After a fire, your insurance policy places two critical responsibilities on you, the homeowner:
- You must prove your claim by documenting losses and submitting a sworn Proof of Loss
- You have the right to hire the company of your choice – adjusters, appraisers, or construction specialists who represent your interests, not the insurer’s.
These duties are at the heart of the claims process. Yet many homeowners unknowingly hand control back to the insurer when they accept work from “preferred vendors.”
The False Security of Insurer Advertising
Insurance companies often suggest in their advertising that they will “handle everything” after a fire — from filing the claim to repairing your home. In reality, this narrative creates the impression that policyholders have no choice and that the insurer is responsible for repairing the home.
The truth is very different: insurers have zero responsibility beyond paying a valid claim that has been properly proven by the insured.
This false narrative allows insurers to minimize repair costs and limit their financial exposure – all while leaving homeowners under the impression that everything is being taken care of.
The truth is:
- Insurers are not responsible for proving your loss — you are contractually responsible.
- Insurers are not responsible for rebuilding your home — you are contractually responsible to choose who does that.
- Insurer-preferred vendors are contractually bound to follow their vendor agreements with the insurer and have neither the responsibility nor the motivation to advocate indemnify for policyholders.
The Parallel Review Problem
Behind the scenes, insurers rely on a parallel review process designed to reduce payouts:
- Preferred vendors prepare repair estimates using Xactimate, a software platform standardized for insurer pricing. Xactimate is a volume-based pricing tool that consistently reflects below market condition pricing, which benefits insurers by driving down settlement values while leaving homeowners underfunded for proper repairs.
- Those estimates are uploaded into XactAnalysis, where they are filtered and reviewed by claims examiners and estimate reviewers tasked with cutting preferred vendor costs before approval.
- Vendors, whose survival depends on insurer contracts, shape their estimates to align with what the insurer will accept.
The result? A scope of work designed to protect the insurer’s bottom line – where hidden damages are ignored, code upgrades skipped, occupancy compliance overlooked, quality reduced, and long-term costs shifted back onto the homeowner.
If insurers rely on a network of vendors to protect their interests, why wouldn’t you secure your own team to protect your biggest financial investment?
Why PAAC Group is Different
PAAC Construction exists to level the playing field. We represent homeowners, never insurers.
- No-Cost to You – Our fees and construction costs are recovered under your insurance claim settlement when there’s no coverage dispute – no out-of-pocket expense.
- Licensed & Highest Quality – We are a licensed contractor, and we only use skilled, licensed tradespeople of the highest quality. All work is warranted, providing lasting protection and peace of mind.
- Independent Representation – Every scope, estimate, and rebuild plan reflects what is actually needed to restore your home – not what an insurer is willing to approve.
- Full Claim Advocacy – Our public adjusters, appraisers, and property insurance law partners ensure your claim is fully documented and fairly valued.
- End-to-End Service – From emergency board-ups and demolition through debris removal, code compliance, and final reconstruction.
- Transparency & Control – You stay in charge, with written action plans, weekly updates, and the ability to choose who works in your home.
Where insurers deploy vendors to limit their exposure, PAAC provides a coordinated team to maximize your recovery — and to restore your home properly, with warranty-backed workmanship.
Closing Thoughts
Your insurance contract makes you responsible for proving your claim, but it also protects your right to choose your own experts. Insurers rely on vendors, examiners, and reviewers to minimize payouts.
PAAC Construction is different: we are a licensed contractor, we use only the most skilled licensed tradespeople, we warranty our work, we apply market value costing, and our costs are recovered under your claim settlement when coverage is not in dispute.
That means you not only recover what you’re entitled to, but you also rebuild with quality, accountability, cost protection, and lasting warranty-backed security—without financial risk.