People suffering damage from a hurricane will be grateful if they have homeowners or windstorm coverage and flood insurance. Filing claims for major damage, however, can be a full-time job. You have to document every loss. Then you negotiate a fair settlement. Any missteps you take can lead to a lower payout. That’s why you should consider hiring a public adjuster for hurricane insurance claims.

Help for Hurricane Insurance Claims

Report it to your insurer right away if you have a claim. This way they can send out their adjuster. Keep in mind that insurance company adjusters represent the insurer’s interests. Public insurance adjusters, on the other hand, represent you. They are professionals that will manage the claim for you for a fee or percentage of the insurance payout. Their job is to get you every dollar you are entitled to receive.

Public adjusters typically work on claims that are large and complex. It can be challenging to recover after a hurricane since it usually means filing claims on different policies. Let us say the wind rips your roof off and the flood waters rise, flooding your house. You will need to file homeowners or windstorm and flood hurricane insurance claims.

You may also face tricky questions like this. How much of the water damage was due to rain coming in through the torn-up roof? How much was due to flooding? Any water damage that is related to the roof would go under your homeowners or windstorm policy. Any flood damage would go under your flood insurance policy.

It wouldn’t make sense, however, to hire an adjuster over a few damaged roof shingles. It’s also better to handle the claim on your own if the damage exceeds your insurance limits. The insurer, in cases like these, would likely pay the maximum amount the policy allows.

The National Flood Insurance Program policy payout max is:

  • $250,000 for the structure
  • $100,000 for personal belongings

Individual homeowners and windstorm policy limits will vary.

Professional Help, Not Miracles

It takes more time and energy than most people realize to file large hurricane insurance claims. Public adjusters are there to help level the playing field. They know how to:

  • Document claims
  • Interpret the policies
  • Argue for a fair settlement

They can’t, however, perform miracles. They can’t extract money you aren’t entitled to receive under the policy from the insurer.

How to Find a Good Public Adjuster

Public adjusters can vary in their quality and experience, so make sure you choose carefully before hiring one to help you with your hurricane insurance claims. Here are a few tips:

  • Look for adjusters in your area using the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters.
  • Verify that the adjuster is licensed in your state. Most state insurance departments let you verify licenses online.
  • Check to see if any complaints have been filed against them with the Better Business Bureau.
  • Ask for references. Check at least three of them, if you can.
  • Read the contract. Make sure you understand the fees before you hire the adjuster.
  • Don’t hire anyone that demands the fee upfront or pressures you to sign a contract. Disasters tend to bring out scam artists.

At Aftermath Adjusters & Consulting, we work with our clients to help them get the highest payout possible according to their policy. If you’ve suffered hurricane damage, give us a call. We are here to help you with your hurricane insurance claims.