The time and energy required for documenting a property loss claim and negotiating with the insurance company for the settlement you deserve after you had just been through a fire, flood or other disaster, is more than most homeowners or business owners can take on. Hiring professional help will in most cases not just save the insured a lot of time, but will also result in a higher settlement.

Professionals that represent the insured in the claim process and negotiations with the insurance companies following a property loss are called public or private adjusters. Unlike insurance adjusters, which are hired by the insurance companies to evaluate the loss and also trained to save the insurance company money by paying out as little as possible, public adjusters are hired by the insured and represent them in the negotiations.

Like in any profession, the more experience the public adjusters, the better they will be able to handle the claim for a fair settlement. As in most states what a public adjuster can charge for his services is capped at a percentage of the settlement amount (usually 5 to 15%, depending on the type of claim), it makes a lot of sense to ask a lot of questions and do the homework before hiring one.

Some of the most important to ask  prospective adjusters are:

1. Are they licensed in your state? As each state has its own regulations when it comes to the public adjuster business, make sure the person you are hiring has a valid license and is fully qualified to handle your claim.
2. Are they going to handle your claim personally, or will they pass it on to someone else after the sign up?
3. Can they give you past references that you could call up?
4. How much experience do they have in processing insurance claims?
5. Is he able to bring to the table experienced contact appraisers, building estimators, and other proffesionals that assure a of successful claim?
6. Is he located in your area? As the claim process can be prolonged, make sure they will be available to meet with you as many times as necessary.
7. What kind of success rate did they have in the past?

Taking the time in the beginning to check references, to make sure the public adjuster you hire is experienced and certified, and it brings to the table the right credentials, commitment and work ethic you are comfortable with, will assure a smooth working relationship and the best settlement you are entitled to.

• If your home was damaged because of water, first document all damages with detailed pictures. Than, call a public adjuster and your insurance company.
• Read your insurance policy carefully prior to filing the claim. As you’ll notice, insurance companies have an extremely limited use of certain terms, and this limitation usually works on their behalf, not yours. For example, “flooding”, as something caused by the overflow of a river or lake, is not covered under general house insurance. So, when you file a claim to the insurance company, because a burst pipe flooded your first floor, don’t use the word “flood” when filing your claim. The insurance company might deny it, since you’re not covered for flooding. To avoid such situations, a public adjuster is your best ally.
• Insurance companies will attempt to deny your water damage claim under the “house maintenance” umbrella. They will try to prove that your burst pipes or leaking dishwasher were not an accident, but caused by poor maintenance. Don’t accept such arguments if you feel the water damage was accidental: you are entitled to your claim check, and the insurance company has to cover for all your water related damages.

A public adjuster will help assess your damages and will negotiate a fair settlement with your insurance company.

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.

A Public adjuster is an insurance claims adjuster who is an advocate for the policyholder in appraising and negotiating an insurance claim. Licensed public adjusters can legally represent the rights of an insured during a property insurance claim process and ensure a prompt and fair settlement.

2.Why should I hire a public adjuster?

Unlike adjusters hired or working for the insurance company, a public adjuster works exclusively for you. They have the necessary all the documentation and represent your interests during the claim process, reliving you of many time consuming matters and assuring you get a prompt and fair settlement.

3.Who are the adjusters from LeadingPublicAdjusters.com?

The adjusters in our directory represent the best in the field. They are all state accredited, and also members of the National Association of Public Adjusters.

4.What is the role of leadingpublicadjusters.com?

Leadingpublicadjusters.com mission is to connect individuals and businesses who had suffered economic losses with top public adjusters from around the country, and also provide a platform for our member adjusters to share their insights with the public. The directory is membership based, but it is free for the public to access.

5.How do I find a public adjuster in my area?

To find someone in your area, click on the Directory tab in the top menu. If you you would like to recommend a public adjuster for inclusion in our directory, or would like to share your experience about working with a public adjuster, please click here.

