Why is there a big difference between the contractor estimate and the insurance estimate?

Insurance companies often write estimates that are not adequate to repair a home to pre-storm condition. Why does this happen, you might ask? Well, the short answer is they view their claims department as a profit center. The less they can pay put on claims the more profit they will make each year. However, there is more nuance to it then what I stated above. Many of the adjusters that work for the carriers are not trained correctly and they have no general construction knowledge. They are trained to follow the manual to a T and not to deviate at all. This means they often leave out necessary line items and then say things like “it’s the carrier’s policy not to pay for tarping” or “that’s just your cost of doing business”. So, when you are comparing a contractors estimate to a carriers estimate make sure you have your adjuster explain in detail why they are choosing not to pay for a specific line item.
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