My Insurance Company Said I Need 3 Estimates

My insurance company told me to get 3 estimates.

I hate this objection. So, I’m going to teach you how to overcome it like a BOSS.

Welcome or welcome back, by the way. My name is Adam Bensman, The Roof Strategist. I’m here (and on my YouTube channel and my podcast, on Apple and Spotify) to help you and your team smash your income goals and give every customer an amazing experience.

Now, do you think the insurance company asking for 3 estimates is committed to creating an amazing experience for their clients?

NO, they are not.

The insurance company saying this is doing one thing only — they’re protecting their financial interest at the expense, oftentimes, of the homeowner.

Of course, we can’t say that directly to a homeowner because it likely won’t go over so well.

And we definitely don’t want to throw the insurance company or the agent under the bus because you just never know who’s involved in (and, believe me, I’ve made the mistake of bad-mouthing the insurance company before).

Instead, we can use the strategies I’m sharing below to flip the script, overcome this objection, and position ourselves to close the sale.

Roofing Sales Strategy #1: Step into Your Customers’ Shoes

Let’s put ourselves in our customers’ minds for a minute. Our customers are thinking:

I just made an ‘educated’ choice to choose this insurance company.

You’re basically saying that that my decision was stupid, and you’re questioning my judgment.

We need to remember this, and it may help to think about it from your own perspective.

Let’s say you show up at someone’s house, and they look at your truck. When they see you drive a Ford, they suddenly think:

Found On Road Dead. You make this much money, and you bought yourself a Ford?!?

That’s insulting to your truck and to you (and, by the way, I drove Ford trucks). And that’s the SAME feeling those homeowners get when we talk badly about their insurance company. They’re insulted.

Plus, you don’t know if they’re dad, brother, cousin, or best friend is their insurance agent. So, we have to tread lightly.

We know that the insurance company is protecting their own financial interests, and we have to walk our customer into this conclusion creatively. That is what we’re going to be doing here.

I’m going to teach you how to make people feel empowered when they’ve made the decision on their own versus being told what to do.

After all, do you like being told what to do?

No one likes to be talked down to like a child. NO ONE.

So, buckle up and pay attention because we’re going to walk our customers to this conclusion.

Roofing Sales Strategy #2: Highlight the ‘Pain’

“The insurance company says they want 3 estimates,” is a common objection in roofing sales.

So, what do we do? How do we start to overcome this objection?

Let me start by asking you this question first — what are the most powerful questions that you can ask a homeowner?

They are the questions that the homeowner cannot answer.

By asking these questions, we can act like a mirror and showcase the pain that they were not aware of in sales. After all, there is no action in roofing sales without a customer feeling pain or a problem.

Now, again, the homeowner wants these estimates because they heard something like this from their insurance company:

Hey, get 3 estimates. We want to make sure you’re getting a fair value and that you’re not getting taken advantage of.

We know that’s not how it works, though. So, instead, we need to mirror the obvious back to the homeowner.

Example: I remember vividly what made me want to lose weight. I was driving an ATV at my bachelor party, wearing a skin-tight, skin-colored suit with a zip-up hoodie. My brother took pictures of me cruising around in my little skin-tight suit. And when I saw those pictures, I saw my love handles pouring over my hips. That was the PAIN. At that moment, I decided to get in shape.

We need to give homeowners that experience of ‘pain’ in a tactful way.

How do we do that?

By asking homeowners questions they cannot answer.

Roofing Sales Strategy #3: Ask 3 Questions to Flip the Script

When the homeowner is told by their insurance company to get 3 estimates, we want to start by asking that homeowner a series of questions.

1. Did the insurance company tell you what would happen if you found someone cheaper?
2. Did they tell you whether you would be obligated to pay your deductible?
3. Did they tell you that you have complete freedom of choice to choose the contractor that you wish to work with?

No matter what, they’re probably going to answer ‘no’ or something along those lines. When they do, that opens the door for you to share a few key points with them.