A public adjuster, on the other hand, will perform an independent assessment of the losses, will help you understand your rights and file your claim properly, will help collect the supporting evidence to substantiate the claim while also having the necessary expertise to negotiate with the insurance company from the same level. Hiring a public adjuster generally increases someone’s claim payment by a significant amount, and thus cutting into the insurance company profits.

Let’s take a short example: Susan M. and her family were on a trip when a pipe broke and the first floor of her house was flooded. The damages were substantial, but the claim adjuster from the insurance company said the damage was Susan’s fault, because she didn’t fix the water pipes in time. So, the insurance company agreed to pay only a fraction of what it would cost to repair the damages.  However, Susan decided to hire a Public Adjuster.   He demonstrated to the insurance company that Susan was properly maintaining her property and the pipe break was an accident. The new settlement was five times larger than what the insurance company initially agreed to.

So will your insurance company hate it if you hire an public adjuster? You bet!  But if you want you a fair settlement from your insurance company, you must hire your own public adjuster.

1. After any calamity, the first thing to do is of course, is attend to the immediate needs of your family, making sure they are safe, have temporary housing, food and medicine.  Caution: do not attempt or let others enter your damaged property in the hope of rescuing possessions.  Even if the structure looks safe, fires may re-kindle, roofs could collapse, gas could leak, etc. Only after  your house was deemed safe, try to recover important documentation (driver licenses, SS cards, insurance information), valuables and essential items.
2. Call your insurance company and let them know about the property damage. Try to make an appointment with the company’s claim adjuster as soon as possible.
3. If you need to leave your house, contact the local police department to let them know, and try to secure your property to discourage looting.  Also, start saving receipts immediately, as you will need them to prove your losses to the insurance company.
4. Call a Public Adjuster as soon as possible. Public Adjusters represent the interests of the policy holder, while the claim adjusters sent by your insurance company represent those of the insurance companies. The services that the Public Adjusters provide can be crucial for the success of your claim. In exchange a small percentage of the extra money they can recuperate, the Public Adjuster will assess damages, will take pictures and will estimate the cost of restoring your property. Also, the Public Adjuster will negotiate with the insurance company and handle all paperwork. Being represented by a Public Adjuster and knowing you have someone experienced working for you will relieve you of many time consuming details at such a difficult time, while also significantly increase your chances of a timely and fair settlement.  Let’s put it that way: you wouldn’t go to court without a proper attorney. It’s the same with your house insurance – you need a professional to represent your claim to the insurance company.
5. Make an inventory of all damaged goods on the property and try to find the receipts for the items which were destroyed. Pictures of your undamaged home and possessions could also be useful.

6. Important: Don’t start cleaning the house or repairing the damages until both your Public Adjuster and the insurance company’s Claim Adjuster visited the house and documented all damages.

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.

Still, as the customer you have rights. You have the right to be fairly compensated for your losses. If your claim for property loss is being denied, there are things you can do. Don’t let your insurance company or their claim adjuster convince you otherwise:
- Be persistent. If you insurance company refuses your claim or covers only a fraction of your losses, don’t assume there is nothing more you can do. You can file a new claim. Make sure you keep accurate records of all the documents submitted and of your phone conversations. Also ask the insurance company to put in writing why they are denying or reducing your claim.
- Read your insurance policy. Many times, the insurance company will deny your claim for process errors such as the fact you didn’t fill the claim in a designated time window or you made mistakes completing the forms. To avoid this, read your insurance policy thoroughly and follow all the steps carefully. However, if you miss a time frame, and your claim is denied, doesn’t mean you should give up. The best thing you can do when your property loss claim is being denied, or the settlement is too small to cover your loss, is to hire a Public Adjuster.
- Hire a Public Adjuster (professional loss consultant). Good adjusters usually pay for themselves. Generally they charge a percentage of your settlement, so it is in their own interest to get you the best settlement possible. It is best you hire a public adjuster early in the process. But even if your claim was denied or not settled to your satisfaction, they still may be able to help. Public adjusters also relieve you of the duty of properly filling your claim and negotiating with the insurance company.

To find a reputable public adjuster in your area, check our public adjusters directory!

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.