AAA Public Adjusting Group, Inc. would like to educate potential consumers about the roll of public adjusters. Living in a volatile environment like South Florida often makes homeowners, business owners and vacation-property owners the victims of natural disaster. In such cases the homeowners (hopefully) have insurance coverage for their valuable property. When a property owner makes a claim the insurance company usually awards them an appropriate sum for any incurred damages; however, there are many times when the insurance company offers insufficient amounts or finds loopholes as to why damages are not covered. In such cases residents of South Florida have the unique opportunity to attempt a second-round knockout of unfair settlements, by hiring a public adjuster. This freedom is not enjoyed in all 50 states and in most states a person would have to independently hire a paid-by-the-hour attorney in order to investigate unfair settlements.
A public insurance adjuster is an authority on loss adjustments that property owners can retain to assist in preparing, filing, and adjusting their insurance claims. One’s home or business is often their largest investment. What follows are six reasons to call a Public Adjuster:
1. According to a recent Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) Report for 2005, individuals were awarded $2029 without a PA and $17,187 with PA representation for hurricane claims; for non hurricane claims individuals received $1,391 vs. $9,379—a difference of 547 percent.
2. Public Adjusters represent YOU and YOUR interests exclusively.
3. Insurance companies have the benefit of representatives protecting their interests. Why shouldn’t homeowners?
4. They are knowledgeable about Insurance Contract provisions and continuously stay abreast of ever changing laws and regulations in the realm of insurance case law.
5. When the insurance company has estimated your loss or made an initial settlement offer, homeowners are not required to accept their assessment of the claim. Public Adjusters can help to properly contest or appeal Insurance Company’s findings and maximize claims and settlements to adequately compensate for loss.
6. They can make sure that all required paper work and claim documentation are submitted to the insurance company in a timely manner.