A Public Adjuster is someone fully licensed and experienced to help you with your insurance claims. A public adjuster is responsible for the following: collecting pictures, measurements,  reports, and all relevant documents in order to provide a realistic estimate on the total repair cost. On your behalf, the public adjuster will contact your insurance provider disclosing all the documents relating to your claim. 

What’s exactly Public Adjuster is and more about their earnings.

95% of Insureds never think about hiring a public adjuster as their insurance company rapidly sends their personal claims adjusters. The policyholder, in general, accepts this help as the claims are a complicated matter.

Remember:  An insurance company is an organization and they want and will try to pay as little as possible for your claims. Obtaining a full financial compensation to cover all the expenses is the best for you, not for the insurance.

What is The Role of Public Adjuster?

If your property suffers damages, your insurance will provide and send a professional that will “evaluate” damages without you needing to spend a dime and feeling pleased that they’re taking care of your situation. This professional is an appraiser, usually known as an “adjuster”.

An adjuster that’s is not related to an insurance company usually charges a fee or a small commission for contracted services. These appraisers are known as public appraisers and they are capable to help you filing and fighting your insurance claims.

A public adjuster can charge up to 20% of the compensation you’re getting from your property insurance. The expense of the public adjuster service is not included in your insurance coverage. Sometimes, after a disaster, your state’s insurance department could determine how much the maximum percentage a public adjuster can charge for their service.

If you decide that you are going to use a public adjuster service, be sure to check their professional background,  If you don’t know any reputable public adjuster your best bet: ask your insurance agent, a lawyer, relatives or associates for a recommendable adjuster. After a disaster, many public adjusters will try to contact you, try to avoid them it’s highly risky taking any of this door-to-door public adjuster. 

In short, Public Adjusters collects all the claims of the policyholder and together with engineers and inspectors, they examine all the damages that may be covered by the policy. After studying the policy, inspecting all the areas and identifying the damage, prepare an inspection report in which the claim is detailed and quantified.

How Much Public Adjuster Usually Charges?

A public insurance adjuster or public adjuster charges up to 20% of what they recover for their client. In a hurricane situation that becomes an emergency declared by the governor of Florida, is limited to only charge 10%. The contract must be written and give you rights and mention warnings.

The public adjuster you hire must have a previous experience with the type of claim you’re filing. There are very complicated cases like fire damage, water damage, and others where the regulation demands that they know how to handle the type of claim they’re representing. For that reasons, the top public adjusters are the ones that leave the insurance companies they’ve been working for.

In this way, an adjuster is the one who investigates and negotiates the adjustment of claims exclusively in the name of the insurer or the insured. When the adjuster acts on behalf of the insurance company it is known as an independent adjuster and when acting on behalf of the board, the claimant or the insured is known as a public adjuster.

To be an adjuster, a license issued by the Insurance Commissioner is required. In case of attorneys, they may adjust losses from time to time and you will not be considered an adjuster unless you act on behalf of a company, in which case, you need to have an independent adjuster’s license.

What is the Average Salary for a Public Adjuster?

A Public Adjuster handles every part of the claim, from explaining your policy and assessing the damages of your property to filing or resubmitting claims and negotiating with the insurance. Basically, he is your representative, which allows you to save time and problems during the claim process.

An average salary of a Public Adjuster is about $ 50,000 per year. However, their salary varies depending on the level of their experience. Also in which industry they are working, it’s all very variable. The salary of a public adjuster percentages usually changes over time.

Unlike an independent adjuster or clerk, you need to pay your Public Adjuster for his hard work. Usually, if they are independent Public Adjuster, he will take 10% to 20% of the final claim amount. If he is not well-experienced, he may take less commissions. (Anyway we highly recommend, don’t get the cheapest one, they might not be able to help you.)

And in case your property damage is particularly extensive, a most public adjuster will reduce the percentage they charge or set a limit.

You Received an Offer From The Insurer, Now What?

After the claim has been presented and the inspection and adjustment processes have been carried out by the insurer, they present the insured with a proposal with what the insurer estimates for their loss. At this point, the boards of directors should call an assembly to present the amount of the claim, the adjustment made and the offer received based on it. It is then up to the board to determine whether to accept the offer. If the offer is not accepted, one could try to negotiate again or take the appropriate action.

Who Pays the Public Adjuster and Why?

Usually, the policyholder is the one responsible to pay the Public Adjuster.  And his charges are based on a percentage of whatever a client’s insurance carrier eventually pays for the claim. Most of Public Adjusters get paid after the claim is settled.

How a Public Adjuster Makes Money?

A Public Adjuster hired by the insured to advocate on their behalf. Public Adjusters are certified by your state and you have the right to hire a public adjuster .same as your insurance company has their own.

In general, there’s no cost in advance and only benefits the insured. As the owner of  the house or business, if you have just experienced an event insured and the first one entering the process of claims, or even if you have already received money from your insurance, Our public adjuster service in Miami can be called to evaluate your claim independently and it will help you ensure that you are paid a fair and equitable amount for your loss.

In the same way, the Insurance companies have specialists in claims defending their interests you should have yours. There are times when the amount offered by the Insurance Company simply is not enough to cover the suffered damages. An adjuster will work initially “Free” until you get paid. Today, Public Adjusters do heavy work during the claims Process, which allows the owner of a home or business to focus on reconstruction and get their life back to normal.