Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS A PUBLIC ADJUSTER?

Public Adjusters are licensed insurance professional who solely represent policyholders after they have experienced a loss to their insured property. Public Adjusters are insurance policy and claim experts highly skilled in determining the scope and value of a loss.

Public Adjusters are highly regulated by the State in which they practice. The State requires they operate according to State standards and Statutes. Each State sets out its own requirements, however, all States require a Public Adjusters to pass a State administered exam and submit to fingerprinting and background check, as well as requiring them to be bonded.

WHY SHOULD I HIRE A PUBLIC ADJUSTER?

Public Adjusters help to value your loss, including building damage, personal or business property damage, loss of use, loss of income, business interruption and additional expenses; review your insurance policy to identify all aspects of coverage that may apply to your claim; present your claim to your insurance company; negotiate with your insurance company on your behalf; and settle the claim quickly and efficiently for the maximum amount you are entitled to.

An insurance policy is simply a contract between you and your insurance company wherein they agree to provide coverage against loss as described in the policy in return for your premium and compliance with all applicable policy provisions. Studies have shown that insurance policies are the least read of all contracts.

Have you read your insurance policy? More importantly, do you understand it?

Insurance is a unique financial transaction, and the claims process especially distinct in that the insurance company, who wrote the contract/policy, dictate what it says and attempt to dictate how it is to be applied to your loss; and then attempt to dictate what they are paying for, and how much they are paying.

Typically, insurance companies don’t just automatically pay-out on claims, their policy requires you to prove your loss before they have any responsibility of compensating you for your loss. Besides being in no rush to compensate you for your loss, they are selfishly motivated to pay as little as they can get away with.

Let’s face it, insurance companies are in business to make money. If they can delay your claim, underpay your claim, or deny your claim, it only adds to their bottom line. When a claim is reported, the insurance company assigns their own adjuster (oftentimes a team of adjusters) to inspect, assess, analyze, evaluate and place value on your loss. In other words, the insurance company, a party to the contract, qualifies and quatifies your loss, and expects you to trust that they are doing right by you. In any other transaction they call that a “Conflict of Interest”. Perhaps that is why insurance companies spend so much in advertising dollars to persuade policyholders and potential policyholders that they are “On your side”, or that “You’re in good hands”, or “Like a good neighbor”, they’re there.

Hiring a Public Adjuster eliminates the conflict of interest and levels the playing field. Without someone truly on your side, the odds are against you.

In regard to the insurance company’s adjuster or team of adjusters, it is not uncommon for insurance companies to assign multiple Adjusters to a claim. They may assign one Adjuster to handle the structure/building damage portion of the claim; a second Adjuster to handle the personal or business property damage portion of the claim; a third Adjuster to handle the portion of the claim pertaining to any additional living expenses, loss of use or any loss of income portion of the claim; and a fourth Adjuster to oversee the whole process. Note, it is also not uncommon for insurance companies to change-out or reassign adjusters to the claim at any time during the claim process.

The claims process can be overwhelming and confusing, especially if you don’t have the experience and expertise required. The insurance company has their team of Adjusters representing their interest, shouldn’t you?

HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?

Claim Consultation: Free without any obligation.

Public Adjuster Representation for Homeowner and Commercial Claims: We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t get paid unless and unitil you get paid. Our contingency fee is based on a percentage of the settlement money we negotiate and recover on your behalf. By law we are required to have a written contract.

Our fee is generally offset due to our ability to obtain a much better settlement than you would be able to get on your own.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO SETTLE MY CLAIM?

Because there are so many variables, it’s very difficult to say how long it will take for your specific claim.

Settlement time can range from a few days to a few months, it really depends on the efficiency of your insurance company. During the process we will maintain contact with your insurance company via telephone and e-mail correspondence while provide you status throughout the process.

Be aware that during a catastrophe, Insurance Companies’ processing time can slow down drastically due to the influx of thousands of claims. Because we understand the need to get your life back to normal, we make every effort to expedite the process.

HOW IS A PUBLIC ADJUSTER DIFFERENT THAN A REGULAR INSURANCE ADJUSTER?

Insurance companies have their own adjusters they send out to evaluate insurance claims, they are either called Staff Adjusters or Independent Adjusters. They are very different from a Public Adjusters. Staff and Independent Adjusters are paid by the Insurance Company, work for the Insurance Company and have the best interest of the insurance company in mind. Staff and Independent Adjusters have a fiduciary responsibility to their principal, the insurance company.

On the other hand, Public Adjusters work only for Policyholders, are paid by the Policyholder, and have the best interest of the policyholder in mind. Public Adjusters have a fiduciary duty to the policyholder, meaning, they have an obligation to act in the best interest of the policyholder.

I THINK I MAY HAVE AN INSURANCE CLAIM. SHOULD I CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY FIRST?

