5 Ways Public Adjusters Speed Up Insurance Claims

Are you curious about hiring a public adjuster for your insurance claim? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about how public adjusters speed up insurance claims.

Help Organize Documentation

Public adjusters know exactly what insurance companies need to see to process your claim. They know the paperwork, receipts, photos, and videos needed to process your claim and secure the highest possible payout.

One of a public adjuster’s main roles is to help organize documentation related to your claim.

Many public adjusters used to work for insurance companies, so they know what insurance companies need to see.

As an ordinary homeowner, you probably have no idea what insurance companies want to see with your claim. You might send documentation back and forth to your insurance company, delaying your claim by months.

Many insurers take advantage of your inexperience, demanding excessive amounts of evidence for damages that will never be covered. Every time you turn in additional information, your insurance company has another 15 days to review that information before either accepting or denying it, thereby delaying your claim and your payment again.

A public adjuster can examine your claim, determine the evidence needed to prove that claim and maximize its value, organize that documentation in a coherent way, and send it all to the insurance company.

Negotiating with the Insurer on Your Behalf

Public adjusters also speed up claims by negotiating with the insurer on your behalf.

As an ordinary homeowner, you probably don’t know how to negotiate with your insurance company. You don’t know when to push, how much to ask for, or where the insurance company has room to negotiate.

Public adjusters, however, do have this expertise. They know the areas where insurance companies have some wiggle room – and they know exactly how to maximize the value of your claim.
Ultimately, a good negotiator speeds up insurance claims by achieving an optimal resolution on your behalf as soon as possible.

Keeping Bad Faith Insurers Accountable

Public adjusters keep insurers accountable.

They work full-time on your claim, frequently contacting your insurer to ensure your claim is proceeding as quickly and smoothly as possible. They can quote statutes and codes that keep your insurance company within the given timelines for a speedy process.

Insurance companies have an obligation to respond to you within a reasonable length of time.

Despite this requirement, many insurers drag their feet, demand excessive amounts of evidence, and perform other actions in bad faith – all of which can delay your insurance claim.

Overseeing Estimates & Repairs

Public adjusters also oversee the process of repairing damage to your property. They organize estimates, oversee the repair process, and ensure everything is going according to plan.

The goal of an insurance claim is to repair your property to pre-loss condition as quickly as possible.

However, some contractors cut corners, using cheaper parts to lower costs. Or, insurers may reduce payout, offering to only pay for some damage because of exclusion within your policy.

By overseeing estimates and repairs, a public adjuster can:

1. Ensure your property damage is effectively repaired to pre-loss condition
2. Speed up the repair process without compromising the quality of repairs

Securing More Money for Your Claim for Faster Post-Claim Recovery

Public adjusters don’t just speed up your insurance claim. They also speed up your life post-claim by increasing your initial payout, making life easier in the days and weeks following a claim.

A good public adjuster could double or even triple the initial settlement offer from your insurance company. That means more money to pay your contractors and cover additional living expenses when you need it most.

After a claim, you may be dealing with additional headaches. There are often many expenses from moving, replacing daily living items and reorganizing your family or business to accommodate the loss. The extra money from your insurance claim, generated by your public adjuster, can make your life easier after a claim by finding coverage in your policy to cover these unexpected expenses.

You’ll have more money to cover the protection of your business, home or personal items, emergency expenses, additional repairs not covered by insurance, and other complications. Extra money always makes things easier – especially after a major home insurance claim.

Slowing Down the Claim to Ensure Nothing is Missed

Public adjusters don’t always want to speed up your insurance claim.

In fact, home insurance companies often want to speed up insurance claims to close your case as quickly as possible. The faster the insurer closes a claim, the cheaper the claim tends to be.

That’s why good public adjusters focus more on speeding up a complete claim. They organize all facts, analyze all damage, and present all evidence to your insurer to obtain the highest possible settlement on behalf of clients.

A fast resolution is nice. However, most clients are happy to wait a few extra days or weeks for extra compensation. Yes, public adjusters speed up claims, but they don’t speed up claims just for the sake of it. They fight to ensure you receive every penny owed to you by your insurer.

