How the steering works
After a claim:
- Carrier offers "managed repair" or "preferred contractor network"
- Sometimes framed as the only option, or as faster/easier
- Contractor enters a pre-negotiated scope with the carrier
- Homeowner gets repairs done: sometimes under-scoped
Why it's a problem
Preferred contractors compete for carrier volume. The way they compete is price. Lower scope = lower price = more carrier work. The homeowner is the party whose scope gets squeezed.
Your rights in Florida
- You can choose your own contractor
- You can obtain your own estimates (and submit them as the basis for claim scope)
- You can reject the carrier's preferred contractor outright
- The AOB restrictions under Fla. Stat. 627.7152 make it harder for contractors to hold claim proceeds directly (which restructures the preferred-vendor relationship significantly)
Practical advice
- Get at least two independent contractor estimates
- Submit the higher, better-documented estimate as the scope basis
- Don't sign anything restricting your contractor choice
- If the carrier insists on preferred vendor, request written explanation: that creates paper trail