FAQs

Licensed public adjusters are experts that evaluate and negotiate insurance policies on behalf of policyholders. Public adjusters are legally authorized to protect policyholder rights and negotiate with insurance companies on their behalf to settle claims and avoid situations where claims are denied or underpaid.

Many homeowners' first order of business after a storm is to assess the damage and determine what needs to be done to repair it. While this normally entails filing paperwork with their insurance company, there are a number of reasons why someone might decide to wait, including concerns about how it will affect their insurance costs. Alternatively, some people may be unsure who to contact to determine if they can fix the problem themselves. When it comes to submitting a property claim with an insurance provider, no matter which route a homeowner uses, there is a strict deadline.
Though legislation differ by state, in many circumstances it is close to a year, but in certain cases it can even be up to six years; this can also change depending on the sort of storm that hit, so it's advisable to thoroughly examine the policy rather than assuming someone has time. Furthermore, depending on the stage of the process, other deadlines may apply. Most insurance companies need a homeowner to notify them of a problem as soon as possible, but the definition is purposefully broad to cover a wide range of scenarios. Still, if the homeowner waits too long, the insurance company may not have enough time to make an accurate assessment.
There is normally a deadline for submitting paperwork, such as a list of everything that was lost and estimates for the value of the goods that were lost or damaged. As a result, it's critical for every homeowner to understand the various deadlines included in their policy. It's a delicate balancing act between insurance companies and individuals, which is why public adjusters can be so beneficial. While the victim understandably wants to wait until the insurance company gives them a quote on how much they will pay to repair their home, they also have a responsibility to mitigate the losses as much as possible and prevent further damage. If this is not done, losses may not be covered or the entire settlement may be discharged.
Homeowners have also been able to reopen old claims cases if they noticed a problem that occurred during the storm but was overlooked during the initial review. If the company failed to communicate properly, the case may be reopened to allow for a thorough investigation and payouts. Finally, if the homeowner believes their case was handled unfairly, they may be able to have their claim reopened, although this may be a time-consuming and costly process.

Due to the rarity of accidents, there is a lot of misunderstanding about what a public adjuster works  to maximize the amount of money a policyholder would receive from the insurance company.  Typically, the function boils down to a straightforward discussion; both the public adjuster and the  firm are familiar with the policy's provisions, therefore settling on the exact amount to pay out is the  responsibility of both the private and public adjusters. To accomplish so, the public adjuster normally  follows a sequence of measures geared to get the homeowner the most money from the insurance  company possible. 
‍1. Meet With the Victim. 
‍The initial meeting is one of the more visible stages a public adjuster will take, but it's critical to the  process's effectiveness. They'll meet with the property owner to establish a recovery strategy and go  over the policy details as completely as possible. They will give the property owner with a  compensation package (often a straight commission of the settlement) and assist them with any  paperwork that they may require. The public adjuster may also request that the property owner sign  documents authorizing them to negotiate on the owner's behalf if necessary. 
‍2. Conduct an investigation of the policy 
‍The adjuster will evaluate the limits and exclusions of the terms to figure out how much may be  recovered after a comprehensive assessment of the policy provisions and restrictions covered by  insurance; this can vary from state to state and even more between policies. The adjuster will also  look into local and state legislation, as well as decisions made by the state insurance office and any  other court cases that may have an impact on how policies and practices are implemented in practice. 
3. Gather Documentation
The adjuster will then gather as much information as possible from the  homeowner, including building estimates (if necessary), inventory documentation, and photos or files  depicting the actual loss. If the property is a commercial entity, the adjuster will also look into  business-interruption coverage, which could include revenue projections and forecasts of how much  money the business will lose while it is out of commission. The adjuster's job is to determine how  much of the owner's daily life has been disrupted by the storm, whether the property is residential or  commercial. 
‍4. Give the insurance company a presentation. 
‍After reviewing the policy and gathering all pertinent information, the adjuster will meet with the  property owner to discuss their findings and present the case as they see it. They will then submit the  claim to the insurance company for an initial assessment after it has been approved. 
‍5. Negotiation: 
‍The insurance company will most likely ask the adjuster for clarification on a few points, resulting in a  longer schedule. The negotiations will begin without the property owner present once the information  has been collected and submitted, but they should be kept informed of all developments. When a  claim is resolved, the information is returned to the owner, and the funds are delivered.

