FAQs

An individual or company that works on behalf of a property owner to assist in making sure an insurance carrier provides fair payment for property damage. Public Adjusters are trained & licensed insurance adjusters who have a fiduciary responsibility and work exclusively for the policyholder rather than the insurance company.

It’s advisable to involve a public adjuster at the very beginning of the claims process. By hiring a public adjuster early on, you can ensure that your property damage is thoroughly and accurately assessed from the start. Our team will work with you to interpret your insurance policy, engage with your insurance carrier, and navigate the often complex claims process on your behalf. Whether dealing with complex or significant property damage claims, Premier Claims’ expertise can be instrumental in achieving a fair and efficient settlement.

There are three main types of adjusters:

1. Company Adjusters: Employed by insurance carriers, they represent the interests of the insurance company.
2. Independent Adjusters: Often hired by insurance carriers to represent them, especially during high claim periods.
3. Public Adjusters: Hired by policyholders, public adjusters like Premier Claims represent your interests, working to ensure you receive a fair settlement from your insurance carrier.

Insurance carriers cannot legally raise premiums due to an Act of God, such as a hailstorm, pipe burst, or flood. Insurance carriers base raising rates on two things:

Is the policy holder at fault?
This would be like driving a truck through the building.

Is the property located in a “Catastrophe Area?”
Meaning the storm, such as a hurricane or tornado, was so severe that multiple claims in the area are being filed and everyone’s rates will go up — Might as well file a claim at this point because everyone in your community is and you’ve been paying the coverage.

Hiring a public adjuster to represent you and look after your interest in the claims process should not cause your premiums to increase. Consult with our team to understand your specific situation and to review your policy.

If your claim is denied or underpaid, our team can review your policy, conduct a thorough inspection of your property, assess the reason for the decision, and work with you to file an appeal or negotiate with your insurance carrier. While it is rare, your options may include mediation, arbitration, or legal action. At Premier Claims, we have a legal team standing by to support you through this process as well.

Hiring a public adjuster like Premier Claims is your right as a policyholder. While some carriers may prefer to deal directly with policyholders, our professional approach and industry knowledge ensure that we can work effectively with your insurance carrier to achieve a fair settlement. We are all professionals, and our team takes much of the claim due diligence off the insurance carrier by confirming damage, reviewing the policy, checking local codes, ordinances & laws, and prepare detailed estimates.

As a fiduciary, we only get paid if the policyholder gets paid. We typically charge a small percentage of the settlement amount. This fee is agreed upon in advance, and there are no upfront costs.

While you can accept the initial settlement offer, it may not fully cover your damages. Premier Claims can assess the offer, considering all aspects of your policy and the extent of the damages, to ensure that you receive the settlement you deserve.

Some states allow for reopening a claim if new damages are discovered or if you believe the settlement was insufficient. Premier Claims can help assess whether reopening a claim is possible if new damages are discovered or if you believe the settlement with the insurance carrier was insufficient.

The Department of Insurance realized there was a major issue with insurance claims getting wrongfully denied or underpaid. Property owners were filing lawsuits left and right, and the insurance companies were paying a lot of money in legal fees; thus, the Department of Insurance created a license for companies, like Premier Claims, to work on your behalf during the standard claims process to make sure insurance companies were not making these errors.

Attorneys are typically involved in legal disputes. Premier Claims can navigate the claims process and negotiate with your insurance carrier on your behalf without going to extremes of legal action. In the rare incidents where legal action becomes necessary, we can work with your attorney or help you find one specializing in insurance claims.

Most public adjusting firms are small companies that are one to two individuals handling each step of the process. At Premier Claims, the policyholder receives a full team of experts that are specialized in specific steps in the claim process. By having a full team on your side, the policyholder is reassured that everything is being considered, checked, and delivered in an efficient and professional manner. Our team also continues monitoring your property after a claim is closed for any potential future damage to ensure your property is being protected.

You can, but the insurance carrier’s adjuster represents the interests of the insurance company. Premier Claims represents your interests, providing expertise and advocacy to ensure a fair and higher settlement.

Every property, damage, and situation is different and can vary the duration of the claim process. While there’s no guarantee, a public adjuster often has the knowledge and experience to navigate the claims process efficiently, potentially speeding up the settlement process.

• Is this a new claim, partial payment or denied claim?
• Who is your insurance carrier?
• Is there an engineering report that needs to be refuted?

Different factors can add more time to the claim. We never want to gauge the clock and not deliver in that time frame. But you are given a client relation specialist who provides bi-weekly updates throughout the process so you know what is always happening with your claim.

Xactimate is a leading software used to estimate property damage. Premier Claims utilizes Xactimate to create detailed, industry-standard estimates that are widely accepted by insurance carriers. This ensures a consistent and transparent evaluation of damages, aligning with the insurance industry’s practices.