What Is a Public Adjuster?

What is a public adjuster?

A public adjuster is a licensed insurance claims professional who represents policyholders, not insurance companies, when filing, documenting, and negotiating property damage claims.

After a hurricane, fire, water leak, hail storm, or other covered event, your insurance company sends their own adjuster to assess the damage and decide your payout. That adjuster works for the insurance company. A public adjuster works for you.

How is a public adjuster different from an insurance adjuster?

There are three types of insurance adjusters:

• Staff adjusters (also called company adjusters) are employees of the insurance company. They investigate claims and determine how much the company should pay.
• Independent adjusters are contractors hired by insurance companies to handle claims on their behalf. Despite the name "independent," they work for the insurer.
• Public adjusters are the only type that works exclusively for you, the policyholder. They are licensed by your state's Department of Insurance and are legally required to act in your best interest.

The bottom line: the insurance company's adjuster gets paid to minimize your payout. A public adjuster gets paid to maximize it.

What does a public adjuster do?

A public adjuster handles the entire claims process on your behalf:

1. Inspects and documents all damage, including things that aren't immediately visible like moisture behind walls or structural shifts
2. Reviews your insurance policy to figure out exactly what coverage you have and what you're owed
3. Prepares a detailed, itemized estimate of all damages and losses
4. Files the claim and submits all documentation to your insurance company
5. Negotiates directly with the insurance company to reach a fair settlement
6. Files supplemental claims if additional damage turns up later

When should you hire a public adjuster?

A public adjuster makes sense when:

• Your claim is large or complex. Anything over $10,000–$15,000 usually benefits from professional help.
• Your claim has been denied. A public adjuster can review the denial and push back.
• You got a low settlement offer. Public adjusters routinely get higher payouts than policyholders on their own.
• You're dealing with a hurricane, wildfire, tornado, or flood. These are some of the most complicated claims to navigate.
• You don't have time. Managing a claim is basically a part-time job.
• You feel overwhelmed. The process is confusing enough without also dealing with the aftermath of a disaster.

How much do public adjusters cost?

Public adjusters are paid on contingency, taking a percentage of your settlement, usually between 5% and 20%. You pay nothing upfront.

Some states cap public adjuster fees:

Even after paying the adjuster's fee, policyholders who use public adjusters tend to walk away with more money than those who don't.

Do public adjusters get you more money?

The research says yes, and by a wide margin:

• The Florida OPPAGA found that claims handled by public adjusters resulted in settlements 747% higher on average than claims filed by policyholders alone
• For non-catastrophic claims, the increase was about 574%
• Individual results vary, but the trend holds across studies

How to choose a public adjuster

Before hiring, check for:

• An active state license, which you can verify through your state's Department of Insurance
• Experience with your claim type (hurricane damage is a different beast from water damage or fire)
• References from past clients
• A clear fee structure with the exact percentage and when payment is due
• No upfront fees. Legitimate public adjusters get paid from the settlement, not before.

States where public adjusters are not allowed

A few states don't license or allow public adjusters:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arkansas

If you're in one of these states, you may need to work with an attorney instead.