When Should You Contact a Public Adjuster?

Public adjusters provide valuable service to insurance policyholders. However, it’s not always in your best interest to hire a public adjuster.

When should you contact a public adjuster? When is the right time to hire a public adjuster?
Today, we’re explaining what you need to know about when to contact and consider hiring a public adjuster.

holding phone deciding when to call a public adjuster
In many situations after a loss or damages to a home or business, an insurance policyholder may be deciding if they should file an insurance claim and when to call the insurance company. There can be some crucial details in this step and a private claims adjuster may be the best first person to call for help.


Public adjusters are quite often hired early in the claims process. Some people request the services of a public adjuster immediately after they experience a loss and are preparing to make an insurance claim, for example. Others hire a public adjuster early in the claims process. Some policyholders don’t realize they need to hire a public adjuster until they get a disappointing initial settlement offer from the insurance company. 

When you hire a public adjuster, you’re engaging the services of a talented insurance industry professional. This professional will help investigate and prepare your claim, organize your documents, and negotiate with the insurance company for the highest possible settlement. At the end of the claims process, your adjuster will take a pre-arranged cut of the final settlement offer – say, a 10% to 15% fee. With most adjusters, this is the only fee you pay.

Typically, public adjusters don’t work on small claims – where the insurance payout is going to be less than $5,000 or $10,000. However, if your insurance claim involves more than $10,000, and you’re having a dispute with your insurance company over what should be covered, then contacting an experienced and trustworthy public insurance adjuster for assistance is a smart move.