Dania Beach Public Adjuster

You likely bought home or business insurance hoping you wouldn’t have to use it, but you expect to have the insurance company’s support if you do. Unfortunately, some policyholders find that when disaster strikes, their insurance carrier is less helpful than anticipated. In some cases, the insurance company adjuster may be in no hurry to come out and survey your damage. Other times, the insurance company might undervalue your claim, leaving you with significant bills, or they may deny the claim entirely.

How a Dania Beach Public Adjuster Can Help

Unfortunately, some insurance companies fail to live up to the level of support promised by their advertising efforts. You may find that your calls go unreturned or your damage has been seriously underestimated, and the insurance adjuster offers no help. But you’re not out of options – you can seek the assistance of a public adjuster who will study your damage, consider all possible ramifications, and carefully review the details of your insurance policy. Finally, they will submit or re-submit your claim with the insurance carrier.

Remember that a public adjuster is different than your insurance company’s adjuster for one simple reason: the insurance company’s adjuster looks out for the insurance company, which is one reason why they might underestimate the cost of your damage or recommend a cheaper, less effective repair. The public adjuster will look out for you and ensure all your damages are documented and correctly valued.

When Might You Need a Public Adjuster?

It’s always worth considering the assistance of a public adjuster, but there are some situations where it’s especially important:

• You have a high-dollar claim or a substantial amount of damage. The more damage you have, the easier for the insurance carrier to minimize it in their report or suggest the least expensive solutions. For instance, they might decide that replacing a few floorboards makes more sense than a whole new floor, even if there are varying degrees of damage throughout the floor. A public adjuster will check on all the damage and recommend real solutions, not half measures when compiling a claim.
• You don’t have time to play games with the insurance adjuster. Sometimes clients tell us they lack the time or energy to continually play phone tag with the insurance adjuster or re-submit the same documentation multiple times. Insurance adjusters know these tactics are annoying, and some people will give up and pay the bill on their own – but you don’t have to be one of them. A public adjuster can handle the back-and-forth process with the insurance adjuster while you focus on what matters.
• You’re struggling with interpreting your property damage insurance policy. Many people aren’t sure what the complicated legalese in their insurance policy means or what is or isn’t covered. These contracts are perplexing for most policyholders who aren’t insurance experts, and the insurance adjuster knows that, too. If they say something isn’t covered, some clients will just take their word for it. Fortunately, public adjusters are experts on insurance policy language – they will check your contract to learn exactly what is or isn’t covered and under what circumstances. Your public adjuster will answer your questions and can debate the insurance adjuster’s interpretation of the contract.
• The difference between the damage valuation you expected and the one you received is staggering. Another common reason people consult a public adjuster is sticker shock – at how little the insurance company valued their claim! For example, let’s say that a storm causes a tree to fall on your roof. The insurance company sends you a small amount for patching up the damaged section of the roof. But you’ve spoken to several roofing contractors, and they all say this won’t work, and the whole section must be replaced. If this scenario happens, a public adjuster can review the damage and, if they agree with the contractors, re-submit your claim citing evidence that a complete replacement is needed.

How Expensive is a Dania Beach Public Adjuster, and is it Really Worth Hiring One?

First, it’s helpful to understand that public adjusters charge fees only on the amount they recover for you from the insurance company.  You don’t have to pay them anything to give you a claim estimate or review your insurance policy. If you decide to retain their services, you will sign a contract agreeing to pay a certain percentage of the recovery to the adjuster; if there is no recovery, you owe them nothing.

Fees often vary with the experience and expertise of the public adjuster, but they are legally limited to no more than 20 percent in Florida. This limit is reduced to 10 percent after certain natural disasters if the governor declares an emergency.

Only you can decide if you want to hire a public adjuster, but in many cases, they can secure a larger settlement or additional funds for your repair work. For this reason, many policyholders find that the fee is minor compared to the extra funds they gained. Remember that your time is also valuable. The public adjuster takes on all the tedious tasks required by your insurance company – such as filling out and submitting forms, attaching photos and other documentation, and negotiating with the insurance company adjuster.

Should You Hire the Adjuster with the Lowest Fees?

Some people believe cheaper is better, and saving money is smart in many situations. However, in this case, you’re paying for the skill and know-how of the public adjuster you hire. A more accomplished adjuster might charge a few percentage points more, but they could also have more knowledge about the insurance industry, contracts, and different types of property damage. We recommend considering the importance of the adjuster’s qualifications when weighing your decision.

What Questions Should You Ask a Potential Public Adjuster?

Here are some crucial topics you should inquire about before making a final decision on a public adjuster or adjusting firm:

• Are you currently licensed as a public adjuster in Florida, and how long have you been licensed? The length of time gives you some idea of the adjuster’s experience.

• What is your professional background, and how long have you worked as an adjuster? This is an excellent way to start a conversation about the adjuster’s experience and training. Ideally, your public adjuster should be pleased to talk about their knowledge base, education, and years of experience with adjusting. 
• How many cases have you handled with similar damage due to fire/flood/theft/etc.? Try to find out if the adjuster has experience, not only with adjusting in general but with handling this particular type of claim. If the adjuster mostly works with weather damage and has only completed a few fire cases, they may not be the best person to address your fire damage.
• Can you provide me with references? A competent adjuster should be able to give you the names of at least a few satisfied clients.

After interviewing the adjuster, examining their online presence is also a good idea. Visit their website, read reviews, and check their rating on the Better Business Bureau site. Consider the overall tone of reviews – are they mostly positive? Do they contain specific examples of the kinds of damage the adjuster surveyed and what the reviewer did or didn’t like? While positive reviews are generally a good sign, if you see too many that are very short, similar, or say almost nothing of substance, some might be written by bots rather than real people.

Speaking of real people, there’s nothing quite like talking to someone who has done business with the adjuster. Call their references, and ask people you know if they’ve ever worked with a Broward County public adjuster and which one.

Why Should You Consider Hiring Pinnacle Claim Services to Assist with Your Property Damage Claim?

Pinnacle Claim Services works hard to produce the best possible results for our clients. To this end, we hire the most capable and well-rounded adjusters, and we proudly display reviews from many of our clients on our website. We’re also pleased to tell you that we have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau – but don’t take our word for it, look us up on their website. Additionally, we’re happy to provide references and answer any questions you have about your insurance claim.

Please contact us for a free claim evaluation. Our fees are competitive, but remember, you don’t have to pay anything until we recover a settlement in your favor. Today is the day to find out what your property damage claim is worth or if you should seek more from the insurance carrier.