Excerpts from an Article By Dana Dratch • Bankrate.com
I found this article by Dana Dratch some time ago and found myself re-reading it to see if things have changed within our industry and how it is viewed by those looking at us from the outside since it was written back in 2008. Dana does a good job of explaining when and why you may want (or not want) a Public Adjuster to handle your property damage claim with your insurance carrier. Dana gives his, and other’s opinions of the times when it may be best to have someone on your side.
Dana writes:
Public adjusters assume all of the duties necessary to get your claim processed, including making an inventory of the loss and presenting your case to the insurance company. A good public adjuster has experience in the industry and will understand your contract and the company’s responsibilities right down to the fine print. In exchange, a public adjuster receives a percentage of your claim.
“For the most part, people like using (a public) adjuster because they like the idea that someone is working on their behalf versus someone working on behalf of the company,” says P.J. Crowley, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute.
There are also a few other instances when it could be practical to hire a public adjuster:
- You’ve sustained a partial loss. Half the house burned down. Now you’ve got to document which of your possessions survived the fire, which burned and which are damaged beyond repair.
- You don’t have the time to follow up on your claim. Whether you’re a two-income couple with kids or a busy professional who travels frequently, filing a claim and following it through will take time, especially if you don’t have a record of your possessions and their value.
- You had loved ones injured or killed in the incident. If you’re spending your days at the hospital or mourning a family member, you may not even want to think about the claims process.
- The loss is business-related. Rather than assign an employee to handle the claim, some companies will outsource the job.
Read more: Do you need your own claims adjuster? http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/do-you-need-your-own-claims-adjuster–1.aspx#ixzz1g2haTmE7