Restoration Industry Association drives industry reform with enhanced advocacy, ethics, and transparency initiatives
The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) continues to assert its leadership role as the foremost advocate and collaborative hub for restoration and reconstruction professionals. The organisation is advancing key initiatives that address critical industry challenges, promote ethical standards, and foster a sense of community and shared growth among restorers.
Mark Springer, RIA’s Carrier Relations Advocate, is spearheading a significant advocacy effort aimed at bridging communication gaps between restoration professionals and insurance carriers. This initiative follows a strategic approach based on gathering input from restorers about their most pressing challenges, crafting peer-reviewed position statements, and proactively engaging with carrier executives. Springer’s work includes forming the Carrier Representative Task Force, which has successfully established dialogue with executive-level leaders from major national insurance carriers. This development marks a breakthrough, as restorers previously lacked a structured forum to discuss improvements in the claims ecosystem that ultimately benefit the policyholder. The dialogue has allowed RIA to share its position statements directly with carrier leadership, offering insights into the industry's key issues.
The formation of the Carrier Relations Task Force further underlines RIA’s commitment to fostering collaboration between restoration professionals and insurance carriers, alongside Third Party Administrators (TPAs) and other stakeholders within the insurance claims ecosystem. Co-chaired by Jeff Moore and Mark Davis, and including advocates like Springer, the task force is focused on developing advocacy education and resources that support restorers’ challenges and promote best practices across the industry.
In parallel with advocacy efforts, the RIA is advancing industry professionalism through the introduction of a new code of ethics. This code, supported by related education and certification programmes, is designed to distinguish ethical restorers from less scrupulous operators, thus raising standards and reinforcing trust within the sector.
RIA members also have access to the Advocacy Hub, a dedicated platform providing legislative updates, resources, and tools for grassroots actions. Given that legislation and regulation directly influence restoration business operations—ranging from payment timelines to jobsite safety—the Advocacy Hub is a critical resource. It offers templates and scripts for calls, emails, and social media engagement on state-level issues impacting restoration contractors. Members can sign up for SMS alerts and stay informed about advocacy campaigns that matter to their business. This hub exemplifies RIA’s belief that collective participation strengthens the industry.
Community and networking are other pillars of RIA’s strategy. Recognising that growth in restoration depends not only on skill and tools but also on shared knowledge and relationships, RIA continues to organise Regional Networking Events. These in-person gatherings offer restoration professionals opportunities to connect locally, share insights, and explore practical solutions. Designed by restorers for restorers, the events feature dedicated networking times, educational sessions on topics such as cash flow, operational efficiency, technology adoption, and advocacy updates concerning insurance practices and payment delays. Scheduled events for fall 2025 include the MidSouth Cleaning & Restoration Association meeting in Charlotte, NC; a session hosted by McCabe Restoration in Memphis, TN; and another by Thomasville Restoration in Baltimore, MD. Attendees not only gain actionable business insights but also build trusted relationships that can transform their operations.
Another notable industry improvement, driven by feedback from RIA members, is Verisk’s responsive updates to its Xactimate pricing practices. Misunderstandings around the frequency and application of price updates have caused friction between adjusters and contractors. Although monthly updates are routine, material and equipment prices are revised only when Verisk’s market analysis detects significant changes. The Xactimate End User License Agreement explicitly permits use of alternate line item pricing under specific market conditions or contractor requirements. Following advocacy from RIA, Verisk has committed to enhancing transparency through clearer pricing methodology disclosures, updated EULA language, disclaimers during pricing updates, newly developed educational materials explaining the pricing process, and internal staff training to ensure balanced pricing approaches. These collaborative steps reflect Verisk’s willingness to engage constructively with the restoration industry to resolve misconceptions and promote fairness.
Prospective members are encouraged to join RIA to tap into exclusive resources, discounts, education, and a dynamic professional community dedicated to shaping the future of restoration. The organisation’s sustained efforts in advocacy, ethical standards, transparency, and community building demonstrate its pivotal role in supporting, protecting, and advancing the restoration profession.