FAQs

The time for claims settlement can occur quickly. However, in terms of property claims the time could exceed up to a year. The type of loss that you have encountered is what the time depends upon. Things that influence the period include documentation preparation of your loss, policy coverage, procedures of claims for the insurance company, and the time to prepare the documentation to present to the insurance company.

Most policies are involved in the timelines that govern the process of the claim. There are deadlines specified to both the insurance company and the insured. However, policies have varied periods as far as deadlines are concerned. The amount of money you are seeking and the details of your loss are outlined in this statement. A 60-day proof of loss is required in some cases, by some insurance companies. In case the issue is unable to be resolved between an insurance company and you, there are other Alternative Dispute Processes (ADR). 

A person who is proficient in dealing with the issues related to insurance claims is known as a public adjuster. They are well versed in dealing with the insurance company on your behalf and assist in interpreting the specifics to you. This is the reason why people seek the services of the claims adjuster, as they help in resolving the issue. Remember – insurance companies have adjusters protecting their interests, so should you!

Adjusters can be categorized into three types. These are staff, independent, and public adjuster. If the adjusters in insurance companies are unable to manage the load of work, they hire services of independent adjusters. A public adjuster, on the other hand, works for persons and resolves their issues including claims adjustment.

A loss adjuster, private adjuster, private claims adjuster, public loss adjuster, private loss adjuster, and public insurance adjuster are all different terms for a public adjuster. These professionals work on behalf of you, the policyholder, and represent your best interests.

Like any other professional, there are certain qualities to look for while hiring Public Adjuster. These include a proven record of accomplishment and experience. The public adjuster that you have selected should have a team of professionals assisting those including appraisers and adjusters. You want an adjuster that is a bulldog.

Several people who work as public adjusters perform their duties based on likelihood. Usually, the public adjusters upon the final settlement offer charge a 10% to 15% fee. However, those public adjusters who have a significant amount of experience charge a higher fee, up to 20%.

While some charge on an hourly basis (other states), most work based on contingency. Public Adjusters do not charge the client unless they have recovered funds for the client. No recovery? No fee! A public adjuster must let the client know the fee structure to be followed on an upfront basis.

Public adjusters who have a specialty in dealing with insurance claims related to fire damage know that documentation is key. Where there is fire there is smoke, soot, heat, and the water used by the local fire department can cause fungi growth. A public adjuster’s first objective in preparing and analyzing policy your claim for filing with the insurance company is to assess the scope of loss to see how the policy language applies to the specific situations of your loss. The public adjuster should also obtain the services of industry experts such as a structural engineer, appliance and electronics technician, and smoke cleanup / restoration companies. These experts should be employed to properly formulate an accurate and comprehensive plan of action returning you to pre-loss condition.

A homeowners insurance policy includes the damage caused by rain, however, sometimes there have to be specific occurrences happen first, for the rain damage to be covered. An experienced public adjuster understands and knows how to work with policies with limitations.

Flood is never covered by a homeowners policy. Water that enters at or below the surface of the ground is typically the definition of a flood. There are flood policies offered by the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program).