THE BOARD UP MAN IS A NOT PUBLIC ADJUSTER

In Cook County, Chicago, and Villages all over Illinois we find board up companies.  Some villages do not allow board up Companies to Chase fires. Some Do.  Chicago however does not restrict board up Companies from chasing a fire and going after the owner at the scene of the fire.  Who owns these Board up Companies and why do some Fire Department staff recommend  only certain ones?  That issue will be addressed in a coming blog. In the meantime the question is. Should I take the recommendation of a Board Up company to do my claims adjustment? 

THE CHICAGO BOARD UP LAW

Here in Chicago, unlike other cities we find board up companies out there chasing fires, at night, during the day, right at the fire. Even before the fire is out.  Why do they chase the fires? Is it really to do the board up or is there some other reason? Some other payoff?  Big money is involved.  Here is what actually happens.  The board up company has 10 or so board up men posted up listening to scanners and when the fire pops they chase down the streets, disobeying stop signs and more. Some have caused accidents chasing the fire down.  Their goal is to get to the fire first and get the trust of the owner, not for the board up but to get them to sign for adjusting and construction.  The board up men are NOT licensed public adjusters. They have no experience to adjust a loss.  Their directive is to direct the fire victims to hire their parent companies.  Call us and we will tell you exactly who owns what board up company and what public adjusting company really owns and controls that board up company.

GOOD AND THE BAD BOARD UP COMPANIES 

There are good and bad in any business.  Not all Board up Companies act in this manner.  You must separate out those that chase and those that act in a professional manner.  Not all board up companies chase down victims of a fire, play games, pretend they are sent by your insurance company and more lies to get you to sign for the board up.  More on this in a later blog.

Boarding up of a building is a part of the process after a fire. You must board up your property.  We know we started Chicago Board up years ago.  We don’t hide this fact like others do. Chicago Board Up is available by phone and serve on community lists 24/7/365.   At Harris Claims Services we can stand on our own, speak with potential clients and impress them with our knowledge and decades of service. Our board up company is there to serve when the need arises NOT to act as Public Adjusters. In fact some have copied and lied using the Chicago Board Up name.  If you had a fire you will no doubt have noticed how the other board up companies are at the fire, arguing and yelling to get your business.  Uninvited they come to argue to  cause grief and on many occasions give bad terrible advice on how to handle a fire claim.  In fact years ago the City of Chicago recognized the problem and initiated a law that board up companies could not have certain percentages of ownership with a convicted felon.  That subject will also be addressed in another blog.  Be careful what Board up company you chose. 

BOARD UP MEN ARE NOT LICENSED PUBLIC ADJUSTERS

We do NOT employee 10 or 20 men to post up in parking lots and listen to scanners chasing down owners.  Others cannot say the same. At this point you are wondering, and understanding why the board up men who boarded up your building recommended certain public adjusters.  They are paid to get your trust and to steer you to and get you to hire their other company.  Why do business with someone that has to use this tactic?

USE ONLY A LICENSED PUBLIC ADJUSTER

Again board up men may NOT adjust a loss and are NOT public adjusters.  Any public adjusting company using board up men to act as public adjusters to get business must be avoided at all costs.  Any company that has to employee, ten or fifteen board up men to post up around the city to chase fires and direct fire victims to there parent company to do the construction and adjusting is not a company you will want to do business with.  They are not employing these men to do board up. They are using them as a sales force for acting as Public Adjusters.  They surround the homes and argue at the scene of the fire. 

LAWS ARE IN PLACE BUT NOT FOLLOWED

There are laws in place, but as with any law the enforcement of it can be an administrative problem. It’s an ugly problem and perhaps illegal. Board up men are not licensed public adjusters and should not be involved in adjusting insurance claims. Plain and simple.  To be clear anyone negotiating a fire loss, applying the circumstances of the fire loss and estimating the loss, negotiating with the insurance company must, again must be licensed by the State of Illinois. 

DO NOT SIGN A CONTRACT WITHOUT DOING HOME WORK

Do your home work and get the truth.  Understand that board up companies are there to get your trust and fire repairs.  Even when the fire department or other public official recommends a company beware.  For example 1800-Board up is a franchise.  Each one of these board up companies is owned by a fire restoration company. Cook County Board Up, Restore Board Up, Accurate Board Up and more are all owned and /  or associated with fire restoration companies. Don’t be fooled. Get the fire facts.