Here's something most homeowners don't realize until they're in the middle of a claim: insurance adjusters work for the insurer. Their performance is measured in part by how low they can keep claim costs. Yours is measured by how completely your home gets restored. Those incentives are not aligned.
That's where we come in. Guardian Angel Restoration uses the same industry-standard scope-of-work documentation (Xactimate) that adjusters use. We photograph, measure, and itemize every affected surface, every removed material, every dried structural element. When the adjuster's initial estimate comes in low — and it often does — we push back with the documentation. In most cases, the supplemental claim is approved. The homeowner gets the actual repairs they paid premiums for.
Insurance carriers we work with
Every major U.S. carrier, plus most regional and specialty carriers. We have direct billing relationships with:
- State Farm — the largest carrier in Indiana. We work with State Farm adjusters daily.
- Allstate
- USAA — military and veteran families. As a veteran-owned company, we hold this carrier especially close.
- Farmers Insurance
- Liberty Mutual
- Progressive
- American Family Insurance
- Travelers
- Indiana Farm Bureau — the largest regional carrier in our service area
- Erie Insurance, Auto-Owners, Cincinnati Insurance, The Hartford
- Plus most specialty and surplus-lines carriers
How our claim process actually works
Step 1: We begin work immediately
You don't have to wait for claim approval. Waiting is the most common reason a small water loss becomes a major mold problem, or a small fire becomes a complete loss. We start mitigation the moment we arrive on-site.
Step 2: We document the loss in Xactimate-grade scope
Xactimate is the industry-standard estimating software adjusters use. By submitting documentation in the same format, we eliminate scope disputes that come from "translation" issues between contractor estimates and insurance pricing databases. Every line item is supported by photos, measurements, and notes.
Step 3: We communicate directly with your adjuster
You don't have to be a middleman between the contractor and the carrier. We coordinate scope, schedule the adjuster's site visit, walk them through the damage, and answer their technical questions. You stay informed, but you don't have to translate.
Step 4: If the estimate is undervalued, we push back
This is where most restoration companies disappear. Adjusters routinely write estimates below what the actual repair requires — sometimes by 10-20%, sometimes by 50%+. We submit supplemental claims with additional documentation showing the gap. In most cases, supplementals are approved.
Step 5: We bill insurance direct, you pay deductible
Most homeowners pay only their deductible out of pocket. Any upgrades or non-covered items are quoted to you separately and only billed with your explicit approval. No surprises.
Step 6: We help you use ALE coverage
Many homeowners don't realize they have Additional Living Expenses (ALE) coverage built into their policy. ALE pays for hotel/rental, meals, and other living costs while your home is uninhabitable. We help you understand the limits, the documentation requirements, and how to maximize what's covered.
What about claim denials?
If your claim is denied entirely — typically because the loss falls under an exclusion (like long-term water seepage or mold from poor maintenance) — we help you understand why. We can sometimes pursue appeals through proper documentation. And we offer financing options so you can move forward with restoration even if insurance won't pay. The work doesn't have to wait for the dispute.
The most common claim mistakes — and how to avoid them
- Waiting to start work. Delays make damage worse and harder to claim. We start immediately, document everything, and the claim gets filed in parallel.
- Tossing damaged items before documentation. Take photos before throwing anything out. We arrive on-site to document before disposal.
- Accepting the first estimate without review. Adjusters frequently underwrite the initial scope. A supplemental claim is normal and expected.
- Signing repair authorizations before reading them. Some companies hide assignment-of-benefits language that signs your claim payment over to them. We don't use AOB contracts — your claim payment goes to you.
- Hiring different vendors for mitigation, demolition, and rebuild. Each hand-off creates a documentation gap insurance can exploit. One team is the cleanest path through a claim.