim service they’ve come to expect from PURE.”
About PUREF or promotional purposes, PURE refers to the members of the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. PURE Group is rated “A-” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. Insurance coverage is underwritten through Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange, a Florida-domiciled reciprocal insurance exchange and member of the PURE Group. PURE provides coverage for high-value homes, automobiles, jewelry, art, personal liability and watercraft to more than 14,000 successful families in 35 markets across the U.S. and is committed to helping its members (policyholders) reduce the price of insurance today while controlling their long-term cost of risk. In return for a fee, PURE Risk Management, LLC acts as Attorney-in-Fact for PURE. For more information, visit pureinsurance.com. Flood insurance policies are issued by Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange, a Write Your Own insurer in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange issues and services flood insurance policies in accordance with the NFIP.
This material is descriptive only. The precise coverage offered is subject to the terms and conditions of the policies issued. The rights and responsibilities of members are subject to the Subscriber’s Agreement and Power of Attorney. *Coverage not available in all jurisdictions.
SOURCE PURE Insurance

PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. — Flood warnings stretched along the Gulf Coast from Florida’s Panhandle into Mississippi as locally heavy rain Monday threatened a repeat of weekend downpours and storms that damaged homes, blacked out a jail and spun off at least one tornado in Alabama.

A 23-year-old Mississippi man drowned off Florida’s Pensacola Beach and more than a dozen other swimmers were ordered out of rough surf amid heavy rain that caused widespread flooding over the weekend, officials said. The Pensacola News Journal said the man’s name has not been released.

The newspaper also reported the storms forced the evacuation of a 200-unit apartment complex in Pensacola. Many residents found severe flood damage when they returned Sunday afternoon. Officials say electric power could be restored at the complex Monday.

The National Weather Service said rip tides from the storms were a danger along the coast and locally heavy rain could cause more flooding through Monday afternoon, although the intensity of the downpours was abating.

A tornado connected with the storm system also uprooted trees and destroyed chicken houses Sunday in southeastern Alabama, where an emergency official said a few homes were damaged but no injuries were reported.

“I actually saw it myself coming out of our church door — my first tornado I have ever witnessed,” said Margaret Mixon, emergency management director for rural Geneva County.

More than 600 inmates at the Escambia County Jail in Florida were without power and air conditioning after the rains left more than 5 feet of water in the bottom floor, which also houses the laundry and kitchen facilities.

Extra deputies were brought in to beef up security, and generators powered lights outside the facility to shine into the jail. Officials worked Monday to pump out the excess water and restore power.

“The whole electrical system is underwater. It’s going to be extensive damage,” said Sgt. Mike Ward.

The parking lot of the sheriff’s office was completely flooded, leaving some patrol cars and other fleet vehicles with water up to the hood. Some homes and businesses also had several feet of water inside, Ward said. Authorities estimated $3 million to $4 million in damages at the sheriff’s facilities.

Sunday’s rain could have been worse, coming on top of Saturday’s record rainfall. After getting more than 13 inches on Saturday, Pensacola only saw another 1.92 inches of rain Sunday. Mobile had 5.79 inches on Saturday and another 2.79 inches Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters originally feared that another 4 to 8 inches would fall Sunday on the coast, but the storm system pulled more of the precipitation farther inland, meteorologist Eric Esbensen said.

“That was a lifesaver,” Esbensen said. “We couldn’t handle another day of that.”

More than 100 residents spent the night in three Red Cross shelters in Escambia County on Saturday night, including residents from a 50-unit apartment. Navy officials also set up housing for residents of a 22-home subdivision evacuated because of flooding, according to Red Cross officials.

It was difficult to assess the damage Sunday because many roads in Escambia County were still flooded. Emergency officials planned a more thorough inspection Monday after the waters recede.

When people think of hurricane damage they usually think of Miami or New Orleans, but a new report suggests the greatest financial risk of all may be much farther north: the greater New York City area.

Data analysis firm CoreLogic said in a new report that the U.S. metropolitan area at greatest risk, both in the number of properties affected and the potential value of damage, was New York City. For the firm’s purposes, the area also includes Long Island and northern New Jersey.

