If you are like most people, you probably haven’t memorized the details of your home insurance policy. But these details are important in case your property ever suffers major damage as a result of a fire, flood or other disaster.
You probably don’t need to hire a public adjuster if your home suffers a small mishap, such as minor smoke damage from a stove-top fire. But you may want to consider hiring a public insurance adjuster if your home experiences more serious damage, such as flood damage from a pipe bursting. A public insurance adjuster can arrange for a survey of the damage, estimate its cost and help you file a complex claim. He or she will keep track of the countless phone calls with your insurer and attend meetings. He or she may also help you find new living arrangements if your home is uninhabitable.
According to the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA), most states require public adjusters to be tested and licensed. In addition, public adjusters must follow state guidelines that outline their job duties and the claims process. Public Adjusters aren’t allowed to handle bodily injury claims, car insurance claims or third-party claims (such as a trust or an estate).
Public insurance adjusters are the only property loss professionals who work on behalf of policyholders. Individuals and businesses hire public insurance adjusters when they need assistance initially filing a claim or feel a claim amount offered by an insurance company is incorrect. They commonly have prior experience in construction (and other related fields) and use sophisticated software to undergo an independent evaluation of a client’s property loss. Public adjusters aren’t just better equipped than the average policyholder to estimate the costs incurred from a property loss — they know exactly how to log and submit initial and supplemental claims and do this on behalf of a policyholder.
The process of evaluating, completing and submitting a claim for a policyholder is remarkably exhaustive. In the table below are item descriptions, quantities and costs pulled from an example of a property insurance claim form. It’s unlikely a policyholder would be able to complete a form accurately with a similar level of detail, especially since every property and claim are different.
| Item Description | Quantity | Unit Cost | Total Cost |
| Replace Plaster Ceiling | 165.00 SF@ | $14.50 | $2,392.50 |
| Replace Plaster Walls | 111.00 SF@ | $14.50 | $1,609.50 |
| Replace Partial Wall Insulation | 206.00 SF@ | $1.25 | $257.00 |
| Replace Drywall Walls | 328.00 SF@ | $3.00 | $984.00 |
| Replace Base & Trim | 52.00 SF@ | $7.50 | $390.00 |
| Replace Wood Floor | 165.00 SF@ | $10.50 | $1,732.00 |
| Replace Carpeting | 22.00 SY@ | $36.00 | $792.00 |
| Replace Window | 2.00 EA@ | $575.00 | $1,150.00 |
| Replace Framed Opening | 1.00 EA@ | $225.00 | $225.00 |
| Replace Radiator | 1.00 EA@ | $825.00 | $825.00 |
| Replace Electric High Hat Fixture | 4.00 EA@ | $190.00 | $760.00 |
| Replace Electric Outlet | 9.00 EA@ | $90.00 | $810.00 |
| Spray & Seal Walls | 437 SF@ | $0.75 | $327.75 |
| Prime Paint Ceiling & Walls | 601.00 SF@ | $0.55 | $330.55 |
| Paint Ceiling & Walls | 601.00 SF@ | $1.00 | $601.00 |
| Paint Trim | 1.00 LS@ | $249.00 | $249.00 |
If you decide to hire a public insurance adjuster, you’ll have to sign a contract with him or her. It will define what percentage you will pay to the adjuster out of your total settlement. If you have second thoughts, you may terminate the agreement within a certain period, generally 72 hours after signing.
The best time to hire a public adjuster is at the beginning of a big claim. That will allow the public adjuster the best opportunity to expedite your claim. If you didn’t hire a public claims adjuster and then find yourself in the midst of a claim nightmare, you still have the option to hire a public adjuster in the middle of a claim.
The examples and perspective in this article are the opinion of Claim Ally. Claim Ally Does Not practice law nor does it provide legal advice.
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