Repairs involve the permanent restoration of your property to its pre-loss condition after mitigation has been completed. This includes rebuilding walls, replacing flooring, painting, installing cabinets, and other construction work.

Mitigation stops further damage and stabilizes the site (drying, cleaning, securing). Repairs are the reconstruction and finishing work to return your property to normal.

No. You can hire any licensed contractor you choose. Some companies do both mitigation and repairs, but you are not obligated to use them for both phases.

Yes. Insurers often require proof that repairs were completed before they release withheld depreciation or issue final payments.

Yes, but insurance only pays to restore what you had. If you upgrade materials or change layouts, you will be responsible for any extra costs beyond what insurance covers.

If you have a mortgage, the lender has a financial interest in the property and is named on repair checks. You will usually have to endorse the checks through their claims department before funds are released.