Categories Insurance Claims

What is ITEL?

Below you will find answers to these Questions:

  • What is ITEL?
  • How much does an ITEL Report cost?
  • How do they determine how much my floor cost?

 

What is ITEL?

ITEL is an independent laboratory that analyzes damaged flooring, roofing, and siding to determine the cost of like kind and like quality for replacement for the insurance industry.

This link tells the story of why ITEL was created back in the 1990’s https://www.itelinc.com/history.html.

In most water damage scenarios, flooring products will be affected.  Unfortunately, the flooring industry changes their products very frequently so finding the original product that was installed is nearly impossible.  So, to properly compensate a homeowner for their affected flooring, an insurance adjuster will require a sample of the flooring to be sent to ITEL Laboratories in Florida.

 

How much does and ITEL Report Cost?

An ITEL Report can vary in cost depending on the type of sample that needs to be analyzed.

A standard flooring sample ITEL report will cost about $80. Below is the invoice amount for a wood floor sample that was tested.

INVOICE
Testing Fee: $59.50
Shipping Fee: $21.74
Total Due: $81.24

 

How does ITEL determine how much my floor cost?

ITEL can analyze these different types of flooring:

  • Carpet (residential and light commercial)
  • Ceramic, Porcelain, and Stone Tile
  • Vinyl Flooring
  • Wood Flooring
  • Laminate Flooring
  • Pad and Underlayment

ITEL will analyze a flooring sample and create a report that includes the type of construction of the product, 4 different styles of flooring available in today’s market of like kind and quality, and a price per Square Foot for a like kind and quality product based on the sample that was submitted.

A example flooring report can be found here:

https://www.itelinc.com/images/uploads/content/ITEL-benchmark-carpet-report.pdf.

When the ITEL report is created, the insurance adjuster will add ITEL’s price per square foot into the repair estimate to compensate for the original flooring that was affected.  The price created by ITEL gives a homeowner a budget for picking out a new flooring product.

ITEL Laboratories does a good job analyzing flooring products most of the time.  The best way to figure the price per square foot is to provide a receipt showing the manufacturer of the original product and the original price per square foot.  If the homeowner does not have a previous receipt or knows the product that was installed, ITEL is the next best way to determine the cost of the original flooring.

 

NEED HELP WITH WATER DAMAGE? CALL (317) 315-5071

 

Author Corbin Clow
Categories Before You Hire

What is a Preferred Vendor or Contractor?

A preferred vendor or contractor is a company that has signed an agreement with an insurance provider or third-party administrator to provide water mitigation or repair services for homeowner’s they insure.  The agreements require the contractors to have proper insurance, trained staff and technicians and follow certain criteria designated by the insurance provider or third-party administrator.

 

The Pros

Most of these items are good for the homeowner because it requires the contractor to be legitimate enough to have the proper insurance, training, and expertise to mitigate your damage and settle your claim.  The problem lies in the “extra criteria” the insurance provider or third-party administrator puts on the contractor.

 

The Cons

These “criteria” can handcuff a contractor working in your home because of the limitations set by the program.

The insurance company could limit decisions made by the contractors, types of equipment or methods used by the contractor, the programs may increase “red tape” during the water mitigation or repair process, making the contractor focus more on paperwork than providing quality service, or the contractor will agree to lower rates for their services to participate in the preferred program.

Due to these restrictions, some preferred contractors will cut corners or provide inferior service to the homeowner out of necessity.  They also may side more with the insurance company in a dispute on the scope damage.

 

Conclusion

Some insurance company’s “highly recommend” their preferred vendors while other insurance company’s do not run a preferred vendor program.  In the end, the homeowner has the power to hire any contractor they wish.  Our recommendation to any homeowner is to research the reputation of the restoration contractor online before they hire them.  Just because the contractor is recommended by the insurance company doesn’t mean they are the best option.  It is always good for a homeowner to be properly informed before they hire a water mitigation contractor.

 

NEED HELP WITH WATER DAMAGE? CALL (317) 315-5071

 

Author Corbin Clow
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