What is a Supplement?
A supplement is an addition to the insurance company's original estimated cost of repair that allows for the full cost of restoration to be covered. It's essentially like a bill that we send to the insurance company when extra costs come up in the scope of your repair- for example if additional damage is discovered by the crew or simply if your adjuster mistakenly left an item off his/her estimate. We submit these supplement requests on your behalf when additional expenses pop up.
You can read more about supplements in our article here.
How Does it Affect Your Bill? If your home restoration required an insurance supplement, you may notice that your final bill is higher than the original contract price. But the good news is, these supplements will not increase the amount you pay out of pocket. If a supplement has been approved, that means your insurance company is reimbursing you for the additional cost.
You may receive a bill from us before you receive the supplemental payment from your insurance, so don't panic! It typically takes 7-10 business days to receive payment from your insurance company. In the meantime, we're happy to provide you with an updated copy of your insurance estimate so you can see the updated amount and verify that the money is on the way. We'll make sure the due date on your invoice gives you plenty of time to receive the payment from your insurance, before you need to pay us.
Example:
Let's say your siding is being replaced for $15,000. You have a $1,000 deductible, so the insurance company sends you $14,000. You still have to pay us, your contractor, the full $15,000 for the siding, so you're spending $1,000 of your own money to make up for the difference.
Now let's say we discover some rotten plywood underneath the siding. We submit a supplement request for $750 to cover the extra cost to replace the wood. Your insurance company approves the supplement, bringing your total estimate to $15,750, and they send you a check for $750.
When you receive your bill, you will see the total amount is now $15,750 instead of $15,000. But your insurance company paid you $14,000 + $750 = $14,750. So you still only have to spend $1,000 of your own money (your deductible) to make up the difference.
If you have any questions about supplement items on your bill, please reach out to your sales rep or a member of our team!
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