Questions You Should Ask When Hiring a Public Adjuster

From experience, we can say that we never want you to have to ask yourself whether or not you need a public adjuster’s assistance. This would mean that you need assistance filing a claim, or you need someone to review a claim you’ve already filed because you don’t feel it’s being handled properly. At any rate, we don’t want you to be in a position to have a claim in the first place. That’s beside the point. What should you think about asking an adjuster if you’re interviewing or meeting one to help with your claim settlement?

1. “Do I need a Public Adjuster?”
   1. Again, we wish you never need our services, but if you find yourself in a situation where you’ve filed a claim and are questioning your settlement offer, we’re here to help you. Your insurer will send an adjuster, but this person provides the insurer with an estimate of the cost to repair the damages to your property. This person is being paid by the insurer and may underestimate your damages. At any rate, it’s a great idea to have someone on your side to help you estimate the pricing for repair from an unbiased point of view. A public adjuster is a great compromise, you’re probably going to get a better settlement and you shouldn’t pay anything out of pocket unless you get an increased settlement.
2. “How long have you been public adjusting?”
   1. It’s okay to start somewhere, we’ve all been there. You may want to know if you’re hiring someone new to public adjusting, that they have the support of a team, or are an established public adjusting professional. If you’re working with someone who’s learning the business as part of a team, you may be safe, but if this person is beginning this line of work and you’re their first claim with no team to support them, it may not be advisable to use their services.
3. “Do you have a team?”
   1. A single public adjuster, even though they may be the MacGyver of public adjusters, can only be so knowledgeable, whereas a team of adjusters can pool their experiences and knowledge to fill in any potential gaps in their experiences. This could lead to an even better outcome for their client.
4. “Are you licensed in my state?”
   1. Someone who is not licensed in your state can be breaking the law and putting their clients at risk, and there’s no proof of their competence in public adjusting.
5. “Have you worked with mortgage lenders?”
   1. Owing money on your mortgage doesn’t stop because you have a pending claim on your property, but having a public adjuster that understands the intricacies that it takes to work with the demands of a mortgage lender in a time of loss, need and uncertainty is an advantage.
6. “How many claims do you handle at once?”
   1. If your claim is caused by a natural disaster, it could be difficult to find a public adjuster who can give your claim the individual attention it deserves or needs. A qualified public adjuster would be able to give you an idea of how many claims they’re working on and the level of care they can give to your claim if it’s in the mix.

If you’d like to have Gables Insurance Recovery review a claim, or give you a secondary estimate on the value of your claim. Our team is highly qualified and will aggressively pursue your claim by presenting objective findings and negotiating your settlement.