Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Public Insurance Adjuster?
A Public Insurance Adjuster is a licensed professional who is retained by you, the policyholder, to represent your interests and assist you in filing your insurance claim. The advantage of hiring a Public Adjuster is knowing that you have a professional on your side; someone who is knowledgeable and experienced in interpreting the policy provisions and requirements to properly prepare and negotiate your claim. Retaining our services will free you of this time consuming and emotional process and allow you to resume your life in a normal manner.
Who is Consumer Adjusters, LLC?
Consumer Adjusters, LLC is a Public Adjusting firm, practicing in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire. We have a full-time staff of licensed adjusters with expertise in adjusting homeowner and commercial losses. We write our own building repair estimates and physically inventory and evaluate damaged personal property. In addition, our firm is experienced in adjusting claims for business interruption as well as additional living expenses.
What are the advantages of retaining a Public Adjuster?
The adjuster from your insurance company is paid to protect their financial interests, not yours. A Public Adjuster works for the property owner, not the insurance company. You will have the advantage of expert assistance in the negotiation and settlement of your claim. You will be relieved of the time consuming and difficult technical matters involved in preparing, presenting, and negotiating your claim with the insurance company. Most importantly, a Public Adjuster will maximize your claim settlement.
Why do I need a Public Adjuster to represent me and my family or business?
A typical insurance policy contains hundreds of provisions and stipulations, as well as dozens of complex policy endorsements. Most policyholders do not realize that the burden of proof is theirs. Public Adjusters know the insurance business and are familiar with policies and procedures so they can work quickly to expedite loss settlement.
Will it be expensive to hire a Public Adjuster?
No! Public Insurance Adjusters work for a small percentage of your claim settlement and require no up front fees. The fee is payable after your claim is settled and you have been paid by your insurance company. Retaining the services of Consumer Adjusters, LLC will almost certainly increase your claim settlement, and usually the fee for those services will be more than offset by your larger settlement. The value of retaining a public adjuster will always exceed the expense.
I've know my insurance agent for years, between us, can't we file our claim?
No matter how good a friend your insurance agent is, you and your family deserve independent representation. It will be the insurance company’s adjuster, not your friendly agent, who appraises your damage and assembles the settlement offer on behalf of the insurance company. Your agent may be an expert in insurance, but from the perspective of coverage, rather than claims adjustment. Insurance company adjusters are skilled in appraising damage in a way that gives the appearance of being fair to you, the person who suffered the loss, while protecting the interests of their employer, the insurance company. According to a recent article by Bloomberg News (Home Insurers' Secret Tactics Cheat Fire Victims, Hike Profits) insurance companies have created incentives for their adjusters to assess damage and replacement costs at the lowest justifiable level in order to increase profitability for the underwriters. No matter how you feel about your agent or the insurance industry, you and your family deserve the chance to get the very best settlement you’re entitled to. The team of experts at Consumer Adjusters, LLC will give you that chance. There are no up-front costs. Why wouldn’t you call us?
What is an independent adjuster provided by my insurance company?
An independent adjuster is a sub-contractor hired by the insurance company to do a job that might otherwise be handled by an in-house adjuster. Just like the in-house adjuster, an independent adjuster represents the insurance company. A public adjuster is your advocate, representing you, the policy-holder. A restoration company has offered to appraise our loss and represent my family in dealing with the insurance company. They say we don't need a public adjuster. Why should we choose you instead?
Restoration companies are not licensed as adjusters and they lack expertise in the complexities of insurance policies. They typically rely on the insurance adjuster to interpret the policy for them. Consequently, they are an extension of the insurance company and are not likely to find additional money that you are entitled to, beyond the adjuster’s offer. Restoration companies can be a valuable resource in their area of expertise: restoration. However, they do you a disservice when they claim to have authority or expertise in claims adjustment. Only a public adjuster or an attorney is qualified and licensed to represent you in negotiations with your insurance adjuster.
Why should I hire Consumer Adjusters?
Consumer Adjusters, LLC is comprised of a professional staff with over 75 years of combined experience in the adjustment of property damage claims. Consumer Adjusters, LLC is a team of individually licensed public insurance adjusters who can take the burden of filing your claim off your shoulders and let you attend to your work and family life. We are experts in the complex arena of insurance policies: we know the jargon and the loopholes that might prevent you from getting the settlement you’re entitled to.