Negotiating with a water remediation company

[mclasser]

Part of my condo basement flooded due to a leaking foundation wall. I filed a claim with my insurance company immediately and they sent a water remediation company to clean and dry out the basement. Insurance has now told me they are denying the claim since ground water intrusion is not a covered loss. So, I am on the hook for the full $4,000 remediation bill.

This is my first time dealing with such a thing. Any tips on negotiating the bill down? Wouldn't be surprised if they inflated the numbers since they expected insurance to pay.

 

[AZjeff]

Just tell them that insurance denied coverage so you have to pay, can they reduce the cost? Also might ask if they'd discount for cash. Last summer I got $500 off the house painted bill by offering cash money.

 

[Speedbird001]

That stinks. Do you have any correspondence with the insurance company to help back up them pushing the company? $4k you should fight it, maybe even split the difference.

(Reminds me of a neighbor a few years ago; water line broke when they were on vacation, people next door noticed the water running out of the garage and had it shut off... 5 figure damage... Insurance covered it all EXCEPT the $1,700 water bill )

 

[JTK]

What is the scope of the work? Do you need them?

 

[Astro14]

What is the scope of the work? Do you need them?

Sounds like the work wears already done. Cleaned and dried out the basement of the condo.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Part of my condo basement flooded due to a leaking foundation wall. I filed a claim with my insurance company immediately and they sent a water remediation company to clean and dry out the basement. Insurance has now told me they are denying the claim since ground water intrusion is not a covered loss. So, I am on the hook for the full $4,000 remediation bill.

This is my first time dealing with such a thing. Any tips on negotiating the bill down? Wouldn't be surprised if they inflated the numbers since they expected insurance to pay.

This is a condo. The condo complex master policy should cover it. However since it doesn't appear that you got them involved initially I think you're SOL.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Check with the condo association or read the indentures. I’d think a structural issue falls under the association’s purview. That remediation bill is certainly inflated since insurance usually pays. They bill out the big dehumidifiers at something like hundreds of dollars per day, it’s absurd.

 

[nomas]

I had a water leak in my home . I don't know what the bill was because insurance paid it but they must have had a dozen dehumidifiers running for several days . And it was only a couple of rooms affected . Oh yeah , they padded the bill alright .