Hardy Industrial Technologies (a Magnus International Group Company), the nation’s leading producer of natural animal feed ingredients and related products, suffered a devastating loss when an explosion and resulting fire decimated one of its manufacturing facilities and the equipment therein. Alex N. Sill Company previously assisted Hardy principals, serving as its public insurance claims adjuster in a significant prior matter.
One “issue” Sill Company occasionally faces with clients previously having experienced the claim process and seeing how smoothly we handle the loss adjustment is believing the new loss can be handled on their own. This is precisely what occurred in connection with Hardy.
Immediately following the disaster and assessing the damage left in its wake, Hardy chose to pursue recovery of its losses on its own. The Painesville Township, Ohio company soon learned the adjustment of a major commercial insurance loss is difficult, cumbersome and time-consuming. The process requires significant experience, expertise and an independent advocate . . . just as in its preceding claim.
The decision to once again retain Sill was made following the insurance company’s presentation of its damage assessment at a level far less than what Hardy considered even remotely satisfactory.
Scott Forster, Hardy’s Chief Operating Officer, expressed his thoughts about the process and re-engaging Sill. After three months of trying to resolve the claim on its own — including what Forster considered a very low appraisal estimate rendered by the insurance company — Hardy turned to Sill, the nation’s leading public insurance claims adjuster and loss consultant. The decision allowed Hardy to return its undivided attention to running its business and meeting contractual customer obligations.
Sill mobilized its experienced in-house team of adjusters, property and building consultants, contents estimators and certified forensic accountants to provide highly detailed estimates and objective advocacy supportive of Hardy’s claim. Sill’s extensive and meticulous damage calculation and professional representation on behalf of Hardy before the insurer resulted in a loss settlement in excess of $20 million. This amount was approximately 300% higher than that offered Hardy by the insurance company before Sill’s involvement.
As recounted by Mr. Forster:
“Having partnered with Sill in the past, you made the adjustment process look so easy that we thought we could manage this claim ourselves. Not so. From the onset, you explained at length how the claim would evolve and also detailed the areas where we could expect pushback from and conflict with our insurance carrier. Although significant portions of one building and equipment were destroyed, your staff was able to evaluate our insurance policy, apply coverage where the carrier did not acknowledge there was coverage and recreate that part of our business on paper to resolve the claim to our satisfaction. Simply put, we would not have achieved the settlement we did without the Sill Company. And because of your involvement, we were able to return to focusing on operating our business.”
Scott Forster, Vice President & Chief Operating Officer