A public adjuster is someone who works for you; he/she is your representative. And that’s why it is so important that when you need to hire them in Florida, you should be absolutely sure. You are the boss and thus, you have to think like a boss. When you are interviewing them, you should ask them the right questions.
In this article, we have listed the most important questions that you should ask any public adjuster before you hire them.
You should ask a public adjuster these questions:
1. How long are you in business?
It’s absolutely fine if someone is new to the business. Big and prestigious firms today were once started as a single adjuster with their own small business. However, if someone is just beginning their own business, then they should have prior experience of their association with another firm. Stay away from those who have no experience at all.
2. Are you part of a team?
An individual public adjuster has limited knowledge even if he/she is very much qualified. However, knowledge can be pooled by a team of adjusters and they can help each other out. This will lead to better results for their clients.
3. Are you licensed in Florida?
If a public adjuster is not licensed and is still practising, then they are breaking the law. Moreover, they can put you also at risk as it’s not a guarantee that they are competent and have the desired skills.
4. Do you have experience with claims like ours?
Hurricanes should be par for the course of any qualified public adjuster in Florida. But in case there is an unusual claim, for instance, if a car ran off the road into your bedroom, then you would want to know whether your public adjuster is skilful enough to deal with the quirkier aspects of such a claim.
5. How do you get paid?
A public insurance adjuster should be paid only after you get paid, taking a percentage of your claim. Don’t do business with any public adjuster, who asks for an up-front fee. What they are doing is not ethical.
6. Are you experienced in dealing with mortgage lenders?
You may be in a situation wherein you still owe money to a mortgage lender. They do not care when your insurance company is handling your claim. A good public adjuster is one who can serve as an intermediary to help you in dealing with the demands of your mortgage lender.
7. Who will prepare my claim?
There are firms that are so big that they delegate their work to third-party contractors. In this case, you will be paying for a well-known name but getting services from a freelancer. It is your duty to make sure that your public adjuster is personally involved with your claim.
8. Can I stay involved in my claim?
There are many public adjusters that do not want their clients to communicate directly with the insurance company. On the other hand, there are others who are absolutely fine with sharing these responsibilities with their clients. There is nothing wrong or right in both situations but you should ensure that you and your public adjusters are on the same page.
9. Can you provide local references?
There are very few chances that you will need the services of a public adjuster. or you may need them just once or twice at most. You will never forget if your adjuster did a good job when you needed them. You should ask your prospective public adjuster for references. Scratch them off your list if they are not ready to offer any.
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