The Different Types of Insurance Adjusters Explained
There are a few insurance pros you may collaborate with when dealing with property damage: Adjusters, Staff Adjusters, Independent Adjusters, Public Adjusters.
With the exception of calling the fire department or emergency responders, usually the first call made after that is to the insurance company, at which point they dispatch a licensed adjuster within 24 hours to begin the long road of your claim.
When your adjuster arrives, there will generally be three different kinds: staff, independent, and public.
Staff Adjusters: These employees of the insurance company are usually referred to as in-house adjusters and usually, are full-time employees. They manage and adjudicate claims for their boss – the insurance company. Their roles include preparing, presenting, and putting forward into motion their opinions relative to the overall scope of damage and the amount of the policyholder’s claim. Some of these staffers work from the office at which point they are considered “desk adjusters” who handle smaller claims at an administrative level.
Independent Adjusters: These adjusters are vendors to the carrier and are considered “independent” or consultants to the insurance company. They are outsourced by the insurance company, rather than using their in-house ones. This happens when the office is fully staffed due to a large volume of claims. The insurance company has a roster of independent adjusters to call upon when the workload is at capacity. Independent adjusters represent only the insurance company and work as liaisons between the company and the policyholder.
Public Adjusters: Now, these adjusters represent the interests of only the policyholder as their advocate. They kick off by inspecting the damage and documenting through photos and video. It’s important that this adjuster is licensed or else you might find yourself with an individual with a total lack of experience.
When damage hits, you might find yourself with any of these individuals, depending on the nature of the damage. You are ALWAYS in better hands with a public adjuster! Call us today about your claim!