Thomas Zoebelein built Reclaimer, an AI tool that automatically fights insurance estimate denials for body shops. It reads repair estimates, flags what insurers cut, and drafts rebuttals that learn over time. He says it pays for itself by recovering the money shops lose to denials.
Chapters
So Tommy, Tony keeps talking about you. Figured it was time we met.
Good things?
We're gonna find out. Vin, I'm just saying, here's my first question. So, Zoebelein, that's German, ain't it?
Yeah, so what? A crowd from Queens can't help you guys and every other body shop in the country?
He's got a point, Vin.
Besides, My people started out right here and right off the boat, before we spread out through Queens.
Fair enough. So how's a kid from Queens end up building AI for the collision repair industry?
Well, let's see. 20 years in this industry, I kept watching shops struggle with the same things: selling the repair, finding the money they're missing, and fighting with insurance companies to get paid for legitimate repairs. Eventually, I figured somebody ought to do something about it.
But weren't you just a marketing guy for repairers?
Yeah, and when I'm 14, I'm bussing tables at the Seafarer. That makes me a restaurateur the rest of my life?
Yeah, Vin. And you're a ravioli stuffer. I never got paid for that job. It was my uncle's place. Still counts, ravioli.
Besides, it's not just me. I got a lot of guys building this thing. Guys who've rewritten the rules for major industries. Guys who've helped build companies like Uber. Guys who put the I in artificial intelligence.
The Node Detency has stabilized. They sound like smart guys.
The best. I'm just the guy convinced them this was a good idea.
So this Reclaimer, it can really fight insurance companies and win?
Can it win? Does a painter complain about somebody else's bodywork?
Look at this terrible door alignment! Every friggin' day.
Exactly. It's the first product of its kind. It is built specifically to help shops defend their estimates. It reads the estimate, And finds missed operations. Then when the insurance company denies it, Reclaimer shows you exactly what they cut, builds the documentation, and writes the rebuttal. And it gets smarter every day.
Sounds expensive.
Not compared to what you're leaving on the table. It pays for itself.
I like this guy.
Plus, we're the only ones with your nephew.
I think he means Tony, Vin. You don't need to translate, Sal. I can hear the guy just fine, you know. So what's Tony actually do at Reclaimer?
He's our co-pilot. He works right alongside the estimator. Insurance company cuts something, Tony helps defend it.
So Tony makes sure everybody gets paid then?
For what they can legitimately defend. Besides, isn't he the bagman for your organization?
I don't know what you're talking about. I plead the Fifth. So what's all this got to do with us?
I'm asking myself the same question. I start out building Reclaimer, out of nowhere comes Tony. Next thing I know, I'm sitting in Junior's documenting 2 guidos meeting with their associates. Tommy!
We don't use the word documenting. It makes certain people, shall we say, uncomfortable.
See? This is what I'm dealing with.
Let me give you some advice you didn't ask for, Zoebelein. You keep building things that help us body shop owners. The rest? Forget about it.
What rest?
Exactly. What are you ordering, Tommy? Vinny's buying. Oh, am I?
