A public adjuster is hired by a homeowner, not the insurance company, and they work entirely for the homeowner. Their mission is to obtain additional funds from the client’s homeowner’s insurance when the repair costs exceed the amount paid by the insurer. A public adjuster may hold a contractor’s license, but they do not perform repairs and they do not hire contractors to do those repairs. That’s a decision left to the homeowner.

Florida residents have to be wary, especially after a major weather event. There will be dozens of contractors that appear to cash in on the vast amount of work to be done. The problem is that there are many unscrupulous individuals that often present themselves as public adjusters or FEMA workers when they’re not.

They may ask for money up front to begin repairs when the homeowner’s insurance company hasn’t even sent their own adjuster to view the damage. They may also request that the homeowner assign the funds from the insurance company to them as their “contractor.” They often use high-pressure tactics.

After a fire, flood or other type of home damage, homeowners will file a claim with their insurance company. The insurer then has an adjuster arrive on-site to assess the damage and assign a dollar amount – what he/she deems it will cost to make repairs.

It’s the task of the insurance company adjuster to adhere to the letter of the homeowner’s policy, while saving as much money for the insurer as possible. The insurer may have preferred providers to complete the restoration work or leave it to the homeowner to select a contractor.

If the amount is insufficient to make those repairs, a public adjuster can be hired to view the policy and negotiate with the insurance company for additional funds. There’s no money up front and public adjusters charge a percentage of the additional funds for their work.