Question 1

Why did you build Justin for Contractors?

Accepted Answer

We work with contractors every day, and the same problem kept coming up. The policy decides what a job pays, but it usually shows up late, after the scope is written and the bid is in. We are a licensed public adjusting firm, so reading policies is what we do. This puts that in your hands for free, before the job starts instead of after it goes wrong.

Question 2

How do my team and I use Justin for Contractors?

Accepted Answer

Think of it as a free insurance policy review you can run yourself. Nobody teaches contractors how to read an insurance policy, so it does that part for you. Upload the property policy and get plain English back in under ten minutes. The policy sets most of your budget, so check it before you scope a job, sign a contract, or start work that depends on insurance money. It tells you what the limits, sub-limits, exclusions and endorsements actually say, which tells you what the carrier will likely pay and where the money runs out. No account, no cost.

Question 3

How would a salesperson use Justin for Contractors?

Accepted Answer

To qualify. Knowing what the policy covers before you quote tells you which jobs are worth chasing and which ones carry a gap the owner cannot close. It also gets your whole staff talking about insurance the same way, so what a customer hears on site matches what they hear from the office. Fewer deals worked for weeks before a surprise kills them.

Question 4

Is Justin for Contractors really free? What's the catch?

Accepted Answer

No catch. Free to use, no account, no obligation to hire anyone. We are a licensed public adjusting firm, and if a job turns into a claim fight we would like to be your first call. But using Justin creates no relationship and no contract. Upload the policy, get the analysis.

Question 5

Whose policy can I upload?

Accepted Answer

Any property policy you have a copy of. Most contractors upload the client's property policy before scoping the job. Justin for contractors reads property policies, so it will not analyze a general liability policy or a certificate from a sub. If it is your client's policy, ask them first. It is their document, and you want them to understand what it says anyway.

Question 6

Is my document secure?

Accepted Answer

Documents are processed for analysis and are not shared with third parties. We have blocked our AI providers from using uploaded documents as training data. If you are handling a sensitive commercial policy, black out the addresses and the named insured before uploading. Justin for contractors still reads the coverage language correctly.

Question 7

My client's policy is actual cash value, not replacement cost. What does that mean for my contract?

Accepted Answer

The carrier pays the depreciated value and never releases more, whatever the repair costs. There is no second check. On an aged roof, that gap can be most of the job. The NAIC says it plainly: actual cash value coverage "pays for your loss but often does not pay enough to fully replace your property or repair the damage" (NAIC). If the policy is ACV, your client pays the difference. Have that conversation before the contract is signed. Justin for contractors flags the valuation basis, including endorsements that quietly move just the roof to ACV. If the valuation basis looks wrong for the loss, our adjusters can review it with you. Source: NAIC (https://content.naic.org/article/whats-difference-between-actual-cash-value-coverage-and-replacement-cost-coverage)

Question 8

The carrier's offer looks low. How do I tell whether it actually is?

Accepted Answer

Compare it to the policy, not to your gut. A low offer is usually one of four things, and each one gets fixed differently. Missing line items is an estimating problem, so you supplement. Old unit pricing is a data problem, so you document local costs. Withheld depreciation is not a shortfall at all, it is a second check you have not collected yet. A real coverage limit, meaning a sub-limit, an exclusion or a coinsurance penalty, is a policy problem, and no amount of estimating fixes it. An analysis of the policy by Justin for contractors tells you which one you have. If it still looks short after that, JustClaims can look at the file.

Question 9

What happens if the claim is denied after I've started work?

Accepted Answer

Your client owes you under your contract, not under their policy. The carrier is not part of your agreement. Reading the policy first shows you where the denial risk sits, whether that is an exclusion, a lapsed endorsement or a condition nobody met. Then you can build the contract around it with a coverage contingency, a deposit or staged draws. If a claim has already been denied, JustClaims can review the denial against the policy language (https://justclaims.ai/insurance-claim-help-services/) and tell you whether it is worth fighting.