Roofing Sales Strategy #4: Explain 3 Key Points

Now, it’s time to pull back the curtain for homeowners and let them know how a few things work. You can do that by saying:

I’d like to hit a few points and share some things with you, so you’re aware and can make the decision that’s best for you.

First, if you find someone cheaper, it doesn’t do you any favors because your deductible is a contractual agreement between you and the insurance carrier. So, whether the claim is $2 million or $2,000, you owe the same amount.

That means that even if you find someone cheaper, the insurance company’s going to pay based on the cheaper estimate. And, Mr. Homeowner, that means you still owe your deductible because their language is ‘We’re going to pay based on the cheaper estimate, and you pay your portion.’

Think of it like a copay for the doctor. If you went in for knee surgery with a copay of $100, but they can find a surgeon to do it for $5,000 cheaper, does that save you any money?

That covers both the points of cheap estimates and deductibles.

Point 3: The Roofing Contractor of Choice

Now, you can hit point three and address this for the homeowner — did the insurance company tell you that you have complete freedom to choose the contractor?

Quick disclaimer: I know that there are some policies that have the right to repair, preferred vendor programs, and things like that. But my (non-attorney) understanding is that, by law, a homeowner has the right to choose the contractor of choice (again, this is not legal advice, and I’m not your attorney).

Here’s how I explain this third point to homeowners:

The carrier cannot dictate who can or should be used.

So, Mr. Homeowner, by law, you have the freedom to choose whoever you wish.

And you’re paying your deductible no matter what. So, even if there’s a cheaper estimate, the insurance company is going to pay the lowest cost, and you still pay the deductible.

So, Mr. Homeowner, can I just ask one more question?

When the insurance company wants you to get three estimates, is this in your best interest or their best interest?

This is where we ask a leading question — Is it in your best interest or their best interest?

Now, we’re guiding them to the conclusion that lower estimates are in the insurance company’s best interest.

When they acknowledge that, agree with them. Say:

I’m glad that we’re on the same page.

Now, you can transition to closing the deal.

Recap: How to Overcome the ‘3 Estimates’ Objection in Roofing Sales

Again, we’re going to overcome the ‘3 estimates’ objection in roofing sales by asking 3 questions. And here’s what we say:

Mr. Homeowner, I understand that your insurance company wants you to get 3 estimates. And if I were you, I’d want to make sure I’m getting a fair value as well.

However, can I ask you a few questions? [After they say ‘sure’ or ‘yes,’ then go ahead and ask the following.]

1. 1. Did the insurance company say what would happen if you found someone who was cheaper?
   2. Did they explain that your deductible would be the same, whether you found someone more expensive or less expensive (similar to how your copay works)?
   3. Did they explain that you have complete freedom to choose the contractor of your choice?

No?

Well, by law you do.

Now that you know this, do you think getting 3 estimates in your best interest or in the best interest of the insurance company?

Now, suddenly, what have we done? We have:

1. Highlighted their pain and made them aware of it
2. Helped them come to their own conclusion
3. Opened the door to transition into closing the deal

Get More Roofing Sales Strategies, Tips & Videos

Want to continue this journey? Wondering how to start closing those deals? If so, check out this video on How to Use the Contingency Agreement as a Closing Tool and How to Position Yourself to Close That Deal. And if you’re interested in any of my programs, just contact my team by calling or texting (303) 222-7133.

You’re also welcome to subscribe for the latest roofing sales training videos and/or get a copy of my Pitch Like a Pro roofing sales training video library. It includes a ton of videos on overcoming objections, closing, and more, as well as every video I’ve ever done, organized by category, along with a bunch of tips, tricks, and more. It’s great for new people and seasoned veterans, and it’s updated all the time to help you and your team smash your income goals and give every customer an amazing experience.

And don’t forget to check out my Marketing Battle Pack for instant access to 70+ pieces of my proven, turnkey roofing sales and marketing materials. It’s an entire suite, specially designed for sales teams, managers, and owners, providing:

It’s affordably priced and comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. There’s also a playlist of instructional videos in there, explaining every single thing. So, you can watch the videos, and you’ll know exactly what to do.

Thanks for joining me, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the next blog.