Why Hire a Public Adjuster?
Your world can be turned upside down the day of a loss and you may be completely overwhelmed by the destruction of your home and consumed with concern for the well-being of your family and pets. You more than likely have more questions than answers and don’t know where to turn. You need professional help.
Insurance can be a complicated issue. However, there are lots of professionals out there who can help with your claim, including a public adjuster. Lots of people don’t know what a public adjuster is or what their role is during the claim process. A public adjuster is a claim professional who advocates on behalf of the policyholder/insured when negotiating and settling a claim. A public adjuster is required to be licensed by the Department of Insurance (in most states) and is trained to inspect the property and then correlate the damages to the terms and conditions contained in the policy to come up with an accurate estimate. They have no official relationship with any insurance company so they work exclusively for the policyholder. They understand the tricks of the trade in the insurance industry and know how to read your policy and grasp what your coverage is.
The insurance industry is taking advantage of insureds who just don’t know there are claim professionals out there who work solely on their behalf. Until you get a professional to represent your side, it’s all just a chess match and you’re the pawn. The public adjuster’s goal is to be thorough and not leave any money on the table which then goes straight back into the big insurance company’s pocket.
It takes a real claim professional to properly adjust and estimate a claim and negotiate a full settlement based on the terms of the policy. And, when you find the help you need, they might just settle in like an old friend would settle into your chair.
Make Sure You’re Protected
Many people find themselves in a situation where they have paid money to their insurance company for their homeowner’s policy for years, yet when they have a claim, it is either denied, or the payout is so small that it doesn’t provide any appreciable level of assistance. When this happens, it is time to hire a public adjuster, someone who works on your behalf to make sure that the insurance company gives you the money that you deserve. Without these individuals in place, a lot of people find themselves cheated by their insurance companies, the same companies that they have paid money to every single month for some years.
The best way to make sure that you’re protected is to ensure that you hire a public adjuster as soon as you have an insurance claim. Granted, you probably don’t need to hire one if you only have minor damage and you can easily continue to live in the home while you are dealing with the insurance company, although it’s certainly an option to hire one in any case. However, if you find yourself in a situation where you can no longer live in the home until extensive repairs are made or if the house needs to be rebuilt, you are putting yourself at significant risk by choosing not to hire a public adjuster. You can bet that the insurance company has some adjusters working on your case, all of them working on behalf of the insurance company.
This means that you need someone that understands the same rules and regulations as those adjusters, someone that can function on their level without having the insurance company in their back pocket. This is one of the only ways to ensure that you get all of the money you deserve on a significant claim. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a situation where you aren’t getting the money you need at all, or it isn’t coming quickly enough for you to rebuild your home. Many people have found themselves in this type of limbo, and it has turned into a nightmare that can last for months or in some cases, even years.
Things You Don’t Know About Public Adjusters
Most of these individuals have worked for an insurance company at one time or another. Most of them used to work for an insurance company and grew tired of watching that company constantly short-change the policyholders. Those who are in business as public adjusters made the decision some time ago that it was time to work on behalf of the individual who has already suffered enough hardship, to begin with. This gives you an added advantage because they know exactly how the insurance companies work. This gives them the upper hand when it comes to ensuring that you get all of your money.
Public adjusters can also advise you when it comes to whether or not you should agree to do something the insurance company is asking you to do. Frequently, insurance companies will ask you to sign certain documents that may mean that you are effectively signing over your rights before you are paid in full. Someone that isn’t involved in the insurance business might not fully understand this. When you have a public adjuster on your side, you can simply hand the document over to them, and they can explain to you whether or not you should sign them, not to mention the course of action that you should take next.
Summary
When you have a significant insurance claim, the last thing you need is to have more problems with the insurance company. You need the claim to be paid out quickly so you can get the home repaired or replaced and move on with your life. Hiring a public adjuster is one of the most effective ways to accomplish this goal. Understanding the intricacies of their job can help you better understand exactly how they can help you and why you should never file a significant insurance claim without their assistance.
