The Tell-Tale Signs You Need a Public Adjuster

I’m always telling people to choose their battles. Whether it comes to your kids or other family and friends (or even work), there’s no need to be the devil’s advocate all the time. When it comes to a property damage insurance claim, it can certainly turn into a battlefield and it’s no fun. However, this is a battle worth taking on and it’s important to know what to do to minimize your stress and maximize your claim settlement which means getting what you are owed under the terms of the policy.

In this situation, it is always best to have a licensed professional on your side, especially when you are battling with an insurance company. You have the right to bring in a licensed public adjuster to represent your side of the claim. Here are a few of the tell-tale signs that make it important to secure the services of a claim professional:

• Documenting the damages. Most property owners don’t have the experience to recognize property damage or what to look for besides the obvious. An insurance company has an entire team of claim professionals protecting their interest – shouldn’t you? A licensed public adjuster is your team. A public adjuster is trained in policy coverage and most have worked at one time or another for an insurance company and therefore know the business from the inside out. A claim can quickly turn complicated and it will become crucial to have a knowledgeable claim professional on your side.

• Terms of your coverage. Some agents don’t even fully understand the terminology used and scope of the coverage they are selling, so how on earth are you expected to. Even just the basic terminology used in a policy is confusing and causes a need for interpretation. A licensed public adjuster is trained to interpret the coverage for you and decipher the exclusions and endorsements. This can be key to determining whether there is coverage or not based on the peril causing the damages. A denial of coverage is bad news and certainly deserves a second opinion of a licensed professional who works for you the policyholder.

• Who has time to deal with the claim process? You have a job and kiddos to run around. The last thing you need to add to your to-do list is an insurance claim. A licensed public adjuster does the work for you alleviating the stress and time from your plate. This is particularly valuable when you consider having to make yourself available for every adjuster meeting, inspection, and expert visit for viewing the property. The time it takes to document the claim and then navigate through the process is reason alone to hire someone to do it for you. This becomes especially certain when dealing with a fire or flood claim and having to put together an inventory of contents affected by the event.

• Insurance company is working at a snail’s pace. A property damage claim can become a lengthy process when an insurance company drags its feet and keeps you hanging. This can be especially frustrating when your property is a wreck or at risk of additional damage because of exposure. A licensed public adjuster can be the force behind pushing the claim through at a more reasonable pace.

A beating heart is the tell-tale sign that a public adjuster is needed when it comes to property damage insurance claims – the indicator, signal or sign that conveys the status of a situation. You’re not alone and life is too short to spend it fighting battles. Contact a licensed claim professional to evaluate your claim and help protect your most valuable assets.