Question 10

The carrier and my client disagree on the amount. What is the appraisal clause?

Accepted Answer

It is a way to settle a dispute about the amount of a loss without going to court, and most property policies have one. Either side can invoke it. Each picks an independent appraiser, the two appraisers pick an umpire, and any two of the three agreeing sets the amount. It settles the amount of loss, and in most places that covers the scope of the damage as well as the cost. What it does not settle is whether the loss is covered, so it is the wrong tool for a denial. Timing matters, because some policies limit when it can be invoked and some states have rules on how it runs. Justin for contractors finds the clause in the policy and tells you what it requires. Appraisal is its own process with its own rules, and JustClaims handles appraisals (https://justclaims.ai/insurance-claim-appraisal-services/) when a dispute gets that far.

Question 11

What is recoverable depreciation, and why did the first check come up short?

Accepted Answer

On a replacement cost policy the carrier usually pays twice. The first check is actual cash value, meaning replacement cost minus wear and age. The amount held back is recoverable depreciation, released once the work is done and documented. Justin for contractors tells you whether the policy is RCV or ACV, and what it requires before the second check is released. If that check is not coming, we can chase the depreciation release. Read next: How to collect the second half of your payout (https://justclaims.ai/blog/insurance-recoverable-depreciation-explained/)

Question 12

Can I bill the client for the difference between the insurance payment and my price?

Accepted Answer

Under your contract, yes. The contract governs what they owe you, and the settlement is between them and their carrier. The hard part is collecting, and the fix is telling them early. If the policy shows a gap coming, whether a sub-limit, held-back depreciation, no ordinance or law coverage or a coinsurance penalty, put the number in front of the client in writing before work starts. The client knew about it is an invoice; a gap they find at the end is a dispute. One warning: be careful regarding any offer to cover the client's deductible. Several states treat that as fraud or a deceptive trade practice, and it can void the claim.

Question 13

The mortgage company is holding the check. How does that hit my draw schedule?

Accepted Answer

On larger losses the lender is named on the check and releases money in draws tied to verified progress. Usually an opening draw, draws after inspections, and a final release when the job is done. The lender's rules come from the mortgage, not the policy, but the two work together. The policy sets the total, the lender sets the timing. Build your draws around the lender's inspection points instead of your usual terms, and get their process in writing on day one. If the draws are stalling the job, JustClaims can work the carrier and the lender side at the same time. Read next: Why your insurance check lists the lender (https://justclaims.ai/blog/mortgagee-clause-insurance-check-explained/)

Question 14

How do I find what a policy actually covers before I write my scope?

Accepted Answer

The declarations page gives you the headline limits, but the coverage that decides your scope lives in the endorsements and exclusions: the water damage sub-limit, the cosmetic damage exclusion on the roof, the endorsement that moved the roof to ACV at the last renewal. Justin for contractors reads all of it and reports the limits, sub-limits, exclusions and every endorsement that changes the base form. Build your scope against that, not against the dec page and not against the adjuster's first estimate. On a large or unusual loss, JustClaims can build the scope with you before it goes to the carrier.

Question 15

What is ordinance or law coverage, and why does it decide whether I can build to code?

Accepted Answer

It pays the extra cost of rebuilding to current code instead of back to the way things were. That matters to you, because the building department will make you build to today's code. With no ordinance or law coverage, or a low sub-limit, that difference is uninsured and somebody has to absorb it. The sub-limit decides how much of the required work actually gets funded. On a standard form it defaults to around 10 percent of the building limit, which goes nowhere on an older building. Justin for contractors tells you whether the policy has it, which coverage parts it applies to, and what the sub-limit is, before you price the job. It is one of the most common uninsured gaps after a total loss (Progressive, Nationwide). If code upgrades are pushing the job past the sub-limit, talk to us before you eat the difference. Source: Progressive (https://www.progressive.com/answers/ordinance-or-law-coverage/) Source: Nationwide (https://www.nationwide.com/lc/resources/home/articles/ordinance-or-law-coverage)

Question 16

The carrier's estimate is well below my bid. Does that mean the work isn't covered?