Public Adjusters Optimize the Claim from Start to Finish

Overall, a good public adjuster speeds up a claim by optimizing the claim from start to finish.
Using their insurance industry expertise, public adjusters provide the evidence insurers need to see to justify your claim. Then, they continue to contact your insurer frequently to ensure your claim is processed as quickly as possible.

A public adjuster can speed up your insurance claim and help you get paid as soon as possible – without compromising on your payout.

Contact ClaimsMate today for a free consultation with a public adjuster.

Learn More Here: 5 Ways Public Adjusters Speed Up Insurance Claims

10 Surprising Homeowners Insurance Exclusions: Damages Home Insurance Won’t Cover

All homeowners insurance policies have exclusions. A standard homeowners insurance policy, for example, does not include flood insurance. Others may exclude damage from “wind driven rain” and other perils.

Many homeowners are unaware of exclusions until it’s too late. Fortunately, we’re here to help.

Here are the top 10 most common homeowners insurance exclusions, including damages a standard home insurance policy will not cover.

Flood Damage

Standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

If you live in a flood zone, then your lender will require you to purchase supplemental flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or other “Write Your Own” policies offered by your insurance company. You pay different rates for flood insurance based on your FEMA flood zone designation.

Even if you live outside of a flood zone, you could experience catastrophic flood damage. A storm could cause sewer systems to back up and damage your property, for example, even if you live far from the water. If you are not in a flood zone, the insurance is usually very inexpensive, but well worth the money. It only takes about 1” of water through your home to cause catastrophic damage.

Consider your location and proximity to water sources to determine if flood insurance is the right choice for you. Unfortunately, a lot of flooding has been taking place in areas that are not designated as a flood zone, leaving most families and businesses without any coverage at all.

Wind Damage in Hurricane-Prone Areas

A standard homeowners insurance policy covers wind damage except if you live in a hurricane-prone area.

If you live in an area with a high risk of hurricanes, for example, then you generally need to buy extra wind insurance. Many homeowners living in the southeastern United States or along the Atlantic or Gulf Coasts need to buy separate wind insurance. This insurance is usually offered by a “State Pool” of carriers and governed by the area of the wind zone. The closer you are to the coast line, the more the insurance will cost.

Some homeowners insurance policies do include windstorm damage, but insurers charge higher deductibles. Instead of charging your ordinary deductible of $1,000 to $2,500, for example, insurers may charge a deductible of 1% to 5% of your home’s value. This decreases the chances of filing a claim unless there are severe damages.

It is important to make sure that your wind policy covers “wind driven rain” and “additional living expenses”. Without these two endorsements, in the case of a tropical storm or hurricane, you might find yourself without a place to live or coverage for interior damages unless the wind or flying debris makes a hole in your roof or breaks windows.

The Full Cost of High-Value Items, Like Jewelry, Electronics, & Collectibles

Homeowners insurance doesn’t just cover the structure of your home; it also covers all of your possessions inside your home.

However, a standard policy only provides a certain amount of protection per item. You might only receive a maximum of $1,000 of compensation per item, for example.

If a fire destroys your home and your $10,000 engagement ring, then you may only receive $1,000 in compensation from your insurer.

If you have high-value items that need protection, then consider adding an endorsement to your policy. You pay a few extra dollars per month to fully protect high-value items.

Earthquake Damage

Many homeowners assume their homeowners insurance policy covers earthquake damage, but it doesn’t.

In fact, a standard homeowners insurance policy excludes damage related to earth movement, which is why you may not be covered against earthquakes or landslides.

Fortunately, you can buy supplemental earthquake coverage.

Many homeowners who live in earthquake-prone areas purchase supplemental insurance coverage. Residents of California, for example, can buy earthquake insurance through a private insurer or through government programs like the California Earthquake Authority (CEA).

Landslide & Mudflow Damages

Homeowners insurance policies typically exclude damage caused by movement of the earth, which is why they exclude earthquake damage and damage related to landslides and mudflows.

Landslides and mudflows frequently can occur after rainstorms – especially in dry areas that rarely get rain. Although they can occur after earthquakes, that’s not always the case.

