Insurance Claims – 6 easy steps

Posted on July 11th, 2011

When the public finds themselves in a situation in which they have experienced property damage the claim process is usually unavoidable. The question is, will this unavoidable state of affairs be difficult or proceed smoothly? When a Public adjuster is involved the percentage a claims that will result in denial is lowered and the recovery of the property owners is typically better.

There are several elements to each claim that aid in this process:

1. Assessing Loss

2. Claim Prep Work

3. Organizing Documents

4. Coordinating  with Insurance Company

5. Chutes and Ladders

6. Settlement

1. Assessing Loss can be one of the most important parts of getting your claim started. When you work with a Public Adjuster, this adjuster will get you start quickly and move fast to assess the situation. Relying on the insurance company to assess your loss can take more time then necessary and the insurance company has their interest at stake. You are better off with a Public Adjuster on your side.

2. The paperwork, order of filing, various departments, and steps for preparing the claim can be a frustrating process. A Public Adjuster handles all the prep work for you. This beats you having to review your policy, and worry about which documents are needed and who to contact.

3. The documents are vital to a successful claim, and Public Adjusters know exactly how to take care of this entire process. One of the most important factors to organizing your insurance claim docs is connecting the information from assessing the loss. The language used and the type of loss being reported can lead to a lot of mistakes if a professional is not assisting in the process. Public Adjusters have the experience and systems in place to make sure this step is analyzed and carefully executed.

4. You insurance company must protect itself from fraudulent and excessive claims. Therefore if they have a person on the other line systematically questioning you and trying to get certain bits of information, you should hire a Public Adjuster that knows exactly how to coordinate with your insurance company during your property insurance claim process.

5. The are many obstacles that are placed in front of a claim and these roadblocks can commonly cause a property owner to get discouraged and abandon the claim. This is an exact calculated outcome and a certain percentage of claims end here. This can be a consuming process and hold times can be long – a Public Adjuster has a team of professionals ready to maneuver around these chutes and ladders. It’s all in a days work.

6. The goal is not only to settle the claim, but to make sure that you get what you deserve. For many property owners their first insurance claim can be their last, and this is a one time event. Therefore, a settlement amount might not be complete; however, the property owner is satisfied. You are entitled to what you deserve and a Public Adjuster is around claims morning and night – Public Adjusters know what is a fair settlement and what you deserve.

When you contact Stellar Adjusting Services these are just a sample of steps that are vital and necessary to a successful insurance claim. At Stellar Adjusting Services we provide excellent communication and get results. Hiring a Public Adjuster is an opportunity to be better situated to receiving recovery and saving your own aggravation.

Tags: filing insurance claim
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Unsung Heroes – Public Adjusters

Posted on July 7th, 2011

The insurance industry seems to be relevant to almost every aspect of modern life. You don’t have to look far and you’ll quickly recognize that insurance companies have a policy on your car, health, and real estate. There are so many different types of policies, regulations, and variations of coverage. Some of the coverage is dictated by law, while other types of insurance are elective. The reality is that most people never have any issues with their insurance company; that’s as long as everything is smooth sailing.

In the unfortunate event of property damage the obscure details of an insurance policy become relevant. In Miami and other coastal areas of South Florida, hurricanes are a major risk. This type of natural occurrence has the potential of causing tremendous damage to residential and commercial property. Again, never really an issue until the unexpected storm pays a visit. It’s best to be prepared and maintain necessary insurance than not to have coverage at all, even if the insurance claim process can be difficult.

Natural occurrences are not the only risk, to be considered with that involve a claim process. Damage can be caused by a burst pipe, flood, roof damage, or other cause this almost always triggers the property owner to become a nervous wreck. Insurance claims are a specific contractual process and homeowners that are not trained in the process or have an emotional attachment to the damage can often times result in denial letters because of an incorrect approach. The insurance adjusters can be the answer to providing the public an important resource to a successful insurance claim and make a difference between recovery and denial.

