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.

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.

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.