Frequently Asked Questions The following collection of questions has been frequently asked of AMSI Fire & Water Restoration. We understand the industry and we want to help you through the sometimes confusing process. The Confusion of the Claim Process Q. I am confused by all the different people who are involved with my claim. Can you explain who they are? A. The insurance agent, who sold you the policy, is the insurance companys representative. The insurance adjuster (or claim adjuster), who is assigned to your claim, will work with us to approve and pay for the repairs based upon your insurance policy coverage limits. The mortgage company may be involved to assist with insuring your property is repaired back to pre-loss condition. AMSI, your restoration contractor, has been hired by you and will work with all the different parties to repair your damaged property. Q. Do I need to get multiple estimates? A. No. Your insurance policy does not require multiple estimates. By hiring AMSI, one call does it all. We are fully prepared to handle your entire claim from beginning to completion. That includes: 24 Hour Emergency Services, handling your personal property, dry cleaning needs, mold remediation, bio-hazard cleanup, odor elimination and complete property reconstruction. That is why we can say: One call does it all!; Q. How does the claim get paid? A. AMSI will provide a digital repair estimate to the insurance adjuster who will approve the repair estimate and issue the repair payment to you, less your deductible. Q. When is the deductible paid? A. The deductible is your responsibility and is due before any services begin. Q. I received the insurance payment and the mortgage company’s name has been included. What do I do? A. We understand the process and, if you request, we will contact your mortgage company and provide them with the necessary claim documentation so they can process the insurance payment. They will process the payments so that the work can progress. We will assist in the mortgage companys many property inspections. We are happy to work with you on these sometimes confusing issues. Q. What is depreciation? A. In simple words, we can say that depreciation is the reduction in the value of an asset due to usage, passage of time, wear and tear, outdating or obsolescence, and other similar factors. Some insurance policies include depreciation on selected items. Recoverable depreciation is refunded when all of the repairs are completed. Non-recoverable depreciation is not refunded and will have to be paid by you directly to AMSI. Q. Why did I receive 20-day preliminary lien notice? A. AMSI, depending on the size of the loss, follows the state requirements of pre-liening property damage losses. A 20-day preliminary lien notice is not a reflection of your honesty but is a required document for contractors to protect their payment rights. Fire and Smoke Damage Q. My property has just suffered a devastating fire. What do I do now? A.AMSI is here to help. A fire is a disastrous event that turns peoples lives upside down. We understand what you are going through, and our highly trained staff is here to help you every step of the way. We will come out to inspect your damages, and ease you into the recovery process. We can work with your insurance company to get repairs started immediately. We can also help you understand the entire process, so you can feel less overwhelmed. We are just a phone call away. Q. My property was damaged by fire and I am concerned about future smoke damage issues. What do I do? A. AMSI uses a multi-step process to ensure your property has been completely decontaminated of all fire and smoke damage. That is why we are able to offer a written smoke odor warranty. It should be comforting to know we have never had a failure in our revolutionary odor control process. Your property and its contents will be returned to their original state, like the fire never happened. Q. How is all of my fire damage going to be repaired? A. Fire damages require a highly specialized process in order to be returned to pre-fire condition. AMSI are experts in fire restoration, and we know what it takes to get your property back to the way it was. No property is too big or too small for us to completely rebuild and restore. Q. The Fire Department recommended that I get my property boarded up. Is that something that AMSI can do? A. Yes. AMSI will come out to your property and board up the premises. This will provide security to your property and help prevent further damage. Water Damage Q. My property is flooded with water! What should I do? A. This is an Emergency Situation! AMSI should come out to your property immediately to remove all standing water and begin the drying process. Since it doesnt take long for harmful mold to form, you need us to come out ASAP. Contact us by email or by calling 305-897-2674. Q. What can I do in the meantime to help AMSI keep my property clean and dry? A. Refer to our professional restoration tips. Q. Can you refer me to a plumber after you repair and remove all of my water damage? A. Absolutely! Many times, the cause of water damage comes from a plumbing issue, and we realize you will want someone to assist you with those needs. AMSI works with licensed and reliable plumbers that we would be happy to refer to you. Mold Issues Q. My property has been damaged by water intrusion and I am concerned about mold. What do I do? A. AMSI has certified property drying technicians who will instruct you on the process and what to expect. Specialized drying