In the wake of any eventuality, an insurance policyholder often requires the services of both contractors who carry out the repair work and public adjusters who try to maximize the coverage. Contractors will gain a lot if they work alongside public adjusters, for the latter enjoy certain privileges that are denied to the former.
• When your property has sustained any kind of damage, contractors will have a role to play in the recovery process, but they cannot get you your insurance coverage.
• Contractors can help you ensure that your property returns to its earlier state, but they do not have what it takes to file a claim on behalf of a policyholder.
• In fact, if a restoration contractor tries to meddle in the insurance process, it will probably be considered unlawful and can invite punitive action.
• If there is anyone who is legally authorized to assist a policyholder in settling their insurance claim, it’s public adjusters. When a general contractor or roofer has a public adjuster by their side, they will have someone who will take care of all the tiring and difficult work and act as a back office. That too, free of cost.
• Virtually every state deems it illegal for contractors to carry out negotiations on behalf of an insurance policyholder. There have been instances when this kind of action has resulted in imprisonment and a heavy fine for the guilty.
• When a renowned public adjuster takes up a policyholder’s case, chances are the claim amount could increase significantly. And this happens because public adjusters are familiar with all the concerned laws and legislation that leave an insurance company with no other choice but to compensate an insured properly.
• Once public adjusters come into the picture, an insured can expect a complete overhaul instead of witnessing minor repairs, which also means more work for the contractors brought on-board.
• Public adjusters are given to referring contractors to insurance policyholders because many a time when an insured approaches a public adjuster, they are yet to hire a contractor for the necessary repairs.
• If the money to be charged by a contractor is going to be determined by the insurance proceeds that the insured will get from their insurer, a public adjuster can allow the contractor to receive a much bigger payout in the end if they manage to increase the claim amount significantly.
• An insurance advocate is what public adjusters can be to contractors, and they generally do not charge any upfront fee. Once a claim is settled, it is then that they demand their share.
So if it ever happens that you require the services of both public adjusters and contractors, make sure these two professionals work in tandem, or else you may fail to reap as many benefits as you possibly can.