When should you hire a public adjuster? (And do you even need one?)

When disaster strikes, a public adjuster works on your behalf to file insurance claims. Insurers work for their company (not you!) and are incented to keep payouts low.

Homeowners and business property owners know there are some damages that are annoying but not end-of-the-world scenarios. These events cost something whether it’s money, time or both: a fence is knocked over, a garage door gets dented, a small leak is found in the bathroom.

And then there are true disasters where the damages are staggering: fires, floods, trees falling on buildings, ice storms, and even tornadoes. When these types of events happen, we are glad we have insurance. That’s what it’s there for, right?

But often, that’s when the real headaches begin. Insurers work for themselves (or shareholders) and they are not incented to payout generously. They don’t work for you, even if you have been a loyal customer for years.

In addition, complex claims are frustratingly difficult to navigate. If you have both ice storm damage (such a tree falling on your home) and flooding (from a nearby river that overflowed its banks), you will have to file separate insurance claims – and that assumes you have the right coverage in place.

If it sounds overwhelming, you are not alone. The deep complexity of the modern insurance landscape is why hiring a public adjuster can be the right choice. Below, I answer some common questions you may find helpful.

What does a public adjuster do?

Public adjusters are insurance experts, and they work for you. Our job is to get the highest claim payout possible. We find that insurance companies typically offer very low settlements to their customers. That’s when worried homeowners come to us, so we can review the case and negotiate for a higher payout. So, I should file my own insurance claim and then find a public adjuster later?

For the best outcome, I suggest calling a public adjuster before filing with your insurance.

Public adjusters will inspect your property damage, and we’ll dig into your insurance policy to see what you are entitled to. If the damage is new, we help secure the property by calling in trustworthy resources such as board-up companies. Our experts will search for hidden water damage from events such as floods, hurricanes, and broken pipes. If you have possessions that survived the disaster, we will preserve those items when homeowners are often still in shock.

We excel in creating a complete inventory of the contents of your property, down to the number of forks in a kitchen drawer. We estimate how much it will cost to fix the damage. Then, we take all of this information and start the negotiation process with the insurer.

In short, you can call us after you’ve already filed with your insurance company. But we always suggest reaching out to us first. Lean on our decades of experience. Believe me, we’ve seen it all.

What about small damages to a home or property?

For small cases, such as hailstorm damage or minor water damage, we suggest handling those on your own. Simple damage can be pretty straightforward.

But when there is a catastrophic loss and thousands of items to inventory, plus perhaps multiple insurance policies, a public adjuster should be your first call. Within a few hours, you will realize that your life has been turned upside down. You and your family may no longer have a home that is habitable. It’s an incredibly stressful time.

Letting professionals take care of filling out forms, chasing down answers, and communicating with the insurance company allows you to attend to your family, job, and other commitments.

What does a public adjuster charge?

Our fee is 10% of your insurance settlement. Since public adjusters are knowledgeable about how to pursue and negotiate claims, our settlements are usually larger than if a homeowner just goes it alone.

This was true for our client Vaios Theodorakos of Framingham, MA:

“Back a few years ago, I experienced a large water loss at my home in Weston. The first person that was sent out by my insurance company told me verbally my claim was around $150,000 which I thought was extremely low, so I called Justin for his assistance. I was very pleased at how efficient and knowledgeable he was. I certainly didn’t expect getting three times the settlement the insurance company offered.”

I already have a settlement offer and it seems really low. Is it too late for me?

If you have a recent settlement offer you have not yet accepted, please contact Grenier Public Adjusters. If you hire us, we may be able to re-negotiate for a higher payout.

How Grenier Public Adjusters can help

We’re standing by to offer guidance on when it’s the right time to hire a public adjuster. We’re also happy to review existing policies and provide recommendations. Please contact Grenier Public Adjusters at 774-239-6822 or fill out our contact form.