Public Adjuster: Signs You Need One and Services to Expect
Public insurance adjusters are a gem for individuals or businesses who suffer disasters. The adjusters can help you file and maximize your insurance claim if you are in such a position. Below are reasons to hire adjusters and the services you can expect from them.
When to Hire a Public Adjuster
Although you may handle insurance claims without an adjuster, most claims will have the best settlement with an adjuster’s involvement. For example, you should consider an adjuster in the following situations.
You Have a Complex Claim
Some insurance claims are more complex than others. Say your home suffers multiple damages, some of which your insurance doesn’t cover. An example is fire and flood damage that occurs simultaneously to a homeowner without flood coverage. An insurance adjuster will help you unravel the complexity of the damage and get the compensation you deserve.
You Have a Large Claim
You risk losing more with large claims than with small claims that don’t go your way. Consider two claims, one worth $1,000 and another worth $20,000. If the insurance pays 70% of each claim’s value, then you lose $300 on the small claim and $6,000 on the larger one. Thus, you should get an adjuster for large claims to ensure you get full compensation.
You Are Busy
An insurance claim is a process that demands time. Say you have a demanding job, are away most of the time, and want to spend your little free time with your family. Using an adjuster might be more worthwhile than handling the process alone.
You Received a Low Offer
You don’t have to hire a public adjuster immediately after a disaster; you can hire one anytime. Say you file a claim independently, and the insurance company makes an extremely low settlement offer. Hire an adjuster to handle the process instead of wasting time with negotiations that are unlikely to be fruitful.
You Have a Bad History With Insurance Claims
Lastly, consider an adjuster if your previous claims have not settled for the amounts you expected. You might not know the insurance industry or claim processes as much as you think you do. Don’t do the same things and expect a different result — hire an adjuster to improve the claim outcome.
What Services to Expect
Public insurance adjusters engage in multiple tasks to maximize their client’s claims. Below are some of the specific tasks.
Independent Loss Evaluation
Once you hire an adjuster, they will investigate the disaster to determine the loss. Say you have a damaged roof that you want the insurance company to replace. The adjusters will determine the damage’s extent, the material cost, and the labor cost needed for the replacement. The adjusters will include incidental losses, such as additional living expenses.
Policy Evaluation
The adjusters will also evaluate your policy to determine how much the insurance company owes you. For example, just because you have $100,000 in damages doesn’t mean the insurance company owes you the whole amount. Your policy limit, exclusions, add-ons, and coverage determine your compensation.
Documentation and Claim Filing
The adjusters also have to document the damage and its value and use the information to file a claim on your behalf. Pictures of the damage, repair estimates or bills, and copies of your insurance documents are some of the documentation the adjusters need to file your claim.
Negotiation and Correspondence
The insurance claim process is a negotiation process. Expect the adjusters to start high and the insurance company to counter with a low initial offer. As such, you might not get the settlement you deserve if you lack good negotiation skills. Public insurance adjusters are skilled and experienced negotiators who will maximize your claim.
Hopefully, you will get the money you deserve from your insurance company. Contact Disaster Adjusting and let our skills and experience work for you to maximize your claim. We have several years of experience in the insurance industry, and you can trust that we understand the claim process.