Public Adjuster -v- Independent Adjuster

“What’s in a name? That which we call an adjuster, by any other name would smell as sweet.” Is the Shakespearean equivalent to the difference between a public adjuster and an independent adjuster? Why? There are so many variations and all states have different rules and regulations to govern adjusters, so let’s begin to elucidate the matter:

An Insurance Adjuster is the name that encompasses all “adjusters”. Within this large category, there are finer concentrations that we’d like to break down. Many states use different nomenclature for an adjuster, like:

• Property and Casualty Adjuster
• General Lines Adjuster
• All Lines Adjuster

And those names all belong to insurance adjusters that work on behalf of an insurance company. An insurance adjuster is not a private investigator but is a person who, for whatever reason, engages in business, or accepts employment to furnish or make available the investigation of a loss or damages in connection to a claim against an insurance policy. To that end, an insurance adjuster investigates an insurance claim to obtain all necessary information to adjust the claim for or on behalf of an insurer.

There are also categories that break the “adjuster” name down a bit more:

Staff Adjuster, or a company adjuster, is a full-time adjuster for an insurance company. Their employer will assign them to investigate and adjust insurance claims that are filed against their policies. They’re like an old-timey investigator for the insurer. A lot of the time they act in the best interest of the insurer, they help and sometimes minimize liability in hopes to minimize the settlement offered to the insured.

An Independent Adjuster is a little bit of a cheeky name and in some ways an inaccurate descriptor. Very similar to the “staff adjuster” an insurer pays an independent adjuster to act as their contracted representative to adjust a claim on their behalf. They, like a staff adjuster, tend to look after the interest of the insurer. An independent adjuster can work for multiple companies at a time, meaning that they go where they are needed. An independent adjuster is hired when a staff adjuster can’t handle the number of claims that they must process, if there is a need for a highly specialized adjuster to handle a particular claim, or if they do not have a sufficient amount of staff.

Then you have the Public Adjuster, which is where Gables Insurance Recovery lives. We come in to assist in the handling and fairness of your claim. Another name for this segment of “adjuster” is “Private Adjuster”. A public adjuster is similar to an independent or staff adjuster, we investigate and adjust insurance claims. However, we work for the policyholder and not the insurance company. Our goal is to maximize your settlement offer from your insurance company.

So, why should you hire a public adjuster to review your insurance settlement? In most states, you can hire a public adjuster to maximize your settlement. In some cases, a claim filed, whether it is a business or homeowner’s insurance claim, can be a walk in the park, but in others, it can be an all-consuming process. Very easily this can become a draining process. Using a public adjuster could mean less stress when you work with an adjuster. Insurance carriers are businesses with shareholders who expect them to leave nothing on the negotiating table. A Public Adjuster levels the playing field. If your insurer has an adjuster, you should have one as well. Our Gables Insurance Recovery Adjusters are here to help you against unfair treatment and settlement offers from insurance carriers.