If your house is damaged or destroyed by a landslide, then your homeowners insurance may not cover you. Fortunately, you could purchase supplemental coverage through a private insurer or the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) to cover earthquake, landslide, and mudflow damage.

Maintenance, Wear and Tear, and Related Damages

As a homeowner, you have an obligation to maintain your home. Maintenance is an expected part of home ownership.

Home insurance isn’t designed to cover expected damages or costs; instead, it’s designed to cover unexpected damages and costs.

Home insurance won’t cover the cost of fixing a rotten fence board, for example, but it will cover any damage to your fence caused by a fallen tree after a storm.

If your roof is 20 years old and needs to be replaced, then you need to check the wording in your policy. Insurance companies have started using terminology in their policies that only allow for the actual cash value of the roof if it is over a certain age. This means that you would be paying for your roof, not your insurance company. This will happen due to the depreciated value of your roof and your deductible. Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover maintenance, wear and tear, or related damages.

Damage Caused by Poor Maintenance

A standard homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover maintenance, nor does it cover damage caused by poor maintenance.

If you failed to check your roof for damage after a hailstorm, for example, and your roof started leaking during a later rainstorm, then you may not be able to make an insurance claim.

As a homeowner, you have an obligation to maintain your home. If you fail to uphold that obligation, then your insurer could deny or reduce your claim. It is a good idea to check your roof after each storm and to check the vents and other intrusions to your roof to make sure that they are properly sealed.

Pest Damage

Virtually all homeowners insurance policies exclude pest damage. As a homeowner, you generally need to pay for pest remediation and removal out of pocket and cannot make a claim.

Homeowners insurance excludes pest damage because it’s part of home maintenance. If you adequately maintain your home, then you’re unlikely to experience pest damage. If you ignore a pest problem, it gets worse.

In fact, it’s rare to find any type of pest insurance offered by insurance companies. No major insurer offers pest coverage – although some pest removal companies offer a warranty after they service your property. The insurance company might offer coverage for termites if it is “hidden damage”, but it is best to reach out to a Public Adjuster for a policy interpretation to see if you have this coverage or not.

Mold Damage

Many homeowners are surprised to learn their policy does not cover mold damage.

In most situations, homeowners insurance will not cover mold damage – especially if that mold is left undiscovered over a long period of time and has no specific, identifiable cause. Some insurance companies will offer a small amount of mold coverage, but this is never enough to properly remediate the home once mold has been discovered.

Even if there is an identifiable cause – like a pipe that slowly leaked – home insurance may not cover it because it’s a maintenance issue. You have an obligation to maintain your home, and that includes identifying leaks before they cause mold damage.

There is an exception to this rule: if a covered peril (like a storm) causes mold damage, then your policy should cover it. If a severe thunderstorm damages your home and causes water to enter your home, for example, leading to mold damage, then home insurance should cover it.

Damage Caused by Dangerous or Aggressive Dogs

Homeowners insurance includes liability coverage. However, that doesn’t mean it protects all incidents on your property.

Many dog owners are surprised to discover their policy doesn’t cover damage inflicted by specific types of dogs.

In fact, you may be unable to buy homeowners insurance if you have certain aggressive or dangerous breeds of dogs.

Many insurers deny or limit coverage if you have a pit bull, rottweiler, or wolf hybrid dog, for example. However, some insurers take a dog-specific approach, only excluding these damages if the dog has a history of aggression, biting, or dangerous behavior.

If your dog is of a breed known for being "aggressive" or "dangerous", then you may face a denied claim or other exclusions. Check your policy to avoid surprises.

Final Word on Exclusions Insurance Doesn't Cover

Roughly two of three homes in the United States are underinsured. They don’t carry adequate insurance coverage or their limits are too low. This can cause multiple problems during a valid claim that can leave you without enough money to cover your loss.

In many cases, your homeowners insurance policy has adequate limits – but it excludes certain damages common to your area.

If you think your claim was wrongfully denied or underpaid, contact ClaimsMate for a claim review from a Public Adjuster.

Read More Here: 10 Surprising Homeowners Insurance Exclusions: Damages Home Insurance Won’t Cover