How will a public/private adjuster help me?
A public adjuster, also known as a private adjuster, acts as your advocate with the insurance company. Your public adjuster will compile cost estimates for your damages and argue with the insurance company to get you more money. A public adjuster knows all of the lingo, the policy contract, the process, and procedures as well as your rights and duties. You won’t have to deal with the aggravation that can happen in an unfamiliar process.
Will it cost me money?
You don’t have to lay anything out of your pocket when working with Armor Adjusting. We charge on a percentage of what we collect for you. If we don’t get you any money then we don’t get paid. The incentive is there for us to work as hard as we can. It will likely cost you more without having a public adjuster as there’s a very good possibility that your insurance company will short change you for your damages.
Will my insurance company get mad at me or penalize me for hiring a public adjuster?
You have a legal right to hire a public adjuster. The insurance adjuster may get a bit annoyed or they may actually prefer to deal with a public adjuster. A public adjuster knows the lingo and is familiar with the process so it may end up saving time for the insurance company’s adjuster. The insurance company’s adjuster may get annoyed because they may have to go back & revise their estimate of damages so it becomes more accurate. You should not be penalized merely for hiring a public adjuster.
Why won’t my insurance company tell me I can hire my own public adjuster?
The insurance policy is a contract and that contract doesn’t require your insurance company to inform you that you can hire your own adjuster. Often when someone hires a public adjuster, it will end up costing the insurance company more to settle the claim so that may be a possible explanation.
I have damage to my home or business. What’s the first thing I should do?
The very first thing you should do is ensure the safety of all people and animals in your house – even if it means getting out of the house. While your possessions may have great value to you, your loved ones are worth more and irreplaceable. Once everyone is safe, you should take the necessary steps to prevent further damage and then take photographs of what caused the loss and the damages. Nowadays, photographs can be taken with phones at no cost. The more photographs-the better. After that, you should contact a public adjuster who can report the claim for you and take it from there.
How long does the process take?
There is no straight forward answer to how long the process will take. There are many variables involved in claims handling. Some variables are the workload of the adjuster for the insurance company, the availability of insurance company adjusters, the complexity of the claim, and the total value of the claim. The claim can take anywhere from a few days to months to settle-depending on these variables and others.
Will my rates go up or my insurance get cancelled if I put in a claim?
This is a question best asked of your insurance broker or agent. There are many factors that will decide the answer to this. Some factors could be your claim history, the size of the claim, or the prior condition of your home. You pay insurance premiums so your insurance company will reimburse you for covered damages. Therefore, it is our opinion that you should be getting the service for which you pay. Otherwise, you are paying for something that you don’t use.