Technical Expertise Secures $124,767 in Additional Coverage

The Situation

A manufacturing facility suffered water damage from an underground burst in the fire suppression system. Initially, the insurance carrier classified this as Category 2 water damage according to Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) standards, offering a settlement of $498,652.75. This classification would have limited remediation to only basic water extraction, surface cleaning, drying and dehumidification, and basic sanitization.

Key Wins

Why They Needed Change

The initial Category 2 classification significantly undervalued the necessary remediation work. This created a substantial gap between what was required to properly restore the facility and what the insurance carrier was willing to cover. Without intervention, the client would have either had to accept insufficient remediation or pay over $124,000 out of pocket for proper restoration.

Cottingham & Butler's Approach

Cottingham & Butler took a proactive approach by challenging the initial water damage classification. Through expert knowledge of IICRC standards and insurance practices, the advocate successfully argued that the damage should be classified as Category 3, which requires more comprehensive remediation. This technical expertise and advocacy directly resulted in a 25% increase in the settlement amount, ensuring the client received appropriate coverage for the full scope of restoration needed.