1. Don’t rely on the claim adjuster the insurance company sends you – the right solution is to hire a public adjuster. Fire damages are difficult to assess. There could be structural damages that are hidden at a first look, and the claim adjuster send by the insurance company doesn’t have any interest in bringing those damages up. You need an independent professional to evaluate the real damages – a public adjuster is the best solution.
2. Start making your own damage assessment. No one knows better the value of your property and all the items inside, like furniture, appliances, art objects, clothes and others, than you do. So, try to estimate yourself how much you lost in the fire. This way, the public adjuster you hired and the claim adjuster send by the insurance company will have a reference point for your fire claim. If the fire claim settlement the insurance company proposes is much smaller than your estimate, you don’t have to agree to that. Ask your public adjuster to go ahead with the paper work and to contest the insurance company’s damage assessment.
3. All the evidence you can get about the value of your property and goods are very important – if your pictures and receipts were destroyed in the fire, ask friends and relatives to give you all the pictures they have to document your property. You should also ask for copies of receipts to the vendors, at least for your most important assets that were destroyed in the fire. This evidence will help your public adjuster substantiate your fire losses in the claims process.
4. Don’t let the insurance company tell you that the period of time when you had the right to file the fire claim expired – that’s not true, in most states you have three years to file a fire claim. Also, you should know that even if the insurance company already paid your fire claim, if you are not satisfied with the settlement, you could still hire a public adjuster. A review of the initial settlement is possible even after the policy owner cashed the fire claim check. If you feel that the insurance company did not properly reimbursed you for your damages , you can hire a public adjuster to review and contest the settlement.
5. In case of a fire claim, the insurance company has to pay you enough money to allow you to bring your property to the original state – the one before the fire. Don’t settle for anything less.
   

   Hiring a public adjuster will increase your chances of a timely and fair settlement for you fire loss.

But filing a claim takes time and energy, especially if you don’t have a record or receipts of your possessions and their value.  Also, you may find out, that the amount the insurance is paying is much less then what it takes for you to rebuild your home and replace its furnishings.  Moreover, to your frustration, you may find the check delayed, and your family’s dream of getting back to normal, postponed.

At times like this, working with a public adjuster can be a god send.  Besides assuming the responsibilities of getting your claim filled and processed, the adjuster will have all the necessary expertise to assure you are not getting the short end of the stick, while also keeping on top of things for a timely payout.

But hiring an adjuster is not as easy as it may seem.  You want to hire the best, not just because you want your claim processed timely and efficiently, but also because your insurance may be antagonistic to someone inexperienced, who exaggerates the claims and doesn’t have the experience, thus making the whole process harder instead of easier, for everyone involved.

We made the process of hiring an adjuster easier for you.  By choosing an adjuster from our directory, you know you are working with competent, experienced and qualified public adjusters, that will do their best to help you and your family get a fair and timely settlement.

Most insurance companies will encourage you to take a home inventory. It is of course an excellent idea. It is easy enough to do, and will save a lot of hassle later on. However, they don’t really explain how to properly document the condition of the most expensive items in your home or business, like your windows and doors, your roof, kitchens and bathrooms, etc. Make sure you save recipes from any upgrades in a safe place. And take lots and lots of pictures.

Also, if your losses were substantial, don’t hesitate to talk to a professional loss consultant. Find a leading private property adjuster in our directory, and let them help you get the settlement you deserve.

When hiring a Public Adjuster immediately after a loss, they can advise and assist you each step of the way, avoiding all the possible pitfalls. All policies require that you report the loss as soon as possible to the insurance company and take steps to preserve property from further damage, including theft. Failure to comply with these obligations may limit or completely void your coverage. A Public Adjuster will help you do that and much more, helping you recover the maximum amount you are entitled to.