Types of Adjusters

Within 24 hours you should have been contacted by an adjuster assigned to your loss by your insurance carrier. The adjuster will either be a Company Adjuster or an Independent Adjuster subcontracted by your insurance company. It's very important for you to understand what the adjusters responsibilities are. They are to control your claim, minimize the damages and to protect the best interest of the company. You don't have to think hard to understand this is big business.

Companies deal with thousands of losses country wide on a daily basis. If each adjuster can save just one dollar on each claim that would translate into hundreds of thousands of dollars saved for the company. Unfortunately that is the claims climate today and the principal reason Property Adjuster Associates came to be. We've talked about how important knowledge of both construction and insurance coverage is in other sections of this web site. It's also important to know what you're getting from your insurance company.  

Most adjusters are Multi-Line Adjusters. This means they handle claims in all lines of insurance. The typical day for an adjuster may be writing an estimate for damages to your vehicle, taking statements concerning your accident and auto liability, working on a workers compensation claim and also writing an estimate on the damages to your home.  Clearly these adjusters can't possibly know auto body damages, the extent of injury in a Workers Compensation Claim and how your home should be rebuilt. What ever the case may be, all adjusters have limited or no actual hands on experience. All must pass a State Licensing Exam in their state of residency but there is not one question regarding construction on this test. Anyone looking to get into the adjusting field must have a college degree with no experience necessary.

We believe all contractors should be licensed by their state of residency and that adjusters should also pass that same test before writing estimates on your building. We have no control over what you do. Contractor licensing is looming in the near future. Click on this link www.monster.com and you'll be taken to a web site. Click on insurance and check for yourself the qualifications of an adjuster.  I realize this is something you might not want to hear but as advocates of the policyholder and your home being your biggest single investment in your lifetime you owe it to yourself to know and find out what your about to deal with. 

Public Adjusters are licensed by the state to protect the interest of the insuring public. They must have a minimum of 5 years property adjusting claims experience. If there wasn't a need we wouldn't be here. Whether or not you choose to have Property Adjuster Associates represent you, you'll find this web site to be informative.