Losing a home can be a life-altering experience. Someone is not only displaced for the time being, but  they are also subjected to hours of paperwork and questions as they go back over their lives and try  to figure out what they had. The agent and adjuster, whether private or public, are at the heart of the process. Their job is to assist the homeowner as quickly as possible so that they can return to their  normal lives, but if the parties involved appear to be dragging their feet, it may be time to increase  the pressure. If their home insurance claim appears to be taking longer than it should, they can do the  following. 
‍1. Make contact with the agent. 
‍The first step in this procedure is to contact the case's agent and inquire as to why the claim is taking  longer than they believe it should (the normal time can vary since some claims involve a total house  loss or just the loss of a few shingles). If required, they should meet with the agent in person to discuss  the issues they are experiencing and to seek for assistance with the procedure. Ask them if they would  be willing to call the claims department for an answer or to start things going. Most agents love happy  customers and are here to help, so ask them. 
‍2. Consult with the Adjuster. 
‍An adjuster is the person in charge of assessing all property claims, and how quickly they work will  determine how quickly a claim is completed. Be frank; homeowners should question them directly  what element of the process is taking so long and what they can do to help possibly. They should offer  whatever resources are required, and then inquire as to what remains on their end. After that is taken  care of, homeowners should inquire about a general schedule for when the work will be completed. 
‍3. Speak with a manager. 
‍After speaking with their agent and adjuster, a homeowner should ask to speak with their immediate  managers and inform them of the target dates they were given. Tell them about any worries they  might have about the process, as well as any information you have about how it's going so far. 
‍4. Make contact with the government. 
‍Almost every state has an insurance department that holds insurance firms accountable for how they  handle claims and allows customers to register a complaint if they believe the company has not  behaved in good faith. Keep in mind that what a homeowner may perceive to be a lengthy, drawn-out  process may not be so in reality, so trust the government's decision. 
‍5. Take legal action if necessary. 
‍Although this should be a homeowner's last alternative, if they believe the insurance company is not  acting in good faith with their claim, they should see an insurance lawyer. If they discover the company  was careless or negligent, they may be entitled to further compensation and a settlement.

No, this will be regarded as a breach of your rights as well as discrimination against you for exercising your state-approved rights.

In most circumstances, closed claims have a few years to file a reclaim from the date of the event, as  long as the law allows. Assume you don't believe you were fairly compensated for your claims and that your damage settlements were undervalued. In that case, we can assist you in reviewing and  carefully auditing your claim, as well as providing professional advice on how to reclaim.

Although both the public adjuster and the insurance company adjuster are licensed professionals, they are unable to protect the interests of both parties at the same time. Insurance adjusters will always endeavor to settle a claim in favor of the insurance company because they believe it is in their best interests to pay undervalued damage claims. A public adjuster engaged by the policyholder, on the other hand, works solely to safeguard the policyholder's interests and rights, ensuring maximum claim settlements to collect the policyholder's damages.

The Florida Department of Monetary Services licenses and regulates public adjusters, who are insurance adjuster experts. Public adjusters can be hired for their expert advice and services to work exclusively for policyholders’ benefit.

A person can hire a public adjuster or any form of business owner, including an insurance company, to represent them. Once you've worked with a public adjuster to settle a claim on your behalf, you'll never go back.

According to survey data, claims filed with the help of a public adjuster have a higher probability of being approved and settled sooner. Involving Public Adjusters as soon as the damages occur is the best way to ensure hassle-free assistance and claims processed professionally and accurately for any policyholder.

A team of experts performs due diligence and assessments for claim processing, taking into account all financial and architectural evaluations and damages. We translate and decode the underlying meaning of your insurance plans and coverages in order to translate it in your favor. We play a key role in documenting, submitting, and negotiating the insurance claim settlement process on your behalf from beginning to end.

There is no necessity for a claim to be of a certain value; we treat all types of claims with equal significance and supervision. Where our services are required, we provide a free consultation and expert advice based on the type of damage and your insurance policy coverage.

The Florida Department of Financial Services administers and manages all fees. For public adjusting services, a percentage of the amount recovered from the insurance company is levied as a normal fee.

Yes, absolutely! Even though your claim was initially refused, you have the right to seek a second opinion. We can assist you in reopening your case and properly documenting it in order to get the insurance company to reconsider and pay your claim for damages.

We understand that reimbursement is based on the accuracy of the information provided in the damage reports as well as the speed with which the loss was responded to. We file the reports with great care, paying close attention to detail and staying current with the constantly changing legislation, complex guidelines, and, most importantly, the deadlines.