When You Should Hire a Public Adjuster?
The state of Florida is known for its inclement weather, especially during hurricane season, which means homeowners will often experience some type of property damage. Whether your property has been the victim of wind, flood, fire, smoke, hail, or any other type of damage, you’ll need to put in a homeowners insurance claim so you can be properly reimbursed and get everything repaired.
The best way to make sure your claim goes smoothly is to hire a public adjuster instead of relying on the one assigned by your insurance company.
What Is the Role of a Public Adjuster?
It could be said that the role of a public insurance claims adjuster is to make your life a lot easier. To put a finer point on it, once you hire a public adjuster, the adjuster will work with your insurance company and handle the claims process for you.
They will keep you updated throughout the process and will make every attempt to maximize your final insurance payout. The public adjuster can also assist you with any disputes if the payout isn’t as high as you expect or if the claim is denied for any reason.
Although your insurance company will assign its own insurance adjuster, it’s often better to use an independent one.
Here are a few reasons why you should hire a public adjuster separate from your insurance company:
You Have a Sizable Claim
The truth is that any level of property damage should go through a public adjuster just to make sure everything is handled properly. However, this is even more important with large claims because they’re typically more complex. Plus, the larger the claim, the more likely an insurance company will attempt to avoid paying out the proper amount for your claim.
Confusion About the Policy
No one expects you to be an insurance expert, but you at least need to understand the details of your policy. If you’re not sure if certain items are covered because your policy doesn’t make everything entirely clear, contact a public adjuster. They’ll go over everything in layman’s terms so there’s no confusion on your part.
No Time to Deal with a Claim
No matter how much property damage you’ve experienced, the claim process can be quite time-consuming. If you don’t have time to deal with it or simply don’t have the energy, hiring a public adjuster will solve your problem. They will take over the entire process and keep you informed as things progress.
Ineffective Insurance Agency
Insurance companies will sometimes drag their feet once you’ve made a claim. If you’re afraid your insurance company is ignoring you or the claim process seems to be taking longer than it should, a public adjuster can run point for you and help you settle the claim. Even if you’ve already been dealing with the insurance company for a while, you can hire an adjuster at any time.
How to Find a Great Public Adjuster
If you’ve decided to hire a public adjuster (which you should), then you’ll need to find a good one in your area. Here are some tips that will help you locate a reliable adjuster:
Check License Status
A public insurance adjuster must have the proper licensing in order to be in business. If you’re feeling a bit apprehensive, go to the state’s Department of Insurance and check on their license status.
Years of Experience
There’s no hard and fast rule of how many years a public adjuster should be in business for you to work with them, but more is obviously better. If they don’t have a lot of experience, be sure to follow the other items on this list.
Ask for References
Any reputable public adjuster will have absolutely no problem turning over a list of references. A good strategy to ensure variety of references is to ask for references from past clients that have had different claim types on their property.
Check Online Reviews
These days, you can find online reviews for pretty much every business in existence. Visit popular sites like Yelp or type in the public adjusters business name along with the word “review” into Google and you’ll most likely get multiple hits.
Review Their Website
Whenever you’re dealing with a business you’re not familiar with, it’s always a good idea to review their website to gather more information and to see what they stand for. You’ll be able to get an idea of their history and personality, in addition to their level of professionalism based on how the website presents itself.
Contact Property Protectors
If you’re looking to hire a public adjuster you can trust, look no further than Property Protectors. It is our goal to ensure you get the rightful payout for your claim. We’ll work directly with your insurance company, so you can focus on other responsibilities while your claim is handled properly. If you have any questions, call (800) 658-1943 today to schedule a free consultation.
“THIS IS A SOLICITATION FOR BUSINESS. IF YOU HAVE HAD A CLAIM FOR AN INSURED PROPERTY LOSS OR DAMAGE AND YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PAYMENT BY YOUR INSURER, YOU MAY DISREGARD THIS ADVERTISEMENT.”