If your business or home property got damaged, there will be a lot of processes for claims. In order for you to navigate properly to get enough amount of claims and benefits, it is best to hire a professional to do it for you. A lot of property owners hire public adjusters to have someone negotiate on their behalf, process their documents for claims, and get a better amount from their insurance. Having a public adjuster saves you from stress and time-consuming issues. It also produces a better settlement for your property.
If you have decided to hire a public adjuster, then you should know that not all public adjusters are the same. Choosing and hiring the right public adjuster for you can be hard. How will you know who is the best and which one will give you the best results?
Public adjusters have different experience levels, each has handled different situations and types of claims. Hence, you should know how to choose the right public adjuster for you.
Below are the things you should consider when you hire a public adjuster.
Do not hire the first adjuster you will talk to: Check your options. We understand you want to settle your claim right away, but you also need to find the right person to negotiate and process it for you. Do not hire the first one that comes to you.
Check their license status: Public adjusters are required to be licensed. Ask for their license to make sure you are talking to a professional and that they have a good standing in what they do.
Ask about his experiences: Every situation is different for property damages. You should be able to know if he has the capacity to handle your situation. Ask him about his experiences and if he has handled a situation like yours.
They should follow laws: In other states, it is against the law if a public adjuster contacts a homeowner or business owner within 48 hours of an incident. You can call them if you need immediate assistance but they cannot come to you voluntarily. If someone comes to you immediately without you asking for their help, question their legality and check their motives.
Ask for references: Ask if he has references you can call. Calling references is a great way to know if your public adjuster is good with clients. If your public adjuster is confident with his abilities and has nothing to hide, he will give you references. If he or she does not want to give you anyone to call, consider it a red flag.
Promising without checking is a red flag: What do we mean by promising without checking? It is when a public adjuster keeps on making too many promises without even reading or studying your insurance policy first. A good public adjuster will negotiate on your behalf with all his or her will to get a reasonable amount for you, but he or she will not make silly promises without checking your policy. A good public adjuster knows to keep his feet on reality.
Check their website: It is good to work with a public adjuster you can trust. Check and review the information written on their website about experiences, successes, testimonies, and stories. If they do not have a website, try to think twice.
Review online feedbacks: If they have a website or social media pages, check the feedbacks that their clients give. Check if there are identifiable complaints or praises, then you can proceed with your decision to hire them or not. Having reviews like Yelp and other platforms makes it easier for customers to know if the company is really good or not.
Percentage of his share: Most public adjusters charge 5% to 20% of your share, but if he asks for less than 5% then something is up. Consider it also a red flag if he asks for too much. Check the laws of your state, there usually laws stating how much an adjuster can charge.
Beware of local contractors: There are situations where a local contractor will come to homeowners and then make a deal of filing the claim on their behalf and then fix the damage. This is a bit alarming because as a homeowner you need to sign something that lets them take over the settlement check. They will get the money from your insurance and then fix your property, but the problem is if they will spend less on fixing the damage. It will be substandard work causing problems in the future. Be careful and make sure you have control of your claim.
The public adjuster wants you to sign on the spot: If a public adjuster is pressuring you to sign the contract he has upon first meeting, think twice. You need to read and understand anything before you sign it. Consider it a red flag if your public adjuster is pressuring you.
Ask how long your adjuster is in the industry: It makes the process easier and less stressful for you if you are confident with your public adjuster. If he has been a public adjuster for quite some time, then check if he has a good reputation.
Your comfort: The most important thing is that you are comfortable with your public adjuster. You are the client here so if you are uncomfortable with your public adjuster, trust your intuition.
If you are a homeowner who suffered damages because of water, fire or storm, or other causes, do not hesitate to call us. We have licensed and experienced public adjusters who will handle your claim and negotiate for you. We want to make sure that our clients are compensated fairly, hence, we do our best to get the best settlement offer.
Our public adjusters from LMR Public Adjusters are highly trained and experienced.
Our services include:
We are here to assist you with your claim. Contact us at (954) 603-7174 to get started.
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