Going Public
A public insurance adjuster could help you get what you deserve.
Got an insurance claim for property loss or damage? Consider
retaining a public insurance adjuster to handle the claims process
on your behalf.
Typically paid based on a percentage of the settlement, public
adjusters (as opposed to insurance company adjusters) work for the
insured, handling all the paperwork and other steps involved in
filing a claim, says David W. Barrack, executive director of the
National Association
of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) in Potomac Falls,
Virginia.
"They'll review the policy and make sure the
policyholder gets what is due," Barrack says. "There may
be instances where the public adjuster might find more damage or
file for more than the insurance company adjuster may."
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What's more, public adjusters have skills and knowledge that
you may not have in-house. And because the circumstances
surrounding the claim may be traumatic, a public adjuster will be
better equipped emotionally to tackle the claims process
quickly.
Even if you have not suffered a loss, you may want to establish
a relationship with a public adjuster before you need one. This is
especially true if you're in a high-risk area or industry. If
the unthinkable happens, you'll know exactly whom to call
first.
Jacquelyn Lynn is a freelance business writer in Orlando,
Florida.