“The summer of 2011 gave us some startling insight into the damage that even a weak storm can cause in the New York City metro area,” CoreLogic vice president Howard Botts said.

“Hurricane Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it passed through New Jersey and New York City, but the impact of the storm was still estimated at as much as $6 billion.”

It is much more likely that a hurricane will make landfall in Miami than New York. In 2012, according to landfall tables from Colorado State University, the odds are 5.3 percent for Miami and 0.2 percent for New York City. Over 50 years, the odds rise to 95.5 percent for Miami and 6.6 percent for New York.

Still, the risk is there, particularly from flooding. While most people associate hurricane damage with wind, the storm surge from rising waters caused by cyclones has just as much impact, if not more.

That was painfully evident to residents of the northeastern states in particular after last summer’s Hurricane Irene. Although the insured impact of Irene on the New York City area was relatively limited, one of the insurance industry’s nightmares has always been a major hurricane traveling up the Hudson River and striking the city and its environs.

By some estimates, such an event could cause $100 billion just in insured losses, with economic damage some order of magnitude greater than that.

CoreLogic estimated the property at risk in the New York City area was worth some $168 billion.

In total, CoreLogic said, more than four million homes in the United States are at risk from flood damage related to hurricanes, with over $700 billion in property potentially vulnerable.

There are 2.2 million homes worth more than $500 billion at risk along the Atlantic coast, with another 1.8 million homes worth $200 billion imperiled along the Gulf coast.

About 35 percent of the at-risk homes are in the state of Florida alone and another 12 percent or so in Louisiana, the firm said. In terms of value of property, more than 40 percent of the risk is concentrated in Florida and New York.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is calling for a “near normal” 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.

Dr. Robert Detrick, director of NOAA’s Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, said forecasters anticipate nine to 15 named storms. Four to eight of those storms will likely become hurricanes with top winds of 74 mph. One to three of those hurricanes could form major hurricanes, with top winds of 111 mph.

These predictions are based on temperatures, wind shear and other factors, Detrick said.

The formation of El Niño in late summer or early fall could shift these predictions to the lower end of the range, he said.

Two storms have already been named before the official start on the Atlantic hurricane season — Tropical Storm Alberto and Hurricane Bud. Hurricane season officially starts on June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Peak months of storm activity are August, September and October.

The 2012 predictions are lower than predictions made in 2011, when forecasters called for a 70 percent chance of 14 to 19 named storms, seven to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes.

Detrick said NOAA will use new tools this year to measure, track and collect data from the storms, including small robotic boats that will gather information from inside the eye of the hurricane. In a partnership with NASA, scientists will also be able to analyze data collected from aircraft overhead.

During a conference call with members of the press on Thursday, scientists stressed the need for preparedness.

“The bottom line here is to prepare,” Detrick said.

Tim Manning, the deputy administrator for Protection and National Preparedness at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said, “The most important time to prepare is now.”

The Morris County Freeholders gave the go-ahead to releasing matching funds to a county effort to buy severely flood-damaged properties in four municipalities including Parsippany. If the measure wins final approval, 26 township properties can become permanently preserved open space.

The purchases would be made under the new Morris County Flood Mitigation Program, and would cover a total of 67 properties in Parsippany, Denville, Pequannock and Lincoln Park.

With the freeholders’ preliminary approval, it authorized spending $5 million in county grant funds to provide a 25 percent match for the $14.5 million in Hurricane Irene hazard mitigation funds received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to Jennifer McCulloch, the program’s coordinator.

“FEMA pays municipalities 75 percent of the cost, and this will cover the other 25 percent,” she explained, “Parsippany can begin to prepare to move forward.”

The freeholders’ final approval, she added, will cover the individual properties allowed to be purchased.

But the money is available now, McCulloch said: The four towns may now proceed with their “due diligence,” including appraisals, surveys, environmental assessments and negotiating a purchase price with homeowners.

Morris County will provide up to 75 percent of the $1.2 million acquisition costs with the remainder provided by the state Department of Envinronmental Protection’s Green Acres program, McCulloch said.

