Public Adjuster - Duties

Duties

The public adjuster's main responsibilities are to:

• Evaluate existing insurance policies in order to determine what coverage may be applicable to a claim
• Research, detail, and substantiate damage to buildings and contents and any additional expenses
• Evaluate business interruption losses and extra expense claims for businesses
• Determine values for settling covered damages
• Prepare, document and support the claim on behalf of the insured
• Negotiate a settlement with the insurance company on behalf of an insured
• Re-open a claim and negotiate for more money if a discrepancy is found after the claim has been settled

Typically a policyholder hires a public adjuster to document and expedite their claims, obtain a more satisfactory claim recovery, more quickly, and completely restore their residence or business operations, and insulate themselves from the stress of engaging in an adversarial role with a large corporation. However, the cost of hiring outside experts, no matter how well-earned, can be an added burden when they are borne entirely by the policyholder. The added burden can be alleviated by the work of a public adjuster. However, policy holders who are not properly indemnified by their insurance carriers may be left with little choice but to hire professional assistance to recover the claim payment to which they are entitled.

Public adjusters must be able to recognize claims that may be insubstantial and disputable and explain such problems to the client. The everyday meanings of terms like "collapse", "partial collapse" and "extent of physical damage" might be entirely different from their legal interpretations, requiring the adjuster to clarify such terms for the client. Regulations regarding the uses of these terms are constantly in a state of flux so it is important for public adjusters to have a firm grasp of the law including the division of legal responsibilities between insurance companies and policyholders.