Hiring a public adjuster to handle your property damage claim makes a difficult time much less stressful and has a direct impact on how much you ultimately collect from your insurer. The claims adjusters who work for your insurer are highly-trained professionals who determine how much your covered loss is worth. Keep in mind, though, that they make their determination from the insurance company’s perspective. A public adjuster represents your interests and has one objective: to obtain the best settlement possible for you.

The old wisdom, "Good things come to those who wait" doesn’t necessarily apply when you’re ready to settle your property damage claim. When your repairs are near completion and contractors are waiting for their money, it’s just not a good idea to wait for the insurance company adjuster to call. You've lived through a catastrophe. You've been patient while your home was being restored. You've worked through a complicated claim process. You deserve to know where you stand for an offer on your claim.

Licensed and bonded public adjusters are regulated by their state’s rules and policies, and work only for the public, such as homeowners like you. They have no ties to any insurance company and as an expert in the insurance field, are employed directly by you. Their sole interest is in getting you the maximum settlement possible on your loss claim. If mistakes have been made on your insurance claim, or your insurance company refuses to settle your claim for what you feel you are entitled to, hiring an expert such as a public adjuster can be your best option.

When your home is damaged by fire, windstorm, or some other insured peril, you must work through your Homeowners insurance company’s claims process to get the money you need for repairs. Whether your damage is minor or extensive, both you and your insurance company must navigate through a maze of policy procedures, guidelines, and rules; but there is one major difference. Insurance companies have highly trained property adjusters to handle claims and protect their interests. They realize that it's crucial to have an expert to represent them, yet no insurance company spokesperson is likely to suggest that you hire an expert of your own. No one will explain that hiring a public adjuster will get you a better settlement.

Disputes over a property settlement claim are not uncommon. Insurers often turn down a homeowner’s first submission. One of the most common areas of dispute is the overhead and profit portion of your contractor’s bill. Insurers will question whether overhead and profit is owed at all on your claim, and whether initial payments should include this up-front expense. If your insurance company won’t pay, there are ways to negotiate this difference of opinion.

Personalizing your home into a comfortable, enjoyable space takes a lot of time and effort. When a fire or other insured peril causes damage, you want the repairs to restore your home back to its pre-loss condition. To accomplish this goal, you need uniform and consistent repairs with no mismatched colors or contrasting textures across repaired and undamaged surfaces.

Saying haste makes waste can be aptly applied when you decide to file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance provider. Filing a claim before you take certain steps often results in delays or denials. The best way to avoid having that happen is by not filing your claim haphazardly. Here are five steps you can take to can avoid having a delay hold up your claim.

It’s devastating for homeowners to suffer a major property loss. And it’s perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed and at a loss as to what to do next. But time is of the essence for filing a claim with your insurance company, as there are deadlines that must be met if you hope to be reimbursed. If this is your family’s first experience with a large claim, keep in mind that the process is basically a business negotiation.

Household mold is insidious, whether the byproduct of a poorly ventilated bathroom or the silent reminder of a burst plumbing pipe or rising flood waters entering your home. While not always immediately apparent, if a situation occurs where mold growth is suspected it should be identified and eliminated as soon as possible. If the cause is something not covered by homeowners insurance, such as a leaking basement faucet that's gone unnoticed for too long, you may want to take care of the problem yourself. There's plenty of online help available for how to best accomplish this. Here's a good resource.

You’ve suffered a loss due to fire, and while it’s a stressful and traumatizing time, it’s also a time when you need help to recover and rebuild your home. Smoke odor is a lingering problem when you’ve experienced a fire. While not visible, it can still be costly to remove. Your clothing, furniture upholstery, curtains, and bedding can all be affected by smoke odors.