When you file an insurance claim, someone has to determine what the damage is worth. That someone is an adjuster. But not all adjusters are on your side.
Three Types of Adjusters
Company adjusters are employees of the insurance company. They work for the carrier. Their job is to evaluate your claim and settle it — for the carrier.
Independent adjusters are contractors hired by insurance companies to handle claims on their behalf. The name is misleading — “independent” means they’re not direct employees, not that they’re neutral. They work for whoever hires them, and that’s the carrier.
Public adjusters work exclusively for the policyholder. That’s you. We’re licensed by the state, we have a fiduciary duty to act in your best interest, and we don’t receive a dime from the insurance company.
What a Public Adjuster Actually Does
We handle the claim so you don’t have to:
- Inspect the property and document damage the carrier’s adjuster missed (they often do — a 20-minute roof inspection doesn’t catch everything)
- Review your policy to identify every coverage that applies — dwelling, O&L, ALE, contents
- Write a detailed estimate in Xactimate (the same software carriers use) with line-by-line justification
- Submit demands to the carrier with supporting documentation — code citations, manufacturer specs, photos
- Negotiate with the carrier’s adjuster until the claim reaches a fair settlement
- Handle supplements when additional damage is found during repairs
- Invoke appraisal if negotiation stalls
The Louisiana Difference
Louisiana is the only state that prohibits contingency-based fees for public adjusters. In every other state, PAs typically charge 10-15% of the claim settlement. In Louisiana, we charge flat fees or hourly rates.
This is actually better for you:
- We’re not incentivized to inflate your claim
- We’re not incentivized to drag out the process
- You know exactly what you’ll pay, upfront
When to Hire a PA
Best case: Before the carrier’s adjuster inspects. We can be present for the inspection and ensure nothing is missed.
Good case: After the carrier’s estimate comes in and it’s too low. We inspect, write our own estimate, and negotiate the difference.
Still worth it: After a denial. We review the denial, inspect the damage, and build the case to overturn it.
Bottom line: If your claim involves more than a few thousand dollars and you’re not confident the carrier’s number is right, a public adjuster pays for themselves many times over.
Ready to talk? Free consultation — no obligation.