Public Insurance Adjusters: 7 Commonly Asked Questions Answered

When you take the sensible precaution of arranging insurance to protect your assets or possessions you have a reasonable expectation that your insurer will cover that loss when you make a claim.

Unfortunately, many insurance companies will attempt to minimize the payout and even try to refuse the claim if they can find a reason within their terms and conditions that allow them to avoid a payout.

That is why it makes sense to use public insurance adjusters, who will fight on your behalf to get the best possible financial outcome.

Here are some of the typical questions asked when using public insurance adjusters.

What does a public insurance adjuster do?

They are a third-party insurance representative who acts on your behalf, the insured person.

A public insurance adjuster usually takes payment for their services in the form of a percentage of the winning claim they achieve on your behalf.

What is the difference compared to an independent insurance adjuster?

The fundamental difference between a public insurance adjuster and an independent insurance adjuster is that the latter works for the insurance company, not for you.

Both work on a similar basis in terms of acting as a third party who has been asked to analyze an insurance claim.

Can an insurance adjuster fulfill both roles?

It is feasible for a person to be licensed as a public and independent insurance adjuster.

However, for obvious conflict of interest reasons they can be both of these things when assessing each individual claim.

They either act for you or the insurance company, depending on who has instructed them.

In what way can a public insurance adjuster help you?

Their role is to prepare a claim properly for you so that you can achieve the best settlement possible when you submit your request to your insurer.

They also help negotiate a settlement on your behalf with the insurance company. This often helps as they understand all the rules and terms and conditions applicable.

Without using a public insurance adjuster you may not get everything you are entitled to if you pursue a claim on your own.

Can they get you more money?

Ultimately, a public insurance adjuster cannot get you more than you are entitled to under the terms of your insurance policy.

However, they can often help you get a higher settlement of what is permitted within the terms of the policy. This is because they know how to submit the most detailed and valid claim so that you get the chance of a higher payout.

What does it cost?

A public insurance adjuster charges a percentage fee for your settlement. This is typically around 20% but can vary between different providers.

Can fees vary?

The percentage fee will usually be lower when a claim is made as a result of a state of emergency being declared.

If you are unfortunate enough to be impacted by a natural disaster, like a hurricane, the fee is usually lowered to about 10% in that scenario.

Using a public insurance adjuster to help you file and pursue an insurance claim could be a smart move. They are very adept at achieving a higher settlement figure than you may have got if you claimed without their assistance.