It’s the middle of the night and you hear thunder in the distance. Suddenly, there’s a downpour, and bright flashes of lightning fill your windowpane and light up your bedroom. The wind is howling, and you hear a crack outside as a large tree branch snaps and lands square on your rooftop. As you shuffle to a safe space to wait out the storm, you can’t help thinking of all the steps you will need to take to fix the roof. Calling your insurance company is the first thing that comes to mind. But another measure to consider is hiring a public insurance adjuster.

You may be wondering why you should hire a public adjuster when your insurance company already has a company adjuster that will inspect your property and evaluate the amount of damage you have been hit with. Just as you wouldn’t ask an IRS agent to file your taxes for you, retaining your insurance company’s adjuster could leave you with a less-than-ideal settlement.

Public adjusters work for you

A company insurance adjuster works for the insurance company, and therefore will seek to protect the profits of their company. On the flip side, a public adjuster has no ties to the insurance company and works directly for the policyholder. The only motive of a public adjuster is to get the policyholder the best settlement possible, because the more the policyholder makes, the more the public adjuster will make.

A background in construction

Your insurance company’s adjuster may not know exactly what to look for when inspecting your damaged property. Public adjusters typically have a background in construction or another related field and have a sharp eye for details your insurance company’s adjuster may overlook. A construction background is extremely beneficial when surveying the amount of loss in order to get the policyholder the best settlement possible to restore the damage to its original condition.

Handling negotiations

When you experience property damage, the situation is likely to cause stress and worry. By hiring a public insurance adjuster, the burden of negotiating with your insurance company and contractors lies on the adjuster, not you. Dealing with an insurance claim can be an emotional, time-consuming process, which is why hiring a public adjuster to take the load off can be a relief for some policyholders.

Is it the right choice for me?

To determine whether hiring a public insurance adjuster is the right choice for you, ask yourself what you would have to lose. Your insurance company’s adjuster likely doesn’t have your best interests in mind. A public adjuster is motivated to get you the highest settlement possible. You’re likely to receive a higher settlement if you go with a public adjuster, and you won’t have to deal with the stress of negotiations during the claim process.

By hiring a public adjuster, there’s little to lose and a lot to gain.