Independent Vs. Public Adjuster: What’s The Difference?
If you’re dealing with an insurance claim, you’re probably under a lot of pressure. Whether you’re battling destruction from a huge fire, hurricane-related water or mold damage, or pondering if you received a fair deal on a recently resolved claim, understanding the insurance process can be difficult. So, if someone knocks on your door and claims to be an independent adjuster, that had to be a positive sign? Well, while engaging with a third-party claims adjuster is an important aspect of the insurance claim process, not everything is as it appears. And before you agree to work with an independent adjuster, you need to know the differences when comes to independent vs public adjusters.
Definitions
An independent adjuster is named as such because he or she is not directly hired by the firm, business, or organization in dispute, but rather by a third party that focuses on homeowners or other sorts of insurance payouts. A claim is adjusted by an independent adjuster in favor of the insurer, but not as a staff of the insurer. When an insurer contracts a third party, the claim, and the adjustment procedure are outsourced to a claims-handling business, which then assigns it to one of their adjusters.
Insurance adjusters are in charge of determining the degree of damage to a house following an event such as a fire or a hurricane. In return for payment, public adjusters assess property losses on behalf of policyholders and assist them in filing reimbursements. They are qualified experts that work for individuals and businesses rather than insurance firms, and they may save you a huge amount of money by ensuring that your insurance carrier pays the entire amount due under your coverage.
What Does an Independent Adjuster Do?
While an independent adjuster will provide you with a free quote of your damages, this does not imply that they will labor for free. Your insurance company pays them to guarantee that general claims are reasonable and that the insurance company doesn’t overspend for any losses. These adjusters may claim inexpensive replacements, for instance, if they can’t see what brand of household appliances you had. You might not even realize it if you’re not paying careful attention to the claim process.
When Does Hiring a Public Adjuster Make Sense?
Anyone thinking about submitting a property insurance settlement should consider employing a public adjuster, particularly if the claim is significant. As a policyholder, you have nothing to lose because many public adjusters will come to your home for free to assess the extent of the damage and whether or not you should make an insurance claim. When adjusters visit a house or company, they frequently discover that their damage estimate is far lower than it should be. Public adjusters are experts, and it’s doubtful that they’ll leave out charges that a policyholder is unaware of in their estimations.
If you require the services of a claims adjuster, Stone Claims Group is here to assist you. From catastrophe claims to fire damage claims and more, our team of trained public adjusters will fight for you. Because we employ all of our adjusters in-house, the individual who visits your home or company will be your private adjuster, not from a third-party vendor.