Learn how Sabath Property Damage Consultants gets policyholders back to their restored property faster

In cases of large property damage, such as explosions, it’s beneficial for insurance policyholders to independently research and hire experts to investigate suspicious signs of damage. Although insurance companies send out their own assessors, they may not have the time or resources to evaluate all potential damage within an area. 

We spoke with Jon Sabath, owner of Sabath Property Damage Consultants, to hear how his company uses Matterport to capture damaged properties in detail so that policyholders can equally evaluate what their insurance companies receive.

Q: Tell us how your company uses Matterport.

Sabath Property Damage Consultants specializes in large insurance claims. We document the claims and write the building damage estimates for most of the restoration companies, independent contractors, lawyers and public insurance adjusters in the Chicago area. I was one of the first adjusters here to utilize Matterport digital twins to write claims. The use of 3D technology in conjunction with our estimating program increases the efficiency of our workflow and allows us to virtually walk through a loss with the adjuster at any time. It’s a real game-changer!

Q: What are the benefits of capturing damaged properties using Matterport 3D technology vs. traditional methods?

Capturing a digital twin of this property took me about 90 minutes to do, which used less time and captured more detail than I could have done with just a camera. Zoom in on the roof joists and you can see how the blocking is missing, joists are cracked, and how the whole structure has shifted away from the collapse. You can see how the steel is bowing because the load has changed.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Matterport 3D digital twins are worth a hundred thousand pictures. Documenting damage and communicating that to the carrier thoroughly and accurately is key to reducing disputes over the scope of loss and increases the speed of claim approvals.

Q: What breakthroughs have you seen in your industry due to Matterport technology?

Digital twins like this are quickly becoming the de facto standard for investigating property damage. In cases of litigation, you can bring the jury right to the scene because Matterport 3D scans are admissible in court. You can accurately measure and incorporate these measurements into multiple platforms. Matterport digital twins allow us to collaborate more efficiently with our sister companies and clients.

I’ve carried a Public Adjuster license since 1997. I’ve always considered myself and the insurance carrier as partners collaborating together on a claim. Like two Realtors trying to close a sale, our goal is the same: to get the insured back to where they were before the loss. Matterport allows us to easily communicate the facts of the claim to anyone. Where other contractors and Public Adjusters tend to go down an adversarial rabbit hole, Matterport allows us to just concentrate on the facts and actually help the carrier along the way.