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What Is A Public Adjuster
What We Do
What Does A Public Adjuster Do?
Residential and commercial insurance claims are complex. The larger the loss, the harder it is for a policyholder to achieve a fair settlement. This is where an experienced public adjuster delivers real value — knowing exactly what needs to happen to get the best results from your property insurance claim.
- Serve as your exclusive advocate in all communications with your insurance company
- Analyze your policy to develop a claim strategy that ensures you receive everything your policy promises
- Document the full extent of damage to your home, building, personal property, or business
- Prepare and reach agreement with your insurer on a proper scope of loss
- Educate, advise, and communicate openly so you can make informed decisions throughout your claim
- Negotiate for the maximum settlement available under your policy terms
Evidence-Based Property Loss Documentation For
- Home or building(s)
- Additional living expenses
- Replacement cost value (RCV)
- Personal property
- Business interruption
Achieving all of this within the time frames defined in your policy is no small task, especially if you're dealing with a large loss. That's why our experienced public adjusters manage every step of the claims process, ensuring your loss is thoroughly documented and your claim is professionally prepared and presented. No detail is overlooked. Click here to meet the Miller team.
The Key Difference
Don't I Already Have A Claims Adjuster?
Everyone says “your” claims adjuster — but the adjuster your insurance company assigns to your claim is their adjuster. Whether directly employed or contracted, their job is to guide you through a process designed to reduce claim costs and bolster profits.
Their Adjuster
- Employed by or contracted to your insurer
- Paid to minimize what the company pays out
- Guides you through the insurer's process
- Does not represent your interests
Your Public Adjuster
- Works exclusively for you — the policyholder
- Paid only when you collect — incentivized to maximize your settlement
- Guides you through your options and rights
- 100% on your side at every stage
Public adjusters are the only insurance claims adjusters who represent and advocate exclusively for policyholders.
The Truth
Doesn't My Insurance Company Have To Pay What My Claim Is Worth?
Sorry — but no. When you’ve suffered an insured loss, your insurance company only has to pay you as much, or as little, as they can persuade you to walk away with.
Assumed in your policy is your obligation to prove the full extent of your damages. Certainly, your insurance carrier will take on the task of processing your claim and make a settlement offer. It may even appear to be an iron-clad, computer-generated, scientific calculation drawn from software that’s updated all the time. Don’t be fooled.
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Valuation is subjective
There is no single “right” number — and insurers know that. The same damage can be scoped and valued very differently depending on who’s doing the estimating and whose interests they represent.
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Unclaimed damages are common
Insurers scope only what their adjuster observes during a quick walkthrough. Hidden damage, secondary damage, and long-term consequences are routinely missed — or deliberately ignored.
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Estimates skew low
Estimates provided by insurance company representatives are well-known in the industry to favor the insurer. A public adjuster working in your best interest will almost always arrive at a materially higher number.
Your claim value is likely to change substantially when tallied by a public adjuster working in your best interest. See our client stories for real-life examples of the difference we’ve made.
Qualifications
What Qualifies A Public Adjuster To Represent Me?
Like all professions, some public adjusters are better than others. A successful settlement is won on the policyholder's ability to prove just three things:
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01
Policy Coverage
The policy language promises coverage for this loss.
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02
Loss Conditions
The loss conditions meet the criteria in the policy.
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03
Settlement Value
The amount needed to restore property to its pre-loss condition.
Any suggestion that proving these things is easy — or that a computer can do it for you — is false. Claims get messy fast. Policy language is subject to interpretation, loss conditions are questioned, and settlement offers routinely fall short. Look for a licensed public adjuster with proven expertise across these four areas:
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Insurance Claims & Policy Experts
PAs study policies and work on property insurance claims every day. They interpret policy language, identify every promise of coverage, overcome coverage concerns, and determine the best way to apply your coverages to maximize your settlement award.
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Buildings & Personal Property Experts
A full settlement begins with a thorough scope of loss — knowing where to look and what to look for. Skilled PAs have deep experience with how fire, storm, wind, and water damage causes and often hides different types of damage.
- Construction and restoration means and methods
- What can be repaired vs. what must be replaced
- Inventorying and proving true value of damaged property
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Business Loss Experts
When property damage leads to lost income, business interruption, relocation, and extra expenses, the complexities grow exponentially — often leaving commercial policyholders unfairly subsidizing their insured losses.
- Leverage all applicable BI, extended & contingent coverage
- Full and proper accounting of your commercial loss
- Licensed professional representation throughout
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Negotiation Experts
Negotiating your claim begins the moment you notify your insurer. From that first call, you are sized up for what you know and say about your damages, and how much you look to your carrier for guidance.
