What is a Public Adjuster (PA)?
A public adjuster is a licensed professional who represents policyholders in negotiating insurance claims. Unlike insurance company adjusters, who work for the insurer, a public adjuster works solely on behalf of the policyholder to ensure they receive a fair settlement.
Why do I hire a Public Adjuster?
Public adjusters can help maximize your insurance claim by thoroughly assessing damages, handling paperwork, and negotiating with the insurance company. A notable study by Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) from 2010 revealed that claims handled by public adjusters often result in significantly higher payouts.
Is hiring a Public Adjuster going to cost me money that I would otherwise have to spend on rebuilding my home?
Look at it this way — as an example. If you were to negotiate the claim alone and received $200,000, but with the help of a public adjuster you receive a settlement of $300,000 — even after paying a success fee of say 10% — you'd have $70,000 more. Aren’t you better off?
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Insurance companies know how to make policies work for THEM! You need an advocate on your side who knows how to make insurance policies work for YOU. We maximize the scope of your damages — what’s to be repaired and what’s to be replaced and how that work should best be done, with accurate pricing — while also minimizing any potential depreciation — to secure the optimal outcome.
Get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best. Working with us will get you more money to rebuild not just your home, but your dreams, too — with less stress.
Should I hire a Public Adjuster before the insurance company makes an offer?
Time and again I meet people who’ve tried to settle a claim without our help. As I ask questions about their settlement, they usually become miserable, realizing they missed options in maximizing their recovery. Insurance companies are in business to be profitable. They do that by controlling the size of claim payments. If they say, “We’ll paint two sides of your building and the paint doesn’t have to match exactly,” would you know how to challenge them? What if they say they’ll pay for half of the roof or suggest that you should get three competitive bids. Would you push back?
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What gets said and done in the first weeks of your claim process dramatically impacts the outcome and how much money is eventually paid. A public adjuster will know how to handle your insurance company and expedite a maximized settlement.
So get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
Can’t I just do my own inventory?
Sure you can, provided that you get educated on the process and don’t allow the insurance company to do it for you. Most property losses have inventories of two thousand to four thousand items. You need to accurately list every item and its current-day replacement cost — with support. Then identify the age and condition of every item, and in most cases how much should be deducted from each for depreciation.
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If you don't do it right, you will end up with a fraction of what a public adjuster would recover for you. Ask yourself, will I have time for my family? My work? The things that are most important in my life?
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It’s a tedious process and our experience is that most people — initially with the best intentions — give up after a few weeks. This is where it really makes sense to work with a professional.
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So get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
Does the insurance company's adjuster work for me?
No. That adjuster works for your insurance company. Period. That adjuster gets paid by your insurance company. That adjuster’s job is to represent the interests of the insurance company. And insurance companies have incentive to minimize claim payments.
Just keep in mind, no matter how nice the adjuster may be, he or she does not work for you. It’s that simple.
So get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
Should I hire and pay for a cleaning company?
Suffering a disaster can cause you to quickly make emotional decisions like this one. I frequently see clients shocked at the bills for packing and cleaning, ranging as high as twenty to forty thousand dollars for a home. Imagine your garage or an attic filled with years of accumulated personal property. Do you want to pay a cleaning company fifty dollars to clean a bunch of LEGOs? Or twenty-five dollars to clean a Monopoly game?
Tip: Insist that the cleaning company first make an estimate and hold off cleaning until you can decide what should and shouldn't be cleaned.
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Another tip: Whether you clean an item or not, you’re entitled to get paid to have it professionally cleaned. Maybe you would rather have that money for the cleaning and throw the item out? Remember, once you authorize them to do all the work, you no longer have options. A public adjuster helps you understand your options so you can stay in control of your settlement money.
That's why I like to say get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
Do I really need to get three bids for the repairs to my home?
There's nothing in the insurance policy that says you need to get three bids. The insurance policy essentially says that you need to submit a claim. This “three competitive bids” scenario is definitely not in your best interest. You are entitled to a reasonable amount of money for the damage done to your home; not necessarily the lowest bid which in some cases could be a contractor that has a preferred vendor relationship with an insurance company. So make sure you understand the claims process as well as your rights and responsibilities.
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And get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
What is an insurance company’s preferred vendor?
Insurance companies’ preferred vendors are contractors who get substantial work from insurance companies. They are frequently willing to do so for smaller profits and less overhead than their local competition which can impact the quality of their work. They are also likely to support insurance company adjusters when faced with decisions like whether to repair versus replace or clean versus replace. They will likely choose the least expensive method. Be careful if you’re thinking about hiring a preferred vendor.
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Tip: Ask the insurance company to actually hire them because once you sign the contract, if something goes wrong, the insurance company’s adjuster could point out that you hired them, not the insurance company. If they are unwilling to actually hire them, ask yourself (and a trusted advisor), why not? This is all unfamiliar territory for you so get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
What is the Two-Worlds Theory?
Understanding the “Two Worlds” Theory is critical — claim settlement versus actual reconstruction costs. Those who fully understand the claims process and how to secure the most from an insurance company understand the importance of separating the insurance recovery world from the actual reconstruction world.
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Public adjusters prepare reconstruction estimates based on the entitlements that are part of the language in the insurance policy. We negotiate with the insurance company to secure the largest possible settlement. Then with that settlement, you know how much money you have to rebuild your home and can then shop around for the contractor that best fits your needs.
