Public Adjuster vs. Insurance Company Adjuster
When a loss happens, more than one kind of "adjuster" may show up — and the distinction is everything. The insurance company’s adjuster works for the insurance company. A public adjuster works only for you.
Understanding who represents whom is the single most important thing a policyholder can know before settling a claim.
| Insurance Company Adjuster | Public Adjuster | |
|---|---|---|
| Who they work for | The insurance company that hired and pays them | You, the policyholder — and no one else |
| Whose interest they protect | The carrier’s bottom line | Your right to the full covered loss |
| How they’re paid | Salary or fee from the insurer | A contingency percentage of what you recover |
| Scope of the estimate | Often minimized to what the policy "has to" pay | Documented to full scope and value of the loss |
| Incentive | Close the claim quickly and cheaply | Maximize your fair settlement |
The carrier’s adjuster — sometimes called a company or "desk" adjuster, sometimes an independent adjuster hired by the insurer — is professional and often courteous, but their job is to protect the company’s money. They scope the loss to the carrier’s standard, apply depreciation and exclusions, and aim to close the file efficiently.
A public adjuster is licensed by the state to represent you. We re-inspect the loss, document the full scope with tools the desk adjuster never uses, read the policy in your favor, and negotiate. Because we are paid a percentage of what we recover, our incentive is aligned with yours: the largest fair settlement possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a public adjuster worth it?
For any significant or disputed claim, an independent scope and negotiation frequently increase the settlement by far more than the contingency fee. And on a no-recovery-no-fee basis, there is little downside to a free review.
Can I use a public adjuster if the carrier already assigned an adjuster?
Yes. You can retain your own public adjuster at any point in the claim — before filing, after a lowball offer, or after a denial.
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