A guide for the process after property damage has occurred.

Responsible Department / Personnel

Account Manager 

Branch Manager 

Branch Administrator

Branch Manager

Asset Manager 

Safety/Loss Committee

Director of Safety and Training 

Loss Prevention Administrator

Completion Time and Frequency

• The account manager must submit an RL Accident/Incident report on the same day the damage occurs or when first notified of it in Cognito.
• Safety/Loss Committee will meet the same week the damage occurred.
• BA will take action after the AM, BM, and Safety/Loss Committee confirm that RL is responsible for the damage.
• Loss Prevention Admin will take action after BA has determined if the damage cost will be over $3000 and will need to be submitted to the Insurance Company.
• Most non-vehicle damage claims can be resolved within 2-3 weeks.
• Most vehicle-related damage claims can be resolved within 30-45 days.
• Most vehicle insurance claims can be resolved within 60 days. 

Process

Account Manager

• Investigate the incident and gather all the information from all employees involved and the property owner or manager.
• Make a preliminary decision on whether RL will take responsibility for this damage. If unsure, state this in the report and then meet with the Safety and Loss Committee to review and decide.
• Once a decision is made, let the Branch Administrator know. AM or BA will contact the vehicle owner or homeowner/property manager to let them know the status of the claim and then follow the steps under the Branch Administrator section below.
• Create the report for damage in Cognito under RL Accidents/Incident Report 
• You must fill in all lines on the report.
• Must include photos.
• You must submit this on the same day as the incident or when first notified of the incident.

Branch Administrator

• Wait for the go-ahead from AM or BM to pursue the damage claim after it has been determined that it is an RL responsibility.
• Non-Vehicle Damage Claims (Windows, Fences, Mailboxes, Rugs, Hoses)
• Contact the homeowner or property manager by phone or email (First contact can be decided at the branch level if the Account Manager or Branch Admin will contact).
• Determine which method of reimbursement will be best for them.
• They hire a vendor, pay the vendor, and then RL reimburses them.
• They hire a vendor; RL pays the vendor when work is complete.
• RL hires a vendor and pays the vendor when the work is complete. The list of vendors is attached. 
• They replace the damaged items; RL reimburses them for the item. (rugs, hoses)
• RL replaces the damaged item; RL pays for the damaged item. (rugs, hoses)
• On rare occasions, a method of reimbursement cannot be agreed upon. RL will offer them reasonable cash to close the claim in these cases. If this method is chosen, BA must obtain a signed Release of Liability Form from them before any reimbursement is sent. 
• There are three methods of reimbursement.
• By check or ACH through our Accounts Payable Department. BA must obtain the homeowner's or property manager’s mailing address if payment is made by check. If we mail a check to a business, we must obtain their W-9 if it is the first time sending them a check. Reach out to Payables to see if this is required. If payment is by ACH, BA must obtain the ACH information to give to the Accounts Payable department.
• By Divvy card. If BA does not have a Divvy card, then they must use the BM or AM’s Divvy card.
• By RL, PayPal is tied to a Divvy or Corporate credit card.
• Issue PO for the amount of the damage. Expense it to the proper Branch and Department responsible for the damage.
• Add notes in the Resolution Notes field of the Cognito incident report as new information is gathered. Date and initial each update. Continue to track until the claim is resolved.
• Enter the total costs paid out for reimbursement or vendor payments into the associated RL Accident/Incident Report in Cognito in the Total Damage/Theft Cost field.
• In the incident report photo upload section, upload important documents like estimates, invoices, payroll deduction forms, and police reports.
• Process payroll deductions for any responsible employees. Enter the total amount deducted in the Cognito Report in the Amount Payroll Deducted field. Add the employee type, name, PIN, and total deducted in the Payroll Deductions section. Add a person if more than one employee is being deducted from payroll. Notify Chris Watkins of any Temp Worker deductions needed and submit a Temp Worker Damage Form in Cognito. 
• You can change the status of the Cognito report from Submitted to Complete by going to Action-> Change Status -> Complete. *Note—Only change the status when all persons involved have been paid, deducted, or reimbursed, and all notes and attachments have been added to the report.

Vehicle Damage Claims- (Broken windshields, scratches to paint)

• AM or BA will reach out to the vehicle owner and ask them to get an estimate of their damage and have them send a copy to us as soon as possible.
• Once you receive the estimate, determine if this will be an insurance claim or if we will handle it “in-house” or “out-of-pocket.”
• Estimates under $3,000 will be handled “In House.” BA should arrange to reimburse the vehicle owner in one of the following ways.
• Pay directly to the collision shop or vendor for damage.
• Must have estimate or invoice.
• Check from Accounts Payables
• Divvy
• RL PayPal (up to $2500)
• Reimburse the vehicle owner directly for damage.
• Check from Accounts Payables
• RL PayPal (up to $2500)
• Estimates over $3,000 will be sent to the Loss Prevention Admin, Nancy Capps, for reimbursement by our insurance company. If the estimate for our vehicle or another party’s vehicle is over $3000 but very close, CFO Todd Beasley will be contacted and decide if this will be an insurance or “in-house” claim. 
• If the damage claim is sent to our insurance company, the Loss Prevention Admin will work with the adjuster to get the claim resolved as quickly as possible. Insurance will mail a check to the vehicle owner or shop directly, minus our deductible of $1000. RL is responsible for paying the $1000 to the vehicle owner or shop. *Note: If paying the vehicle owner directly, paying them the whole amount and having the insurance company reimburse RL is best. This way, the vehicle owner receives the whole claim amount instead of two separate amounts. Also, if we pay the vehicle owner directly, we MUST get them to sign a Release of Liability form before sending the payment.
• In Cognito, enter the final cost paid out for reimbursement in the Accident/Incident Report in the Total Damage/Theft Cost field.
• Enter payroll deduction information under the Payroll Deduction section of the Accident/Incident Report. 
• Add notes in the Resolution Notes field of the Cognito incident report as new information is gathered. Date and initial each update. Continue to track until the claim is resolved.
• You can change the report status from Submitted to Complete by going to Action -> Change Status -> Complete. Note: Only change the status to complete when all parties have been reimbursed, paid, or deducted, and all notes and attachments are in the report.

Branch Manager

• Review the RL Accident/Incident Report.
• Ensure that all aspects of the process are completed.
• Address any safety concerns about this incident with the Safety Committee for future training opportunities.
• Follow company policies on any disciplinary actions needed.

Safety and Loss Committee

• Meet once a week in person to discuss all accidents, incidents, and damages.
• Meet once a week virtually to share incidents with the Director of Safety and Training.

Director of Safety and Training

• Meets virtually with Safety and Loss Committee members of each branch once a week to discuss the incidents that occurred during the past week. 
• Provide corrective measures, advice, and awareness to prevent damage from happening again. Holds equipment training at each branch location twice a year. 
• Meets with the VP of People Experience and HR Manager regularly to discuss incidents, incident trends, and ways to prevent future incidents.

Asset/Fleet Manager/Loss Prevention Administrator

• Edit the affected truck or equipment in Asset Panda. Change status if out of service or disposed of.
• Add receipts and notes about any damage repair in Asset Panda.
• Create loss reports for the Director of Safety and Training and the Executive Team.

If damage is not RL's responsibility, it has been determined that RL will not be responsible for the damage, and the Account Manager or Branch Administrator should contact the homeowner, vehicle owner, or property manager by email to officially deny the claim. State the reasons for the denial without getting too detailed. Short and sweet but with good reason is best. Once a denial letter is sent, no other communication should be communicated to the homeowner, vehicle owner, or property manager.