The freeholders established the Flood Mitigation Program last March in response to increased, repetitive flooding in the county, especially the excessive flooding caused by Hurricane Irene in 2011, said Freeholder Ann Grossi, a Parsippany resident.

“Hurricane Irene brought to our attention the cycle of repetitive flooding that so many of our communities are struggling with,” Grossi said. “In the wake of that disaster, the freeholders felt strongly that a more proactive approach could be developed to permanently move people out of harm’s way and reduce the destruction from flooding.”

The freeholder noted this is the first county-level dedicated flood mitigation program in the state.

“The main objectives of the program are to move people out of harm’s way and create natural, sustainable flood storage areas which protect the remaining homeowners, businesses and properties,” McCulloch said.

The Flood Mitigation program is an expansion of the Morris County Open Space, Farmland, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund. It was initially funded by $16 million of unencumbered funds allocated to the Morris County Agriculture Development Board, Grossi said.

Future funding levels for the program will be determined on an annual basis.
Committee members operate within a unique set of regulations created specifically for this program, and they report directly to the freeholder board.

Under the program’s terms, grant applications will be considered from municipalities only for the acquisition of residences, and lands associated with the residences, that have experienced either severe repetitive flooding, or homes that have sustained over 50 percent damage from a single flood event, said McCulloch.

Applications not funded through this program may subsequently apply to the traditional Morris County Open Space Program for funding to purchase the land only.

Costs for demolition, elevation or other non-acquisition mitigation techniques are not eligible under the county’s program.

Mcculloch said the program will work only with willing homeowners, and that all funds would go directly to the municipality, which will then buy the land and maintain it as public, open space in perpetuity.

CHOCTAW, Okla. — Earlier this month, we introduced you to numerous Oklahoma who had brand name insurance coverage but have had to hire attorneys to get what they feel is a fair settlement after their homes were damaged by tornadoes.

We’ve now uncovered yet another option for homeowners who find themselves battling their insurance companies.

We all know when you have a damage claim, your insurance company sends out an adjuster to inspect your loss; that adjuster works for the insurance company

Did you also know there are public adjusters?

These are adjusters who work strictly for the homeowner.

May 10, 2010, a twister ripped through Choctaw.

Kurt and Cheryl McKean went to a neighbor’s storm shelter.

“Everybody jumped in the storm shelter. It lasted about 18 seconds and yes, they do sound like a train,” Kurt McKean said.

The McKeans came out of the shelter to find their home heavily damaged and everything inside destroyed.

“We went from a beautiful, perfect home to just shock and awe,” McKean said.

Overwhelmed by dealings with their insurance company, the McKeans got a call from Alice Young.

“We know how to increase a claim because that’s what we do every day,” Young said, with Brown O’Haver.

“I’d never heard of a public adjuster in my life. I had no idea what they were,” McKean said.

McKean’s list of contents from his damaged home for his insurance company was about two pages long.

It was vastly different once Brown O’Haver was done.

“It was a book, it was basically a novel. I mean it really was,” McKean said.

Public adjusters do that by literally digging through every piece of rubble to find damaged items the homeowner may have overlooked.

By law, they can only work for the policy holder.

They  must be licensed and bonded and are regulated by the insurance commissioner.

These adjusters can do forms for the homeowner and act as the go between with the insurance company.

“We’re going to be a little bit more on them. It’s going to be a daily thing as opposed to when somebody has time to call them,” Young said.

Kent Edwards is with Claim Help Public Adjusting Group.

“Insurance companies, they work for stock holders. I work for policy holders,” Edwards said. “This is not a do-it-yourself business.”

The McKeans said they probably would’ve gotten a third of their insurance settlement if they hadn’t had their public adjuster.

“They fought the fight and didn’t give up until the end; ’til they got what we deserved and what they felt was fair and what we felt was fair,” McKean said.

Public adjusters do not charge any money up front.

They charge a percentage of the claim settlement, usually between 10 and 15 percent?

But most claim they can get you 30 to 40 percent more, simply by being extremely thorough and doing things the homeowner doesn’t understand or doesn’t have time to do.