Accepted Answer

Usually not, and mixing those two up costs contractors money. A gap between their number and yours normally comes from an incomplete scope, pricing that is out of date for your market, held-back depreciation, or overhead and profit left out. None of those are coverage decisions. They are estimate disputes, and they are negotiable. A real denial points to specific policy language. Upload the policy and the estimate, and Justin tells you which one you are dealing with. If it turns out to be a scope fight rather than a coverage problem, JustClaims can take it to the carrier. Read next: Reading an Xactimate estimate as a contractor (https://justclaims.ai/blog/xactimate-estimate-contractor-guide/)

Question 17

Does insurance pay overhead and profit on my job?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the policy language and how complex the loss is, not on a universal rule. A common industry position is that general contractor overhead and profit is owed when the repair reasonably needs a GC to coordinate three or more trades. Carriers apply that inconsistently, and some policies address it directly. Justin for Contractors reads the policy's valuation language and tells you whether O&P is mentioned, with the page it came from. You can also dig deeper, as with any topic, by simply asking Justin for Contractors. For example, a simple prompt like, "Does this policy mention overhead and profit, and what does the valuation clause say about repair costs?" can provide the policy clarity you need. Check it before you bid, because a job priced with O&P and settled without it comes straight out of your margin. If O&P was left out of a settlement you are already working under, it can be raised on supplement.

Question 18

The building is a business. Does the policy cover the owner's lost income while I work?

Accepted Answer

Often yes, through business interruption or business income coverage, and it affects your schedule directly. It pays the owner's lost earnings during the "period of restoration," which most policies define as running until the property should reasonably be repaired with due diligence and dispatch. That phrase does a lot of work. If your schedule slips past what the carrier considers reasonable, the owner's income coverage runs out before your job does and they pay the difference. That is usually the moment a friendly commercial client stops being friendly. Most policies also have a waiting period and a monthly cap. Business interruption is easy to underclaim, so bring it to us if the owner is losing income while you work.

Question 19

There's a coinsurance clause in my client's policy. How does that change what I get paid?

Accepted Answer

It requires the property to be insured to a set percentage of its value, usually 80, 90 or 100 percent. If it is underinsured when the loss happens, the carrier applies a penalty and pays a reduced share, even on a small partial loss. For you, that means the money available on the job can be well below what the policy limit suggests, through no fault of the claim. Justin flags the coinsurance requirement and the stated values, so the shortfall is known before you sign instead of discovered at settlement. If a penalty is about to hit the settlement, get JustClaims (https://justclaims.ai/contractors/) involved before anyone signs. Read next: Coinsurance and insurance-to-value (https://justclaims.ai/blog/insurance-to-value/)

Question 20

What documentation does the policy actually require?

Accepted Answer

More than most contractors provide, and it sits in the policy's Duties in the Event of Loss condition, not in anything the adjuster emails you. Typically: prompt notice, protecting the property from further damage, records of emergency repair costs, an inventory of damaged property, allowing inspection, and a signed proof of loss when asked. Failing those conditions is grounds for denial on its own, even if the loss was covered. Justin lists exactly what the policy in front of you can require. If that list is heavier than the job can carry, JustClaims (https://justclaims.ai/contractors/) can handle the claim paperwork. Read next: Building a personal property inventory (https://justclaims.ai/blog/personal-property-inventory-for-insurance/)

Question 21

What is a proof of loss, and what happens if the deadline is missed?

Accepted Answer

A sworn statement of the claim: the loss, what caused it, the amount claimed, and the documents behind it, signed under oath by the insured. Most property policies require it within a set window after the carrier asks, commonly 60 days, and many states add their own forms and deadlines. Because it is sworn, a rushed or inaccurate one creates real risk, and one that understates the loss can cap the whole claim. Missing the deadline can be grounds for denial. Justin finds the requirement and the deadline in the policy. Preparing the document itself is a job for the insured with professional help, and JustClaims prepares them (https://justclaims.ai/insurance-claim-help-services/).

