What exactly is a public claims adjuster? A claims adjuster is an independent professional claims handler/claimeds adjuster who recommends to the policyholder/insured of their insurance claim in helping to negotiate and/or reviewing that claimed’s insurance policy. This role is one that goes above and beyond the traditional claim submission process that most insurance companies have in place. It is a more important position and requires training specific to the job.
Claims consultants are not licensed insurance agents, policyholders or agents. They do not make medical referrals nor do they manage any aspect of the claims process. They are, however, knowledgeable about and familiar with many aspects of the insurance process, including the legal process of securing insurance settlements in general. Some public adjusters work as claims consultants only.
Claims consultants are extremely useful to policyholders in the following situations: When a claim has been submitted to an insurance company and has not yet been processed, or When the claims process has been started and has yet to reach a level where a settlement can be reasonably reached. What is the point of contacting a public adjuster in the first place then? The answer is very simple: if the insurance company has not begun the process to settle your claim, what is the point of contacting a claims consultant in the first place? This line of defense can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in excessive payouts to uninsured or underinsured motorists.
Although this may seem to put the onus on the policyholder to get in contact with a claims adjuster when necessary, it is often the case that the majority of homeowners will not have any role in the process beyond being an observer. These homeowners typically represent themselves at the time of the claim and, although they will most likely be asked to sign a written document stating that they understand the contents of the policy and acknowledge that they have read the entire policy, they will not have any role in actually negotiating a settlement. When homeowners choose to simply ignore the request for their assistance, a public adjuster may be called upon to intervene between the policyholder and the insurer.
Policyholders are advised not to take for granted that the job of the public adjusters is purely a rubber stamping job. There are many occasions when policyholders have been unable to reach settlements with their insurance companies because of the persistent nature of these requests. In order to avoid having their requests ignored, policyholders must learn how to properly negotiate with the company in order to ensure that they receive the largest amount of settlements possible. Policyholders must also learn how to speak with the NFA insurance adjuster in such a manner as to make the representative of the insurance company feel comfortable that the request for assistance is legitimate.
What is a public adjuster works best when a homeowner has not only made the initial claim on their homeowners insurance policy, but has yet to actually live up to the coverage provided. When this is the case, the adjuster will work to make sure that the claim is processed through all of the channels that should be used. Policyholders are often directed to call the same insurance company that made the original claim in order to complete the claim. Unfortunately, each company’s customer service representatives are often much less friendly than one would hope for. Therefore, if a homeowner wants to ensure that their next claim is processed properly and to make sure that they receive their full amount of compensation, they need to work with an independent insurance agent who can help the homeowner navigate the claims process with the company that they do business with.
Policyholders should be aware that they have other options available to them in the event that they have problems with their insurance company. Private claims are also possible. This process involves contacting a third party company to help with the recovery process. If a homeowner agrees to this arrangement, public adjusters will stop working for the insurance company. Instead, they will work with a third party claims adjuster to handle all matters related to the process. If the policyholder still decides to file a claim, they will do well to make sure that they contact the appropriate adjuster in their state.
When it comes to what is a public adjuster, every homeowner can benefit from having someone available to guide them through the claims process. This person can save the policyholder time and money by handling the complicated claims process. These employees can be an asset to both the homeowner and the insurance companies. To find the right independent agent, consumers need to take the time to do some research and find one with years of experience in the insurance companies business.
