Public adjusters are involved in your insurance claims when you are not satisfied with the monetary compensation that you want or needed or it could even just be if you don’t understand your policy. They are there for you even if it’s a small or big issue. Sometimes, they will reach out to you especially after a natural disaster, but it is advised that you should conduct your own research and find the best public adjuster for you. Some of the things you can look for in a public adjuster are:

1. LICENSING. You want an adjuster with an active public adjusting license because that’s how you know they are legitimate in their business and in what they do. Find out if their license is active through the Department of Insurance, if not, ask for their license.
2. ORGANIZATIONS. This shows that they are hardworking and are involved with other organizations that can help them be better public adjusters. Those who are involved and hardworking are the ones who will do everything they can to grow in their field.
3. REVIEWING POLICY. A reputable public adjuster will sit you down and look thoroughly through your policy before making decisions and promises to settle your claims. It is important to take notice of this because you don’t want to be hiring an adjuster who gives you false hope.
4. NECESSARY FEES. A public adjuster is recommended to disclose their fees in a written contract in many states. Find out if your state is obligated to do this because if you are, they are not allowed to go over 10% of your settlement claim.
5. LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE. Another good indicator for finding a top notch public adjuster is to look at their website. You get the sense of who they are, what kind of claims they deal with and visit their reviews section. The reviews section help you determine the kind of business and person they are. It is helpful in the sense that you can tell the kind of person they are because you want to be working with someone who is nice, respectable, professional and values your time.
6. THIRD-PARTY EXPERIENCE. If you know someone who has had their fair share hiring a public adjuster, speak to them. Talking to them may help you decide on choosing the right and best public adjuster. In fact, they may even refer you to their public adjuster and can tell you the experiences they have had with them.
7. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. If you’ve found the one but want to make sure, contact them and ask them questions like, “how long you have been a public adjuster?” or “what are your experiences in the type of claim that I have?”

Choosing a public adjuster is difficult because you want what’s best for yourself and that is all that matters. Be sure to take into account of all the things mentioned because that is what will pave you to the road of a great public adjuster!

Consumer Guide to Public Adjusters by Serafin Martinez on Scribd

References

NCDOI