A public adjuster breaks that assessment cycle — stepping in as your exclusive professional representative with abundant documentation and verifiable proof of all valuations. It becomes very hard for the insurer to argue for anything less than a full and fair settlement.
When things go wrong
What If There's a Dispute or Problem With My Claim?
Claim disputes are common. There's much at stake, and the deck is stacked against the policyholder. It's easy for emotions to run high — especially when you're the one with everything to lose. If brought in early, a licensed public adjuster can help resolve most disputes before they become formal conflicts.
When a dispute does arise, an experienced public adjuster will know exactly what to do. Sometimes it's as simple as providing additional documentation. Other times, it requires knowing when to invoke the appraisal process — or when to recommend that a policyholder pursue legal action against the insurance carrier.
A public adjuster can help get your claim back on track toward a fair and successful settlement. Some common claim disputes that public adjusters can resolve include:
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Lowball Settlement Offers
When the insurer's estimate falls short of what restoration actually costs, we counter with documented evidence and independent
contractor bids. -
Lengthy Delays
Insurance companies are required to respond within defined timeframes. When they don't, we know how to apply pressure and
keep your claim moving forward. -
Overreaching Procedural Requirements
Excessive documentation demands, unreasonable inspection requests, and other tactics designed to frustrate policyholders into giving up. We handle it all on your behalf.
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Underpaid Claims
A settlement that doesn't cover your actual losses is not the end of the road. We reopen claims, file supplemental requests, and
negotiate until the full scope of loss is paid. -
Wrongfully Denied Claims
A denial is not always final. We analyze the denial, identify grounds to dispute it, and build a strong case to reverse the decision
and recover what you're owed.
expert claim review — at no cost to you.
Be Informed
When Shouldn't I Hire a Public Adjuster?
Hiring a public adjuster is not an appropriate choice for every property insurance claim. We believe in being honest about this. Here are a few situations where a public adjuster may not add significant value:
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Small Claims You Can Manage Yourself
If the claim is straightforward, the damages are minor, and you can confidently manage the process and ensure it settles for its
full value, you may not need us -
Total Losses Where the Insurer Agrees to Pay Policy Limits
When your insurance company has already agreed to pay the full policy limits on a total loss, a public adjuster may not have room
to add further value. -
Losses With Clearly No Coverage
If it's genuinely obvious from the policy that no coverage applies. That said, unless the absence of coverage is clear-cut, a public
adjuster should still verify this — coverage is often present where it isn't immediately obvious.
For more about why hiring a public adjuster may or may not be your best choice — including important questions to ask before you choose a public adjuster — please visit our blog.
Know your options
Why Hire a Public Adjuster and Not an Attorney?
An experienced property claims attorney is the right choice if your insurance claim has gone so far off the rails that you need to file a lawsuit against your insurance company. Until then, an attorney can't do much more than draft a letter and request that your insurance carrier comply with the terms of your policy.
A public adjuster, however, serves as your exclusive advocate at every stage of your property insurance claim process. When handled by a licensed claims professional, most homeowners and commercial insurance claims can be settled successfully and without the need to file suit.
Public Adjuster
- Exclusive advocate at every stage of the claim
- Handles all documentation, negotiation, and resolution
- Resolves most claims without litigation
- Contingency fee — paid only when you collect
- Involved from day one through final settlement
- Knows when to invoke appraisal or recommend legal action
Attorney
- Most effective when a lawsuit becomes necessary
- Limited role in pre-litigation claim handling
- Typically engaged only after the claim has failed
- Hourly or contingency fees vary widely
- Right choice if bad faith litigation is warranted
- Cannot actively negotiate your claim settlement
If you're uncertain whether an attorney or a public adjuster is the right choice, an independent review of your situation can help you understand your options, expected costs, and the best path forward.
Fees
How Much Does A Public Adjuster
Charge?
Public adjusters generally charge a 10 percent fee based on the total settlement achieved for the policyholder. While rare, some special circumstances allow for higher or lower fees. It’s important to clarify up front exactly what a public adjuster will charge to manage your claim. It’s equally important to ask about the value he or she will deliver for that fee. Miller Public Adjusters will not take on a claim unless we can add substantial value for the policyholder.
It is common practice for your public adjuster to become a signed payee on your insurance claim checks. That means any checks sent by your insurance company will be made out to you and your public adjuster. If you have a mortgage, the lien holder also will be a payee, as will any other parties with insurable interests.
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