The Public Adjuster not only offers a combination of expertise and experience, but it’s always useful to coordinate with a third-party that can clearly execute each step of the claim process. This type of insurance adjuster works for the property owners – the claim is in the policyholder’s name and the adjuster acts on their behalf. The insurance companies have adjusters working on their side either in-house or hired third parties to work diligently representing their side of the policy. This makes it all the more important that the policyholder work directly with the public adjuster to equally represent their position in accordance with their policy.

Stellar Adjusting Services has helped many residential and commercial property owners successfully recover what they deserve.

Tags: insurance claims florida, public adjuster miami
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How to choose a Public Adjuster

Posted on February 22nd, 2011

Choosing a Public Insurance Adjuster in Miami can be a challenge because of the competition in the industry in South Florida. Since Hurricanes and water damage is a frequent happening so many residents in Miami and South Florida file insurance claims.

When you start looking for Public Adjusters in Miami here are the questions you must ask once you’ve identified a company through the phone book, Internet, or newspaper.

1. How many years of experience do you have in Miami and South Florida?

2. Are you familiar with insurance companies and hurricane issues?

3. Do you know the Miami rules and regulations regarding water damage and flood zones?

4. What type of repair network of roofers, plumbers and contractors in the Miami area, that know local rules, do you work together with when investigating damage?

In addition to having these questions answered, it’s vital that you check with Miami business networks, chambers, and Better Business Bureau. Let’s understand that you want someone on your side that has the experience and does business in the area.

Miami/Dade County is one of the most beautiful places in country if not the world. Picturesque beaches, gorgeous women, one of the largest financial centers on the planet and the most exquisite homes.

Nevertheless there is occasionally trouble in paradise. With Miami, comes hurricanes, flooding, mold, fires, tornadoes and insect damage. It is a given if any of these calamities befall a homeowner; they will grab their homeowners insurance policy and the insurance agency is soon to be notified.

Insurance companies are like any other business and a business is in business to MAKE MONEY. That being said, if you have to work with an agent where do his interests lie? He’s being paid by his agency, not you and will be loyal to the company that signs his paycheck.

If you have been squabbling with your insurance company and can’t get any recompense; it may be time to call a public adjusting service. These insurance adjusters are hired by you to work for you. Many of them have worked for insurance agencies in the past and are fully aware of the tricks and tactics they use.

When you start looking for an insurance adjuster you can do consult your yellow pages under ‘Public Adjusters’ or Google it under the same title and put in your zip code.

When you do make contact with one you want to make sure he/she can do the job you are hiring them for. You need to ask the following questions:

* How long have you been a Public Adjuster?

* Are you licensed in your state/area?

* Do you have a specialty and would you feel comfortable with my claim?

* Can I talk to people who you have won compensation for?

* What are your fees and how are you paid?

* Do you feel comfortable working with an attorney if necessary?

* Could I talk to the attorneys you have worked with?

When all these questions have been answered to your satisfaction you will need to contact your areas Department of Insurance to see if any claims have been filed against him/her.

When you finally hire an insurance adjuster you will need to work closely with them to get every penny you deserve from your insurance agency.

Get someone on your side, call a Public Adjuster today – Stellar Public Adjusting Services is a reliable and committed public adjuster firm in Miami that has the experience and communication to exceed your expectations.

The best way to reach them and view their services is on their website – stellaradjusting.com

Tags: property damage, public adjuster
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Recorded Statements and Insurance Adjusters

Posted on February 16th, 2011

The Internet is an amazing resource when it comes to understanding your Insurance rights, claims, and coverage. It’s best to do your research with the option of verifying your conclusions with a professional. There’s so much online that a user must be careful what is relied upon, especially when in the middle of a claim. A hot topic for discussion is when adjusters for an insurance company push for recorded statements. This issue often puts policyholders on alert and they do research on this matter.

