Public Adjusters can get you 2-5 times more money on your property damage.
If you are looking for an adjuster to help you with your insurance claim, the difference between an independent insurance adjuster and a public adjuster can be very confusing. The professional roles these two play in the claims process are quite opposite.
Independent insurance adjusters are paid by insurance companies to adjust the claim on their behalf, whereas public adjusters work for insurance policyholders to help with many of the complex provisions and processes involved with a typical insurance property claim.
Many claimants hire public adjusters to help document, expedite, file their claim, and to assist them through the entire claims process. Most importantly they represent the policyholder to the insurance company to ensure that the claim is handled fairly, quickly, and with maximum financial restitution.
Consider turning to a public insurance adjuster when one or more of the following conditions exist:
- You don’t have the time to deal with the demands of the insurance company.
People already have full lives. They work and have family commitments and may not want to deal with the stress of trying to get a claim processed and paid. - You don’t understand your policy.
Insurance contracts can sometimes be confusing documents leaving individuals unsure of their coverage. Turning to your insurance agent for clarifications can sometimes help. But if you cannot understand your policy, consider asking a public adjuster like DTL Global for help. Most reputable public adjusters will review your loss with no obligation. - You don’t have the expertise.
Filing an insurance claim (especially with extensive and complicated damages) can be daunting. Get help if you are confused and avoid mistakes that might affect your settlement. - Your damage is extensive.
Severe property damage creates a variety of complicated claims issues. Claims that you are due under your policy and certain types of damages can often be missed. Certain expenses may also be placed in the wrong claims categories. Identifying hidden structural damage, valuing your loss properly and accounting for possessions and valuables can impact the value of your claim. - The insurance carrier is offering a quick payoff.
Insurance company research shows that the quicker a policyholder gets paid-off the happier they are. Unfortunately, what appears to be great customer service can be sometimes be an attempt to get rid of a claim and get you to settle for less money due to the stress and desire to “get it over with.” Our only advice here is to take your time and make sure you are protected. You should not be rushed or forced to sign anything until you understand the true impact a claim can have. - The insurance carrier appears to be delaying your claim.
This often happens when major catastrophes create claims log-jams. In many cases we have seen insurance companies fly in adjusters from out of state who do not understand state law. In all states, insurance carriers are required to respond to you and process your claim in a specified time period. If you are getting the run-around, get help. - The insurance carriers settlement offer appears to be inadequate based on your coverage.
Unfortunately, insurance company adjusters and carriers do not always act in the best interest of their policyholders. They are in business to turn a profit and may value damages to your property differently than you. Or they may determine that you are not covered for some of the damage. Sometimes offers will not even approach the value of restoring the damaged property. This is where an expert who uses the same estimating software as the insurance carrier and understands insurance policy language can help. - Your insurance claims adjuster is discouraging you from hiring a public insurance adjuster.
Insurance claims representatives that are afraid to deal with a licensed professional may be a red flag. You should be the only one determining if hiring your own public adjuster makes sense and is worth the cost.
At DTL Global we represent you, the policyholder.
DTL Global conducts business as a licensed practitioner in the insurance industry, focusing its resources, knowledge and experience on the Property and Casualty line of insurance. As public adjusters, currently we are not allowed to adjust, Life, Worker Compensation or Auto insurance claims. However, a licensed public adjuster is the only professional besides an attorney who has the authority to assist homeowners and business owners with their insurance claim. According to researchers at the American Association for Justice (AAJ):
- The U.S. insurance industry takes in over $1 trillion in premiums annually.
- It has $3.8 trillion in assets, more than the GDPs of all but two countries in the world (United States and Japan).
- Over the last 10 years, the property/casualty insurance industry has enjoyed average profits over $30 billion a year (American Association for Justice, 2007). Titled, “The Ten Worst Insurance Companies in American”, the goal of this journal was to shine light on some growing trends among some of the largest insurance companies. One particular trend where our business is concern is evidence of adjusters who represented companies like All State, State Farm and Farmers use of delay and deny tactics when it came to resolving claims (American Association for Justice, 2007).