equipment will be set up to dry your property in the quickest method possible to help prevent further mold growth. Q. I think my property has mold. What do I do? A. AMSI has certified mold remediation technicians who can handle all of your mold needs. Many insurance policies include mold coverage. You will need to read your policy or ask your agent or adjuster about the limits of your policy. Q. Is mold dangerous? A. Yes! According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), all molds have the potential to cause serious health effects. Molds can produce allergens that can trigger allergic reactions or even asthma attacks in people allergic to mold. Others are known to produce potent toxins and/or irritants. Stachybotrys (black mold), Aspergillus, and Penicillium are three of the most dangerous and commonly found indoor toxic molds. Mold can even grow inside your lungs! Mycotoxins are cytotoxic, meaning they have the capacity to pass through the human cellular wall and disrupt certain cellular processes; potentially causing serious health damage to workers and customers. Only licensed and experienced mold removal personnel like AMSI should be handling these types of sensitive problems! Biohazard Issues Q. My property has experienced a biohazard problem. What can AMSI handle? A. AMSI is experienced in cleaning and removing: blood, bloodborn pathogens, bodily fluids, animals, sewage, biochemicals, fuels and nearly all hazardous materials. We can handle crime scene cleanup as well. Contact us to discuss your specific needs. Odor Elimination Q. There is a very potent odor that I cant seem to get rid of on my own. Can AMSI help me? A. Yes! AMSI has a revolutionary new process that chemically eliminates 99.99% of ALL mal odors and smells. This process takes just a few hours, rather than traditional methods that can take days. Q. Is there any odor that you cant eliminate? A. No! Our amazing process for odor removal can eliminate odors resulting from: pet urine, bodily and animal fluids, spoiled milk, meat or other food, smoke odors, and anything else you can think of! Q. How does your odor elimination process work? A. AMSI uses an advanced chemical compound that is environmentally sound and does not corrode or damage any surfaces or items. This process was initially implemented by the U.S. Government to kill Anthrax and other deadly airborne agents. It breaks down the source of the odor to completely eliminate the origin of the smell. This process is also used during mold removal/remediation to eliminate mold spores in the air, as well as a useful application in smoke and fire-related losses. General Questions Q. My property has been damaged. Who will repair my property? A. You, the insured, are in charge of your loss and are the only person who can choose and hire the repair contractor. AMSI is a full service, licensed and bonded Disaster Recovery Specialist. In all cases we work for you and pledge to return your property back to its pre-loss condition. Q. I have damaged items and valuables in my home. What do I do? A. AMSI will inventory all of your personal property, pack up, restore and/or clean, store at a climate controlled location and return upon completion of your repaired property. The items that can not be repaired may be replaced providing you have coverage. Q. What do I do with my valuables? A. We want you to collect all of your jewelry, important documents, firearms and other valuables. Keep them in your possession. Q. Who makes the fixture and construction material selections? A. AMSI Project Manager will meet with you and help you with this process. We have pre-approved suppliers that will be called upon to help with the necessary selections of construction materials, including: flooring, paint colors, lighting and plumbing fixtures, cabinets and countertops, appliances, window treatments and more. Q. What happens during the repair process? A. The Project Manager and the Project Coordinator assigned to your project will be scheduling the repairs through AMSI crews and pre-approved vendors to insure the highest quality repairs. If additional damage repairs are required, the Project Manager will submit the estimate (called a supplement) to your insurance adjuster for approval before work begins. Any extras requested by you that are not part of the damage repairs will be paid in full to AMSI before work on those extras begin. Q. Do I get a Certificate of Satisfaction, a warranty and a lien release? A. Upon the satisfactory completion of all services, AMSI will present you with a Certificate of Satisfaction. We will keep a signed copy for our records. Included in this document is our two year written workmanship warranty and lien release. Company Profile Q. Is AMSI a licensed contractor? A. No! AMSI is fully licensed, bonded, and insured. AMSI has fully licence contractor working for us Q. How long has AMSI been doing business? A. AMSI has been doing business in Miami since 2002. That should tell you something about our companys experience! We were established in 2002. Q. Who is the owner of AMSI? A. Our owner is Antonio Regojoi. AMSI is a family business with an outstanding reputation in the industry. We have been locally owned and operated since 2002, servicing the great state of Florida. Q. Does AMSI provide service to my area? A. AMSI services the entire state of Florida. Although we operate out of Miami, we are able to travel anywhere within the state to service your needs. Contact our home office today to speak with a Project Manager about your concerns.