So get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
Can I hire a Public Adjuster later, if I don't in the beginning?
Sure you can, but I need to caution you that the job is going to be much more difficult. As reputable public adjusters, we will tell you that we still have to prepare the whole claim as if we had been involved from the beginning. It’s unlikely that we will be able to use much of the claim data that you generated before our involvement.
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Also, keep in mind that the fee structure will most likely be different. It may be an overage percentage, which is a percentage over the offer that’s already been made by the insurance company.
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Here's a tip: Keep in mind there may be agreements you made with the insurance company’s adjuster in the early stages that just can’t be undone — already set in cement — which may prevent you from getting as much as if you had hired us from the beginning.
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So please, get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
I have an attorney and accountant, why do I need a Public Adjuster, too?
Your attorney and your accountant can help bring specific expertise to help in the claim process, but it’s important to discuss if they have expertise specific to property damage. A seasoned public adjuster with proven results can work with them and be an invaluable member of your recovery team. As insurance professionals, we analyze policies every day and help you understand your options and what you’re entitled to.
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Having us as the leader of your team can help ensure things aren’t missed and your recovery isn’t delayed. Attorneys, accountants, risk managers, property managers, and even insurance agents and brokers continually recommend our firm to policyholders for these reasons.
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So get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
How does a Public Adjuster get paid?
A public adjuster is paid a success fee that is just a small fraction of the claim settlement. We are the only professional whose interests are aligned with and parallel to yours — the more we get for you, the greater our compensation. The faster we get your claim settled, the faster we get compensated. Win-win.
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When engaged late in the process, our success fee is frequently based on amounts recovered over the offer you have received. Occasionally we work hourly. We work for you to see that you recover all possible benefits within your policy.
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So get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
How long does it take to prepare a claim and get a settlement?
I like to say that this is a marathon, not a sprint. The time it takes depends on you and your goals. Our job is to understand your goals and execute a strategy based on those goals. If given a choice – settle today for $100,000 or secure support and documentation that will allow you to settle for substantially more, but it will add 60 days – which path would you choose? The time it takes to prepare an inventory for a home that is completely destroyed is longer than one that is partially destroyed. There is no formula. What we can assure you is the best possible settlement in the shortest possible time taking into account your specific needs and the needs of your claim's documentation.
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Engaging us to prepare your claim means you have an insurance professional working only for you. A professional who knows how to efficiently utilize resources documenting your damage in detail to prepare a supportable claim, and who will challenge the insurance company if things are missed or are moving slowly.
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So get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
How much time do I have to commit to the claim process?
How much time do I have to commit to the claim process?
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The simple answer is, “as much or as little time as you want.” Some clients choose to be involved in all the minute details and others happily turn the reins over completely. An experienced public adjuster knows that their role is to lift the burden of the claims process off your shoulders so you can focus on your life. You still have a family to take care of and a job to go to and most likely don't have time to deal with your insurance company and the claims process every day for months. You need an advocate on your side. That’s where we come in.
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We work on your claim with full transparency so you know the options available. We are your partners, handling every step in the claims process to secure the best settlement for immediate and long-term recovery.
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So whatever you do, get smart. Get educated. Get the most...by hiring the best.
How do I know that your claims of getting me more are righteous claims?
Simple. Talk to our past clients, check our references, read the testimonials, view our website. We have thousands of references and thousands of letters as a result of years in the public adjusting business. We are proud of our collaborative approach which recognizes that it takes a team to achieve the best outcomes.
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It's easy to hang out a shingle. It's hard to produce great results every day for decades. So check references. Get smart. Get educated. Get the most by hiring the best.
Are Public Adjusters licensed?
Yes, public adjusters must be licensed by the state they operate in. Always verify credentials before hiring an adjuster.
What Types of Claims Do Public Adjusters Handle?
Public adjusters handle a variety of claims, including:
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Property Damage (fire, water, storm, mold, etc.)
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Business Interruption
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Hurricane and Flood Damage
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Theft and Vandalism
How Much Does a Public Adjuster Charge?
Public adjusters typically work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if you receive a settlement. The fee is usually a percentage of the claim payout, ranging from 5% to 20%, depending on state regulations and claim complexity.
Will Hiring a Public Adjuster Delay My Claim?
Not necessarily. A public adjuster streamlines the claims process by handling all negotiations and paperwork. They often speed up the process by ensuring all documentation is complete and accurate.
How Long Does the Claims Process Take?
The timeline varies based on factors such as the complexity of the claim and the insurance company’s response time. Some claims may take a few weeks, while larger or disputed claims can take months.
Can a Public Adjuster Reopen a Closed Claim?
Yes. If you believe your previous settlement was unfair, a public adjuster can review your case and, in many situations, reopen the claim to seek additional compensation.
What Should I Do Before Contacting a Public Adjuster?
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Review your insurance policy
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Document all damages (photos, videos, repair estimates)
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Keep a record of all communication with your insurance company
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Do not accept a settlement before consulting an adjuster
How is a Public Adjuster Different from an Insurance Company Adjuster?
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Public Adjuster: Works for the policyholder, ensuring fair compensation.
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Insurance Company Adjuster: Represents the insurance company and aims to minimize claim payouts. Insurance company adjusters maybe referred to as desk adjusters or independent adjusters, but in both cases they represent the insurance carrier.