Being a public adjuster comes with a lot of questions! And rightfully so—it can be confusing to understand exactly what, how, or why we do what we do. Especially when most people who come looking for a public adjuster have likely been through a horrible experience with their insurance company, and as a result, they’re usually feeling a little skeptical and on edge.
But we promise, we are here to help! When you’re looking to hire a public adjuster, asking them some questions before signing a contract will help you feel at ease. You want to be sure that they can actually help you, have experience with your case type, and are transparent about pricing and their expertise.
Questions to Ask When Hiring a Public Adjuster
Do you have experience with claims like mine?
While many public adjusters have plenty of experience in the industry, not all public adjusters are specialists in every type of claim. For example, some may have more experience with fire damage, while others might specialize in flood or storm damage. Most public adjusters will likely have handled every type of claim at some point, but you may want to dig a little further and find out just how much they know about your specific kind of claim.
You can even go a step further and ask them if they have experience working on cases that involve your specific insurance agency or policy. If so, they’ll be able to provide even greater expertise than you may have originally thought.
Do you have the time to address my claim with intent?
This is an especially important question to ask during the busy time of the year! (Like right after a major snow storm, for example.) The reality is that public adjusters are often handling several cases at one time, and can therefore be extremely preoccupied.
You want to make sure that you’re getting the attention and care that you need, so, in order to protect your best interests, don’t be afraid to ask a public adjuster if their schedule is simply too packed to take on another claims case. Having a public adjuster that is stretched too thin can result in the process taking longer, the adjuster cutting corners, or having them give up and accept a smaller settlement than they should be.
Can you provide me with some references?
It’s okay to not want to take everything a potential public adjuster is saying at face value. If it makes you feel more confident in your decision-making, then ask for some references! More specifically, ask if you can get a list of claims he or she has handled in the past three years, along with letters of recommendations from previous clients or firms.
Some public adjusters move around a lot and hop to different companies. While there may be a good reason for this, other times it can be a sign they’re trying to make it hard to track a history of bad work. Once you get these references, don’t be afraid to take it a step further and contact up with the previous clients/employers directly to make sure they’re being truthful.
Can I stay involved with the process or do you handle it all?
This is a great question to ask to get some clarity about how the public adjuster you are talking to handles their clients. At Fortitude, we invite the policyholder to be as involved or uninvolved as they like. We understand that some people want to use the opportunity to learn about something new, while others are just going to trust us as experts and let us go to work. That is really up to you.
Of course, there are boundaries to this. You will never be able to be completely removed from the process, as we are going to need information from you along the way to keep things moving. At the same time, having too much involvement could end up slowing things down or having to do things over again. We find that there is a nice balance in the middle of getting good involvement from our clients without being too overbearing that gets us the best results.
(Note: If an adjuster tells you that you are not allowed to know the details at all, or that you can micromanage them as much as you want, they are probably someone that you want to avoid hiring.)
What is the percentage, and why is it worth it?
No matter how awkward you feel about it, never be afraid to ask the public adjuster their rates! Every public adjuster charges for their services a little differently. For example, some charge based on the type of claim it is, others just collect a flat fee, while some will bill you by the hour.
Here at Fortitude, we charge based on a % of the settlement that you receive from the insurance company. We do it this way because that gives us the incentive to try and get you the highest insurance settlement from your insurance company possible, and ties us straight to the results we are getting you. (This means if we don’t get you a higher settlement, we don’t get paid!)
However, we understand that this isn’t for everyone. Some of you might prefer one of the other methods we listed above, and that’s okay! That is why this question is an important one to ask before you get into any agreement.
Got More Questions? Contact Fortitude
Finding the right adjuster could be the difference between a successful settlement and one that ends up failing. At Fortitude Public Adjuster, we have a knowledgeable team of experienced adjusters who understand the complicated ins and outs of the claims process. Whether it involves combing through your policy’s fine print or gathering documentation, we will do whatever it takes to get you the money you deserve!
Have more questions, or would like to see if Fortitude is the right fit for your unique claim? Then contact us today for a free consultation! Regardless of whether you end up working with us or another adjuster, we want the hiring process to be as easy for you as possible.
