A public adjuster can often be confused with an insurance adjuster, but there are very important differences that set them apart. A public adjuster works with you to file insurance claims and negotiate a fair settlement, while insurance adjusters are looking to represent the insurer’s liability and coverage in their best interest. Let’s dive deeper into the differences between an insurance adjuster’s, and a public adjuster’s pros and cons.
Difference Between a Public Adjuster and an Insurance Adjuster
An insurance company’s adjuster is only out to do one thing – save the insurance company money. You cannot trust them to look out for your best interest. Insurance adjusters are looking to represent the insurer’s liability and coverage in their best interest. They are not there to make sure you get a fair and accurate payment of the settlement, but rather to give you the least amount of money they can.
A public adjuster works for YOU (on your behalf)! We are property claims experts you can hire to file your insurance claims and negotiate a fair settlement. Our goal is to make sure you get the money that you deserve and to hold the insurance company to its promises.
Public Adjuster Pros and Cons
Now that we have quickly gone over the differences between a public adjuster and an insurance adjuster, let’s talk about the pros and cons of hiring a public adjuster.
Pros
Higher settlement
The biggest advantage to hiring a public adjuster is their ability to negotiate a higher settlement payout than if you were to file a claim alone. Unfortunately, insurance companies aren’t typically looking out for your best interest. Instead, they are more interested in collecting your premiums and giving you a claim that is far lower than what is fair in an effort to save more money.
When working with a public adjuster, you put pressure on the insurance company to negotiate fair payment because you are working with someone that can talk their language and fight for you. Typically, we get our clients 2-3 times more money than they would normally get if they handled the claim themselves. We have handled thousands of insurance claims so we know how to make sure you get a higher insurance settlement.
Guidance through the claim process
Insurance policies are confusing… and that is no accident. Insurance policies are full of legalese and professional language that is meant to decrease your level of understanding to deter you from a higher settlement.
A public adjuster can help you better understand your coverage. We help you read through your policy, determine your coverage, document everything you might have lost, and spot all the potential areas you might have missed. Most people who handle their claims themselves miss out on at least $10,000.00 or more because of misunderstood language in their policy.
Save you time
A vast majority of people never file a major property insurance claim in their lifetime, so when it comes time to file a claim for water, fire, or storm damage, most people don’t know where to start. Thankfully, that is why we are here to help, so you don’t have to be an expert!
Filing larger insurance claims can demand extra time and energy, and certainly cause more stress. With an already busy life between work and family, hiring a public adjuster can be well worth your time, money, and sanity. A public adjuster will inspect and assess your damage, and estimate the cost of fixing your damage in half the time you could’ve accomplished on your own. We do all the heavy work so you don’t have to.
Cons
Fees reduce payout
Most public adjusters are paid on contingency which is a pre-arranged amount. This means you will pay a small % of your settlement after the amount is confirmed. Your overall payout will be reduced, but keep in mind that while most public adjusters will take a small % of your insurance settlement, the vast majority of the time it is nothing compared to how much more you could be receiving from your insurance company. Our services pay for themselves many times over.
Some adjusters don’t handle small claims (but we do!)
If you have a smaller claim, you may be better off filing on your own. Some public adjusters may not be willing to work with you or don’t work with smaller claims at all. It’s important to have those questions answered from the start. At Fortitude we’re different! We are willing to work with your claim big or small.
Timing can delay the process
When is the best time to involve a Public Adjuster? The sooner the better. If you wait to hire a Public Adjuster until your claim is denied, the process can be delayed. Although we have no issues helping with denied claims or disputing a settlement, we rather get it done right the first time! As we mentioned above, hiring us right away can speed up the process. Insurance companies are great at getting policyholders to agree on things that ultimately hurt them financially. We help prevent this!
Recap
Overall, there are many benefits to using a Public Adjuster like reduced time and hassle in the claims process, but the biggest advantage by far is – more money in your pocket. Public Adjusters are here to work for you!
Not sure what to do before a property damage insurance claim? Unsure if you are able to get a higher settlement? If you are interested in learning more, contact us today!
