Unless you have personal experience regarding insurance claims and have the time to go through the complex process, then it’s best to entrust the entire procedure to the Public Adjuster. After battling through a hurricane or tornado, for example, the last thing you would probably want is having to appeal to the insurance company to give you a higher settlement.

Public Adjusters are licensed professionals who know what to look for when going through the extent of your damage, which becomes the basis of the preparation of the claim package. The same will be used in negotiations with the insurance company. You, on the other hand, can take care of other things or comfortably get back to work while waiting for your settlement check.

Aside from sparing you the time and stress, the Public Adjuster will definitely get you more money than if you do it personally. Study shows that Public Adjuster representation can multiply your insurance claim at an average of 8 times more than its original value. This fact shows that a Public Adjuster will work really hard to give you the best settlement there is. Remember that insurance companies have people that will convince you to accept the lowest settlement. Hence, it’s only right to have a Public Adjuster do just the opposite.

The Florida Department of Financial Services rules that Public Adjusters can only get up to a maximum of 20% of the insurance claim. Under a state of emergency, the fee is fixed at no more than 10% for the 1st year.

The law also states that the Public Adjuster’s fee should be based only on the claims made after the contract. Meaning, if the insurance company already gave you $5,000, but the Public Adjuster was able to negotiate for another $15,000, the latter’s fee will be based only on the $15,000 paycheck. In the end, you still get a much bigger settlement compared to the original claim value.

You, the policyholder, will pay for the Public Adjuster’s services, though it will not come directly from your pocket but from your settlement check. Once you receive payment, the Public Adjuster will then bill you for his services. It’s unethical for Public Adjusters to require payment before or during the claim process.

The primary difference is to whom they work for and where their loyalty lies. Independent adjusters are contracted by insurance companies to settle claims on areas that are too far from their office location or if there is a substantial increase in insurance claims.

You have to be careful when dealing with an independent adjuster or the insurance company’s staff since they are tasked to offer you the least payment possible within a short period of time. These people are dealing with multiple clients, thus they do not have the time to fully assess your damage claim.

On the other hand, a Public Adjuster has your best interest at heart. They will go over every detail of your claim and prepare a strategic approach so you can get a fair settlement. Public Adjusters advocates for the Policy Holder (homeowners)

Once they receive your claim request, the insurance company will assign a field adjuster to inspect your damage. They will ask you a series of questions, take on-site photos and measure the damaged area.

First of all, make sure that your answers are based only on facts. Do not make any assumptions as this can lead to erroneous information, which can be unfavorable to you. Secondly, field adjusters handle multiple clients at a time, hence they tend to oversee some of the more intricate details of your property, such as custom-made flooring or fancy woodworks, which contribute much to the damage cost. Lastly, field adjusters are no expert in construction work, so they may underestimate the extent of your damage.

On the contrary, a Public Adjuster will do a separate and thorough inspection, and prepare a detailed report on the extent of your damage. They will personally lead the field adjuster so that all points of the damage are covered.

Insurance adjusters will analyze your answers and thus, every mistake on your part may lead to a reduction in your settlement. They will do their best to exclude damages that they consider to be beyond the scope of your insurance policy. Therefore, factual answers are crucial. It is best to say you don’t know instead of voicing out an opinion.

This is another reason why hiring a Public Adjuster is a must. They will do all the talking for you, thereby protecting you from being misinterpreted.

You may be repeatedly asked the same questions throughout the course of the claim process, and any inconsistencies can become grounds for a lower settlement or an outright denial.

The insurance will require a recorded statement to check for inconsistencies.

According to the Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights, the insurance company has a maximum of 30 days to take action on your damage claim. Within that period, you should receive a statement whether you are getting full or partial coverage, or if your claim is totally denied, or if your damage is subject for further inspection. The law further states that within 90 days, you should receive full payment for the undisputed part of your claim.

Take note, however, that the insurance company is only obliged to pay for the undisputed part of your claim within that 90-day period. The rest of the claim usually takes a lot longer, or it could just be denied. These are the foremost reasons why the assistance of a Public Adjuster is a must.

They sure are trustworthy people, but their loyalty lies with the insurance company that pays for their salary.

In summary, per the Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights:
1) Your insurance company must send you an Acknowledgment of your insurance claim within 14 days after you submitted the claim.
2) Within 30 days after you have submitted a complete Proof-of-Loss Statement, if requested in writing, your insurance company must send you confirmation that your claim is covered in full; partially covered; denied, or being investigated.
3) Within 90 days, you should receive full payment, payment of the undisputed portion of your claim or a written denial of your claim. Please note, if there is dual
interest in the claim,i.e. your mortgage company may be a party, this payment may be submitted to both parties.