For years, when a homeowner suffered a property loss that included damaged clothing and other textiles, the items either were written off as a total loss or dropped off at a nearby retail dry cleaner. Today, insurance carriers are realizing the significant indemnity savings of restoration compared to replacement, and specialized service providers offer a viable option for reducing severity while improving customer satisfaction.

As contents has become a large, fast growing claim category, textiles — including garments, window treatments, bedding, shoes, purses, hats, belts, rugs, and stuffed animals — have grown to encompass 23 percent of the number of items in a home, the largest component. (Electronics account for 19 percent; furniture comes in at 18 percent, along with toys, food and miscellaneous household goods; tools and equipment comprise 14 percent; and luxury goods equate to eight percent.) Homeowners' textiles can be surprisingly valuable; a typical family of four can easily accumulate $25,000 in clothing within a few short years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Americans spent $345 billion on shoes and clothes in 2005. Additionally, heirloom-quality and one-of-a-kind specialty textiles have a high sentimental value for the insured.

In a loss, therefore, the potential impact is enormous. In 2005, the property claim spending exceeded $50 billion industry-wide, with $35 billion attributed to the homeowner category. At an average cost savings of 80 percent compared to replacement, textile restoration can be very cost effective and enable the insured to use more of their content coverage in other areas. Yet, to make a meaningful impact, textile restoration must be conducted in a highly professional, efficient manner that makes it worth an adjuster's valuable time. After all, the last thing a property claim adjuster needs is more work.