We encourage you to first contact us. Insurance companies keep a national database of claims filed. Even if you don’t have a claim or covered loss, an inquiry with your insurance company or agent can cause notations to be made to the database. Also, we encourage you to contact us first because there are a lot of things you might accidentally say that can cause your claim to be delayed or even denied. We can help you to avoid many mistakes.

MY CLAIM WAS DENIED. CAN YOU HELP ME GET IT PAID?

Yes! We help people like you who feel that their insurance claim has been unfairly denied. We will need to review your policy along with any and all correspondence between you and your insurance company, in addition to inspecting your property damage. It’s free and without any obligation. Please be aware that insurance policies do contain time limits and restrictions, therefore, time is of the essence, so don’t hesitate to contact us.

THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT OFFER ME ENOUGH TO REPAIR THE DAMAGES. CAN YOU GET ME MORE MONEY?

Yes, that’s what we do! First, we will review your claim, including its payments, scope, estimates and correspondence, and provide you with a no non-sense evaluation. Then we advocate on your behalf, taking on the hassle, stress and time-consuming process so you can focus on your family, job and other life events. We work on a contingency basis and get paid based on a pre-agreed percentage of the monies we negotiate on your behalf. By law we are required to have a written contract with you.

WILL MY INSURANCE COMPANY BE MAD AT ME FOR USING A PUBLIC ADJUSTER?

You have every right to have a Public Adjuster represent your interest in the claim. Any negativity the insurance company has about you hiring of a Public Adjuster most likely will be expressed to your Public Adjuster and you won’t have to hear about it. We are professionals and we don’t take it personally.

CAN MY INSURANCE COMPANY DROP ME OR WILL MY PREMIUM RATE GO UP IF I FILE A CLAIM?

Typically, insurance companies will not drop you just because you file a claim. However, if you forget to pay your monthly premium, engaged in fraudulent behavior or increased the risk they initially insured, it is likely they will cancel your policy and/or increase your premium.

Non-renewal is when the insurance company elects not to renew your policy at the end of its term. The insurance company can decide not to renew your policy for any reason, besides personal discrimination (race, age, sexual orientation, etc.). It is a business decision, just as it is a business decision for you if you elect to shop for a different insurance company or for better coverage or a for a better premium rate.

A premium rate increase or non-renewal generally occur because the insurance company views you as a “high risk” customer. For example, you have filed too many claims.

CAN I MAKE MINOR REPAIRS TO STOP FURTHER DAMAGE?

Yes. You have a duty under the policy to mitigate your damages by protecting the property against further damage. Please take pictures or video before making any repairs. Please call us before undertaking any repairs to make sure you are not doing anything that will negatively affect your claim. Also, remember to keep all receipts for supplies and repairs, for reimbursement purposes.

SHOULD I GO AHEAD AND HIRE A CONTRACTOR TO COMPLETE THE WORK?

We recommend you first call us to discuss the hiring of a contractor. Storm chasing contractors can be wonderful, helping to quickly deal with massive amounts of damage during a catastrophe, but they can also be scam artist who do shoddy work and move out of town quickly. Give us a call and we can help decipher if they’re reputable or not.

I HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO REPAIR THE DAMAGES TO MY PROPERTY, CAN HE/SHE REPRESENT ME AND SETTLE MY INSURANCE CLAIM TOO?

Restoration contractors are an essential part of the recovery process, however, they cannot represent you to settle your insurance claim. These contractors are experts in repairing your property, however, lack the expertise of handling an insurance claim. Unless they are a licensed Public Adjuster they cannot legally represent you on your claim. Attempting to do so would be considered the Unauthorized Practice of Public Adjusting, which is against the law.

A contractor’s authority is limited to providing an estimate for repair, replacement, construction, or reconstruction of the property, and conferring with the insurance company’s representative about the damage to the property after a claim has been submitted by the policyholder. They are prohibited from preparing the claim for the policyholder, reviewing and discussing the insurance policy, as well as advising, advocating and/or negotiating on behalf of a the policyholder or in any way advertising that they can.

ARE YOU AN ATTORNEY?

No, we are not Attorneys. We are license Public Adjusters. As licensed Public Adjusters we are authorized to handle first party insurance claims only. A first party insurance claim is where the Policyholder makes a claim against their own insurance policy for damages sustained to their insured property.

Note: Our founder, Stephen “Steve” Mullins does have a Law Degree (J.D., Juris Doctor), however, he is not a licensed Attorney, nor is he acting as one. Statements made herein are not intended to provide legal advice, but instead are based on opinion and/or experience and expertise as a Public Adjuster only.

DO I NEED TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY?

Whether you want to hire an Attorney or not is entirely up to you. Because Public Adjusters are experts in determining the total scope and value of losses, when a policyholder hires an Attorney to help settle a claim, it’s not uncommon for a Public Adjuster to be hired by the Attorney for their expertise in these areas. Most insurance claims are settled without the need of an Attorney, saving you both time and expense.