One of the principal drivers of our industry for both the contractor and the insurer is the restoration of more and the replacement of less. Because of this, innovations to increase and support successful restoration are constantly being introduced.

One of the principal drivers of our industry for both the contractor and the insurer is the restoration of more and the replacement of less. Because of this, innovations to increase and support successful restoration are constantly being introduced.
Textiles, garments and soft goods damaged by smoke, water, mold and more can account for up to 40 percent of the value of affected contents in a typical loss. Textiles and garments include clothing of all types, as well as bedding, tablecloths, towels, window treatments and so on. Shoes, belts and purses are known in the industry as “soft goods.”

There are many benefits to successful restoration. On the insurer side, indemnity expenses are reduced, claim files are closed much faster for reduced loss adjustment expense, policyholder satisfaction is greatly increased and closing the claim is made easier for the adjuster.

The response to this need has come from two industry categories: retail dry cleaners that process restoration work in addition to their over-the-counter business, and companies that specialize exclusively in textile, garment and soft goods restoration.
Understanding the differences in restoration processes before selecting a textile and soft goods restorer is a must for contractors and adjusters alike. The success-rate differences can be quite substantial, and as everyone is aware, the higher the success rate, the happier the policyholder and the lower the overall cost to restore the loss.

A new standard has been created with the introduction of ozone washing systems. These systems introduce ozone into the wash water. The hospitality industry uses such a system, as do many retail dry cleaners; the latter frequently employ systems that inject ozone bubbles into the wash water, a method resulting in a 24 percent ozone saturation rate; the rate is too low, however, to be effective on smoke odors.

Many companies make claims regarding a percentage of items that they restore, but do not include items that they did not attempt to process, as these would lower their success rates. The industry’s best companies are typically willing to offer head-to-head comparisons on a number of losses to substantiate their success-rate claims. This new system of ozone washing dramatically increases the number and type of items that can be successfully restored.

Inventory control is such a major issue for insurers that some have implemented requirements that any garment restorer working on their claims must use POI.
Successful garment restorers strive to act more like restoration contractors in terms of meeting the kinds of service standards expected from an immediate responder. This includes very fast response time, one point of contact for all involved parties from start to finish, delivering estimates within 48 hours, completing the job in 14 days and delivering the type of comprehensive documentation the adjuster needs to close the claim file quickly.

