When it comes to all of the legal processes that take place during a lawsuit you are probably left wondering what at least half of them mean. A claims adjuster will have to look at your case to determine things on the money side for the insurers.
Their job involves a lot of investigatory work that we will go through in this article, and they have quite a big say when it comes to paying out from the insurance.
There are different processes for different types of cases, but a claims adjuster will be present to find out the worth of your claim and determine how much money the insurance company should offer you.
We are going to give you all the information that you could possibly need about claims adjusters and what they do, so you can be prepared for any outcome.
What Does a Claims Adjuster Do?
A claims adjuster is an individual that will take part in investigations into any claims that have been made to an insurance company.
There are lots of different types of claims that can be made, from personal injury to property damage, but there will be a claims adjuster to sort through all of the investigative work. Some of the work of a claims adjuster can include things like:
- Inspecting the damage
- Looking at any evidence
- Reviewing any police reports
- Talking to property owners
- Speaking to any witnesses
- Backing up any claims with facts
As soon as these investigations have taken place, the adjuster will be able to decide the amount of liability that is taken on by the insurance company.
More often than not, adjusters will try to offer less money than what is due, which is why it is important for you to know all of the facts and information possible about the damages that you have incurred. In some states, insurance adjusters will have had to pass certain exams in order to give them the qualifications that are necessary for their line of work.
One of the first things that a claims adjuster will do is to confirm that the damages that have been caused are covered by your insurance policy. If you are covered, then the insurance company will be responsible for paying out to cover any damages and losses. They might even have to cover any additional costs that you have incurred due to the situation at hand.
The adjuster will determine exactly what is covered under your policy to make sure that you are entitled to what you are claiming. It will also be their job to liaise between you and the insurance company, and they will have to sort out all of the necessary paperwork for your claim. If you are wondering exactly what the insurance adjuster will be doing, here are some things that are included in their role:
- Making the insurance company aware of all of the losses
- Investigating and assessing any damage that has occurred
- Finding out who is liable for the situation at hand
- Investigating everything there is to know about your claim
- Investigating all of the parties involved in the claim, including witnesses
- Creating a damage report to help determine the financial losses
- Liaising with specialists for quotes on repairs
Types of Insurance Adjusters
There are actually three different types of claims adjusters, and these are staff adjusters, independent adjusters, and public adjusters.
Staff adjusters are typically already employed by the insurance company, independent adjusters are usually hired by the insurance company, and public adjusters are employed by the claimant or policy holder.
Insurance Claims Adjuster Vs Public Claims Adjuster
The insurance claims adjuster and the public claims adjuster are two different people. The insurance claims adjuster works on behalf of the insurance company that you are with, and they are responsible for all the things on their end.
However, you can also get a public claims adjuster that will work with your best interests in mind. They will do the same job, but they are more likely to work towards what is best for you, instead of what is best for the company.
They will typically work based on a percentage of the settlement figure, and they can be really helpful in getting you the best possible outcome.
Do I Need My Own Claims Adjuster?
Now that you know the inner workings of a claims adjuster, you might find yourself considering whether or not you should hire one to represent your side.
Once you start your claim with the insurance company, they will get to work with their claims adjuster to assess all of the damages and losses that are going to need to be paid out for. You will need to make sure that all of the information that you have given is correct and true, as it could otherwise negatively impact your overall claim.
It is difficult to know whether or not you need to hire your own claims adjuster, but if you want to be sure that your claim is being handled fairly and unbiasedly, then it can’t hurt to hire one. However, you should do this at the time of making your claim, as if you do this too late, it might not make a difference and will only slow down the whole process.
Hiring your own claims adjuster from the beginning will make everything more clear and both sides can work together to reach a conclusion. It is always helpful to have a second opinion to ensure that you are really getting what you are entitled to, rather than a lower settlement that won’t cover your losses.
So, make sure that you hire your public adjuster really early on in the claim for the best results, and this way you will be able to ensure that you are being fairly compensated for any damages and losses. Though, if you do leave it until later, your public adjuster will still be able to re-negotiate the settlement to try and get a higher figure when needed.
