Why Use a Public Adjuster?

When Does Using a Public Adjuster Make Sense?

As a policyholder, you may already be familiar with insurance claim adjusters and what they do. However, you may not realize that there are also public insurance adjusters available from third-party services dedicated to providing policyholder-specific assistance. Working with a public adjuster can have a significant impact on how much you collect from your insurance company. A public adjuster can also help make a difficult time less stressful by streamlining the claims process with experience and expertise.

Your insurance company’s claims adjusters are trained professionals who evaluate insurance claims to determine how much money a covered insurance loss or property damage is worth. However, keep in mind that this claims adjuster operates on behalf of the insurance company. A public adjuster’s job is nearly identical with one exception: a public adjuster represents you rather than your insurance company, with the goal of obtaining a fair settlement from your perspective, not your insurance provider’s.

A public adjuster is the only type of insurance adjuster licensed by your state’s department of insurance to represent you, the policyholder, rather than the insurance company. To attest to this commitment, public adjusters are not paid up front. Instead, they receive a percentage of the settlement that they obtain on your behalf, as regulated by your state’s department of insurance.

An experienced public adjuster works to accomplish several tasks:

Understand and analyze your insurance policy
Uphold your rights throughout your insurance claim
Accurately and thoroughly assess and value the scope of the property damage
Apply all policy provisions
Negotiate a maximized settlement in an efficient and effective manner

Working with an experienced public adjuster is one of the best ways to receive a fast and fair settlement on your claim. Many policyholders are unaware that the burden of proof is theirs, not their insurance company’s. Therefore, your insurance company’s representatives are not necessarily going to search to uncover all of your losses, seeing as it isn’t their responsibility or in their best interest.

Given that your insurance company has a professional working to protect its interests, shouldn’t you do the same? A public adjuster can work on many different types of claims on your behalf:

When to Call a Public Adjuster

We’re often asked about when it makes sense to hire a public claims adjuster. Most property owners can easily handle small, straightforward claims without outside help. However, the larger and more complex the claim, the more likely it is that you’ll need professional help. Hiring a public adjuster can be the right choice for many different types of property insurance claims, particularly when the stakes are high.

Public adjusters can help with a number of valuable tasks when navigating your claim:

Interpreting policy language and determining what is covered by your provider
Conducting a thorough analysis of your insurance policy
Taking into account any recent changes in building codes and laws that might supersede the language of your policy
Completing a forensic evaluation of the property damage, often uncovering damage that can be otherwise hard to find
Crafting a customized plan for receiving the best settlement from your property insurance claim
Documenting and valuing the full extent of your loss
Compiling photographic evidence to support your claim
Handling the daily tasks that often accompany filing a claim, such as communicating with the insurance company, attending onsite meetings and submitting documents
Presenting your claims package, including supporting documentation, to the insurance company
Skillfully negotiating with your insurance company to ensure the largest settlement possible

The best part is, a public claims adjuster can get involved at any point in the claim filing process, from the moment a loss occurs to after an insurance claim has already been paid or denied. The only exception is if the statute of limitations has passed. In most states, the statute of limitations is five years from the occurrence of the loss or damage.

The right time to hire a public adjuster can be:

Immediately after property damage or loss has occurred, including before you have notified your insurance company
When the claims process has been delayed due to an unresponsive claims adjuster, insurmountable document requests or a request for “examination under oath”
When you feel that the insurance company’s offered settlement is not enough to restore or repair your property
When you’d like reassurance that you are receiving the highest settlement possible
When you uncover hidden damage after your claim has already been closed
When your home or business insurance claim has been denied

When You Need a Public Claims Adjuster, We’re Ready

Getting your home and work life back on track is a top priority for you, but the claims process can be frustratingly slow, making an already difficult event even worse. Don’t waste another day waiting for the settlement you deserve.

At Insurance Claim Consultants, we have represented over 12,000 policyholders across the nation and negotiated hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements, including tens of millions in increased settlements from reopened and previously denied claims. We work proactively and aggressively to demonstrate to your insurance company what they owe you and why using irrefutable evidence and documentation. Our property insurance experts have more than 50 years of combined experience assessing, documenting, analyzing, evaluating and negotiating all types and sizes of property insurance claims. We are licensed in Florida, Texas and 13 other states, available 24/7 for your convenience.