Question 22

How long does my client have to file, and how long does the carrier have to respond?

Accepted Answer

Two clocks, both binding. The filing clock comes from the policy's notice provision and its suit limitation clause, often one to two years from the date of loss. The carrier's clock comes from state prompt-payment and unfair claims practices law, which sets deadlines to acknowledge, investigate, and pay or deny. Those change by state. Justin pulls the policy deadlines. The statutory side is set by the state. If the carrier has blown its deadline, JustClaims can push it (https://justclaims.ai/insurance-claim-help-services/). Read next: State-by-state carrier payment deadlines (https://justclaims.ai/blog/how-long-insurance-company-must-pay-claim/)

Question 23

What records should I keep while the job is running?

Accepted Answer

Anything that proves what you found, what you did, and when. Daily logs with dates and weather. Signed change orders before the work happens, not after. Separate invoices for emergency and mitigation work, since most policies treat protective measures as their own recoverable expense. Moisture readings logged by date and location. Sub invoices that match your scope line for line. Written notes of what the adjuster said and when. Supplements get approved on documentation, not on argument, and the policy's deadlines keep running whether or not anyone is tracking them. If a supplement is already stuck, we can put the documentation together.

Question 24

How should I photograph damage so it survives the adjuster's review?

Accepted Answer

Document before, during and after, and document what gets argued about later rather than what is obvious now. Wide shots to show location and orientation. Close-ups with something for scale. Elevation and slope marked on roofs. The inside face of every exterior breach. Moisture readings with the meter and the location in the same frame. Dated photos of every stage of tear-out before it gets covered up. Photograph what you removed, not just what you installed. Hidden conditions nobody photographed are the ones denied on supplement. If a supplement has already been turned down, JustClaims (https://justclaims.ai/contractors/) can rebuild the file and take it back. Read next: What the adjuster looks for on inspection day (https://justclaims.ai/blog/insurance-adjuster-inspection-what-to-expect/)

Question 25

Should I have my client sign an assignment of benefits?

Accepted Answer

Carefully, and knowing that regulators treat this as a consumer protection issue. An AOB transfers the policyholder's claim rights to a third party such as a contractor or restoration firm, giving them the authority to file, decide repairs and collect payment directly. The NAIC warns policyholders to "be cautious about signing an Assignment of Benefits" and that they may "inadvertently sign over benefits and any extra money owed as part of the claim settlement" (NAIC). If a client is being asked to sign one, have us look at it first.

Several states regulate AOBs heavily after problems in storm markets, and the contractor is the one who has to follow the rules. Florida requires an itemized per-unit estimate, a cancellation notice in 18-point uppercase bold, and an indemnity provision. It also bars the assignee from collecting above the deductible, filing a lien, or reporting the homeowner to a credit agency (Florida Department of Financial Services). Rules change by state and by line of coverage. Check yours with a lawyer before building a process around it. Source: NAIC (https://content.naic.org/article/consumer-insight-assignment-benefits-consumer-beware) Source: Florida Department of Financial Services (https://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/consumers/consumerprotections/assignmentofbenefits)

Question 26

Can I negotiate the claim with the adjuster for my client?

Accepted Answer

You can defend your scope and your pricing. That is estimating, and it is your work. What you generally cannot do is negotiate the claim itself on the insured's behalf for payment, because in most states that is public adjusting and it needs a license. The line sits roughly between "here is why my scope is right" and "here is what my client should accept." Crossing it exposes you to action from the regulator and hands the carrier an argument against the settlement. Definitions change by state, so check with your department of insurance. If a claim really needs an advocate, handing it to a licensed public adjuster (https://justclaims.ai/contractors/) keeps you clean and usually improves the settlement your scope gets paid from. Read next: What to say in a recorded statement (https://justclaims.ai/blog/insurance-claim-recorded-statement-guide/)

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