With the widespread property damage after Hurricane Michael, many property owners will seek out assistance and advice for their insurance claim. A question they frequently ask is why they should hire a public insurance adjuster.
Before we answer that question, let’s explain what a public adjuster is and does. In layman’s terms, Public Adjusters are state licensed professionals, trained on property insurance loss adjustment. They are exclusively hired by policyholders and assist in preparing, filing, managing, and negotiating insurance claim settlements, for an insured loss. Here are a few key benefits to hiring a public adjuster after Hurricane Michael.
Fighting Your Claim
You need someone who understands the technicalities of language in policies. Public adjusters also negotiate for the best settlement on your claim with the insurance company. Finally, they make sure the process is done correctly and professionally.
Experience and Skills
Understanding your insurance policy requires more experience and skills than handling a math problem. However, you do not have time to acquire these skills. Insurance claim handling is both an art and a science. Different adjusters all have their own way to estimate losses. In the aftermath of a storm like Hurricane Michael, many adjusters come in from other states. They help handle the thousands of insurance claims. This can be problematic especially if the adjuster is not as knowledgeable of the specific laws and regulations of the State of Florida. They do not know how it governs the payment of property insurance claims.
Avoiding Mistakes
Identifying and accounting for possessions and valuables are all parts of the claim. Although tedious, it is necessary for placing value on the loss. Not receiving an adequate settlement for your damage is often a result of making one mistake when filing your insurance claim.
Quick Payment After Hurricane Michael
Generally, policyholders are happy when paid quickly. Hindsight, however, is always 20/20. Don’t let your insurance company force you into a settlement that is too low simply to receive a payment faster. This is a tactic that public adjusters see every day. They can negotiate an upfront payment while moving the claim process along more quickly. This gets the money in your hands faster.
Network of Contacts
An experienced public adjusting firm has many contacts such as plumbers, contractors, roofers, mold or remediation firms. Use the resources of an experienced public adjuster to handle the intricacies of your insurance claim settlement after Hurricane Michael.
The public adjuster, by acting as an advocate for the policyholder, managing their expectations, and getting claims settled fairly, is a vital link in the insurance claims process. Many homeowners think their only option is to hire an attorney. While this is an option, Aftermath Adjusters and Consulting settles most of our claims without an attorney. If needed, we have names of experienced property insurance lawyers.
The bottom line is that homeowners have plenty of options for protecting themselves during the insurance claim process after Hurricane Michael. Don’t shortchange yourself. Call Aftermath Adjusters today.
