Into each life, as the saying goes, some rain must fall.
If it comes with gale-force winds that upend a giant tree, taking half your brick paver patio with it before crashing down on your breakfast nook, you will probably be calling your insurance company to file a claim.
Leon Istambouli recommends you call him first. The reason is your insurance company needs to conduct an investigation - - including the recording of that very first phone call - - to determine the amount of your reimbursement. The amount of that check may seem to be a big disappointment, but Leon sees it as a starting point for the real negotiations to begin.
“You need an advocate, and you need to know there is help available to assist you in negotiating a fair settlement that brings you back to your pre-loss status,” he points out.
“If you have to file a claim, make sure you have someone advocating for you,” Leon says. “The reason is simple. Insurance companies employ experts in their field, and you don’t.”
Leon is a licensed public adjuster, which makes him the only kind of insurance adjuster who is licensed by the state, and has a fiduciary duty to act solely and independently on behalf of their clients. After more than 35 years in construction, he established his own concierge-style consultancy, Claims-Specialists, Inc. (CSI), now serving the Grosse Pointe communities.
CSI assists clients with everything connected to homeowners insurance, from conducting a policy review (which he highly recommends) to determine whether the coverage is adequate (it usually isn’t), to handling every stage of communication for a claim to ensure his clients receive fair compensation to complete necessary repairs.
“The amount of reimbursement your insurance company will offer is based on the outcome of their investigation into your claim,” Leon explains. “That’s why it’s important to have someone who is equally knowledgeable on your side.
“We can bring a multidisciplinary team of professionals to support your claim, adding objective analysis and technical insight,” Leon says. He holds a degree in structural engineering, a Master of Business Administration, and has been in construction since 1996. CSI’s team includes electrical engineers, architects, CPAs, and experienced commercial and residential construction professionals with expertise in damage causation, policy-driven scope development, valuation, and compliance with applicable codes and regulations.
“We forensically and scientifically gather evidence to support your claim,” he points out. “Because we do it over and over, we know where to look and we know what to expect. We set the claim up the right way from the very beginning.”
As a licensed public adjuster, Leon has a fiduciary duty to act on behalf of his clients, similar to an attorney or CPA. He is compensated on a contingency basis, typically 10%, and one of his primary goals is to educate homeowners about what happens behind the scenes of an insurance claim while reducing the anxiety that often comes with an unclear and complex claims process.
“There is no such thing as a good or bad insurance policy,” Leon points out. “There are bad buying decisions. Homeowners need to understand what is and isn’t covered in their full policy, not just compare declaration pages showing maximum payouts. That also means being honest with their insurance agents about how they live, what they own, and how their home is used.
“In turn,” he continues, “agents must fully understand both the policy conditions and the client’s lifestyle so coverage can be properly customized, because no two homeowners are the same. Too often, policies are compared on an apples-to-oranges basis, and the decision about which policy to buy is made based on price alone, without realizing what coverage has been removed or excluded.”
This is especially important in Grosse Pointe, because of its proximity to the lake and has so many old-growth trees. It is a place Leon knows well and loves. He and his wife Jocelyne (she is a Grosse Pointe North alum) live here in Grosse Pointe.
CSI works with policyholders across the country, providing end-to-end, concierge-level claim support. The firm assists clients with complex first- and third-party claims, additional living expense coordination, valuation and settlement of damaged property, and strategic guidance throughout the claims process, bringing clarity, structure and advocacy to what is often an overwhelming experience…
Leon’s advice to homeowners is, " Don’t go it alone when it comes to dealing with your most valuable personal asset. Call us and we can navigate it together.”
Check out their website at: www.claims-specialists.com or call (313) 403-6233.
"Don’t go it alone when it comes to dealing with your most valuable personal asset.”