Homeowners like you should never deal with unnecessary stress aside from the stress that’s already given to you by a recent unfortunate event. No matter if it’s caused by a fire, flood, or even by a burglar, such a setback should never be compounded by another stressor. If your house is insured against such losses, filing a claim with your insurance company should be as smooth as possible. But just how do you ensure such a thing?
The answer lies in the expert assistance that homeowner claims public adjusters can offer. A public insurance adjuster can, on your behalf, file for compensation from your insurance company and negotiate for the highest possible amount. This can be a tricky and painful experience if you don’t know what to do and if your public adjuster won’t perform some critical things relevant to your insurance claim.
Here are five things that your chosen public adjuster should do for you:
1. Assess if your losses merit compensation.
The public adjuster that you will hire should conduct a thorough and honest assessment of your losses to determine if they merit compensation. For example, property damages due to a fire incident don’t automatically merit compensation if the fire is intentional or due to the property owner’s recklessness. Your public adjuster should conduct such an initial investigation to check whether or not your claim has any chance of being approved by the insurance company.
2. Prepare repair cost estimates.
Once your adjuster determines that your losses are meritorious, he or she should help you prepare a cost estimate of all necessary repairs (or in case of theft, how much you should be paid by the insurance company as contained in your policy). This is a critical step since undervaluing or overvaluing the repair costs could negatively affect your claim for compensation.
3. Inspect your home with a representative from your insurance company.
During the inspection, your adjuster must be accompanied by a representative from your insurance company. This is also important since your insurance company is entitled to its own investigation as regards your claim. While your adjuster works for you, the company has the legal right to send its authorized personnel for an independent investigation to determine whether or not your claim has merit and if your cost estimate is justifiable.
4. Negotiate with the insurance company.
This is where your adjuster’s skills will come into play. A great insurance adjuster won’t be swayed by what the insurance company dictates but instead negotiate for terms that serve the best interest of the policyholder. In short, your adjuster should work hard to get the highest-possible compensation as stated in your policy.
5. Facilitate the release of compensation.
Finally, your adjuster should see the eventual release of the agreed-upon compensation. Depending on your agreement, your adjuster could get a certain percentage of the total compensation or just charge a fixed amount as a fee for the services that he or she has rendered.
Make sure to first inquire with your adjuster if all of these things are included in the services that you will receive. If so, then you’re at least assured of great service from your adjuster as these things also serve as great indicators of a skilled insurance adjuster.