Public adjusters in Novi, Michigan.
Close to four in ten Novi homes were built in 2000 or later, the median owner-occupied home is worth about $422,000, and a third of households rent. Newer homes with upgraded finishes, and condo and apartment buildings where one fire or one broken line reaches several units, are where Novi claims most often come in short.
AdjustFair works only for the policyholder, from our office in Ferndale, about 18 miles east along I-696. We read the policy, document the full loss, price the repair the way a contractor would have to build it, and put that number in front of the insurance company with the proof behind it.
Where claims here get underpaid.
Novi claims tend to sort into three groups, and each has its own weak spot in the estimate.
- Water in newer, larger homes. Half of Novi's homes date from 1993 or later, and at a median value near $422,000 many carry tile, cabinetry and trim that an estimate quietly prices as builder-grade. A failed supply line or water heater, or an upstairs tub, toilet or sink that overflows, can run through two floors before anyone sees it, and the insurance company may call it long-term leakage when a short plumber's report on the cause can show sudden water. Drying logs, photos and moisture readings from the first week decide most of what gets paid.
- Condo and apartment fires. In March 2014 a fire at the Olde Orchard Condominiums on 10 Mile west of Haggerty damaged six units in a 1970s building and caved in its roof, leaving more than 20 people without a home. In a condo the loss is usually split between the association's master policy and each owner's unit policy, and the money gets lost in the gaps: owner improvements, smoke in the units next door, and contents.
- Commercial buildings. Twelve Oaks Mall opened in 1977, three freeways meet in the city, and ITC Transmission has its national headquarters here. A fire or water loss in a multi-tenant building touches the structure, the shared mechanical systems and each tenant's build-out, and estimates routinely miss the finishes and the order the work has to happen in.
Five months in, the claim had not moved. Appraisal moved it.
A supply line failed under the kitchen island, and the claim then sat for five months. Documented with DocuSketch and vendor pricing, and resolved at appraisal.
Questions we get here.
A fire next door damaged my Novi condo. Whose policy pays?
Usually both the association's master policy and your own unit policy have a part, and where the line falls depends on the master deed, the bylaws and the policies themselves. The structure and common elements often sit with the association; improvements, contents and living expenses often sit with you. We read both and make sure nothing falls between them.
My Novi home is less than 30 years old. Why would the estimate come in low?
Because newer does not mean standard. Estimates on newer homes tend to price stock cabinets, flooring and trim, and to write a bathroom in a handful of line items instead of the fifteen it takes. If your home has upgraded finishes, custom tile or a finished lower level, we document what is actually there and price the repair to match.
How far is your office from Novi?
About 18 miles. Our office is in Ferndale, and I-696 connects the two. When you call the number on this page, someone will walk you through what to photograph and keep before cleanup starts, and set a time for an adjuster to see the damage in person.
Nearby
See every city we cover from our Metro Detroit office in Ferndale.
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Tell us what happened and we'll tell you honestly what your policy covers and what we would do next. It costs nothing to ask.
