Courses: Classroom courses

Recognizing a need to formalize the role, experience, and technical capabilities of a Building Consultant, Vale Training and Sedgwick Building Consultants have partnered to develop this program.

After completing this course, you will know:

• The role and functions of a building consultant
• How to differentiate adjuster functions from engineers and mitigation teams.
• The concept of the managing adjuster and when to hire consultants and oversee a team of service professionals.
• The basic concepts of water mitigation including drying equipment and check formulas.
• How to identify common building materials.
• How to analyze property claims to resolve measurement, estimating and scoping issues.

Prior to being eligible for the course all candidates must complete an application form and submit a professional recommendation.

Successful completion of this course and final exam will earn the candidate the designation of Vale Certified Building Consultant (VCBC).

Background

Recognizing that clients have large office-based staffs of desk adjusters and estimate reviewers, Vale designed a training methodology to eliminate travel and minimize lost production time.  Using the standard examiner programs (Auto Examiner and Property Examiner) Vale can design a modified program to optimize the classroom experience to be delivered at the client location.  The results – training normally delivered at Vale in one week can be customized to client needs and delivered without travel in fewer days, even scheduled as daily half day sessions to guarantee continued production – training in groups: Group 1 (morning) and Group 2 (afternoon).  Below is a summary of the instructional design approach.

Key Learning Objectives: 

• Identify common materials and components and recognize routine scoping issues while analyzing claim estimates.
• Recognize typical errors made by field adjusters and contractors relating to misidentifying materials, mistakes in measuring, misapplication of estimating software, and other scoping errors.
• Reinforce client specific nomenclature, processes and systems.

Instructional Design Elements

• Client Consultation: Consult with client to identify staff challenges and assess whether staff should be grouped uniquely for training based on roles, skills, seniority, clients, specialization, etc.
• Estimate Analysis: Using a proven methodology employed by Vale Consulting Services, a Vale trainer will review open or closed files to identify weaknesses in files and define root causes with a recommendation to the client for where the curriculum must focus to improve skills.
• Student Assessment: Assessment delivered as an online pre-course test to assess current knowledge of students and used to design a curriculum for the student to reach the knowledge goals of the program.
• Delivery Plan: Based on the information learned, a delivery model based on individual reviewer skills, work volume and production hours will be designed to minimize impact on office production. The plan will recommend online pre-work as well as classroom based training delivered on site with the goal to upskill the team in the most efficient manner.

This 1 week course is part 1 of  the 3 week Property Adjusting course. The best value is to enroll in the full 3 week course.

Designed for:

This course is designed for entry-level and experienced students who must be able to understand and apply policy language from standard Homeowners and Dwelling policies as they relate to investigating and handling property claims.

Key Learning Objective:

The emphasis is on learning how to read and apply the language in the ISO Homeowners (HO3) policy. Throughout the course, coverage application and structural estimating are integrated using workshops and claim scenarios to challenge the students to apply what they learn. Upon successful completion the student will have the skills to analyze and apply property coverages and be able to investigate the cause of loss.

Syllabus:
Insurance Basics
Insurance Principles
Policy Structure
Provisions Common to Property Policies

Contracts
Elements of a Legal Contract
Distinct Characteristics of an Insurance Agreement
Rules for Interpreting policies

Property Coverages
Dwelling and Other Structures
Personal Property
Loss of Use
Additional Coverages
Selected Endorsements

Causes of Loss
Open Peril vs.. Named Perils
Analysis of Specific Perils
Court Cases

Adjusting Losses
Duties After a Loss
Determining Value and Loss
Apportionment of Losses
Resolving Coverage Issues
Negotiation and Settlement
Subrogation/Dispute Resolution

Investigation
Theft/Fraud Indicators
Photos & Diagrams

Projects
Workshops on Coverage
Loss Scenarios
Testing and Evaluation

Reporting
Documentation of Events
Captioned Reports
Statement of Loss Format

Good Faith Claims Handling
Avoiding Bad Faith

The course reviews proper methods for completing research and analysis on roofs before and after inspection.

80% of insurance losses today are building envelope related, specifically in the area of residential and commercial roofing issues. To process these claims quickly and accurately, it is essential for property adjusters and appraisers to have a qualitative understanding of assessment considerations specific to roofing systems.  To meet this need, Vale Training and EFI Global, a leading engineering and fire investigation, environmental and technical consultancy, have teamed together to create the Vale Advanced Roofing Certification program.

How to become certified

This advanced level program is designed for property damage estimators and appraisers with prior property experience and industry related education such as attendance at seminars or industry classes within the roof estimating, roof construction, fall protection or property damage assessment.

The course and exam

EFI Global Professional Engineers (PEs) and Registered Roof Consultants (RRCs) provide the technical content and instruction for the 3-day course with detailed information on steep and low slope roofs, including construction, coverings, wind-hail storm damage assessment, weathering and mechanical damage, damage estimating, product identification and repair methods.  The program covers Damage Assessment techniques such as moisture migration and energy basics and testing.  The qualitative analysis techniques covered include IR Thermography, Lab Testing, Cores, Spray rack testing and Roof uplift testing. 

Following the course, participants must successfully pass a 3 hour, 50 question multiple-choice exam to become certified.  After the class a refresher every 5 years or so is recommended.

Questions?

For more information, contact Vale Training at 817-633-4800.