A recent Google search produced an quick article on Squidoo about “recorded statements” and insurance claims and adjusters. Here’s a quick glimpse of that article, it’s worth reading in full.

Adjusters take recorded statements in person so that they can visually evaluate you. They might conclude that you’re not telling the truth. They also take statements by phone simply for their own convenience. I’ve even seen adjusters call policyholders at odd hours, just to catch you off-guard, hoping you’ll make some error in your statement that he can use against you. And, make no mistake. They will use your recorded statement against you if possible.

Here’s The Escape Strategy

1. When an insurance adjuster or insurance company claims examiner asks you to give them a recorded statement, agree to give the statement…but not at their requested schedule. Tell them that you will agree to give the recorded statement in the presence of your attorney. And when I mean “presence,” that can mean in the attorney’s office or in a conference call with the attorney, you and the adjuster.
2. Make arrangements with an attorney to do the recorded statement. Adjusters are usually on their best behavior when an attorney is involved. And, most importantly, the attorney will prevent the adjuster from getting information from you that he is not entitled to gain.
3. NEVER, NEVER give a recorded statement without your attorney present.
—

http://www.squidoo.com/recordedstatementtrap

The theory makes sense, but it might be a bit of an overkill to always speak with an attorney present. Let’s be honest, most of us don’t have attorneys in our back pocket so it makes it difficult to consult on an ongoing basis. The best bet is to phone us or another reputable source to get guidance and if necessary the appropriate steps to consult with an attorney will be arranged. The important factor is to speak with an insurance adjuster that represents you at the earliest stage of a claim.

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Thanks, but what’s an insurance adjuster?

Posted on February 4th, 2011

Welcome to our blog on Florida property insurance. Many readers find themselves landing on this site from the search engines when searching for various damages to their property and it’s often the case that those users are looking for ways to file an insurance claim. Many homeowners that experience fire, water damage, hurricane damage or other property damage focus on communicating only with their insurance company and not a public adjuster.

The reason a public adjuster, in some cases, is not contacted by a property owner is because major damage thankfully doesn’t occur often enough for each owner. Most individuals have insurance, but never need to use it. Public adjusters are vital to contact during a claim, it’s also best to connect before damage occurs so that a property owner can create a relationship with the adjuster.

What is a Public Adjuster?

Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fire, mold, water damage and insect damage. Do I need to go further? Floridians have had more than their share of misfortune and strife with property damage. Trying to work with the insurance companies to get the compensation that is rightfully theirs can be unpleasant at best.

When natural disasters strike, many insurance companies advertise they will have agents on the premises and those agents have the authority to compensate on the spot. As well-meaning and good hearted as they may seem; they are working for the agency they represent and not you. The quicker you settle with them the more you stand to loose.

You, the insured, have the responsibility to calculate how much damage has been done, prepare the claim and then submit that claim to the insurance company. This takes time and knowledge of the insurance industry. Let’s face it, most of us work with our insurance agent long enough to get a stack of papers, a handshake and a ‘thanks for doing business with us.”

It is during these disasters that many people want to get paid quickly and get on with their lives. As difficult as it is, this is the time to call a public adjusting service. Once the service has been contacted they will assign you to an insurance adjuster. He or she will ask for certain information, which is required to do their job. These adjusters are knowledgeable with the ins and out of the insurance industry. Many of them have worked for the insurance agency you are working with now. They know all the tactics, and best of all, they represent you, not the agency.

Yes, there will be a fee for their services but, it is worth every penny. They help you with:

* The red tape that comes with dealing with insurance companies.
* Getting the compensation you paid for and deserve from your insurance company
* Peace of mind that even if you’ve lost everything; someone is looking out for you.

Not everyone is out to make a buck off of the misery of others but, an insurance adjuster can help make sure you get the compensation that you deserve.

Tags: insurance adjuster, public adjuster miami
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Be careful who you hire

Posted on August 26th, 2010

Tags: insurance company vendors
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Don’t rush, there are options

Posted on August 9th, 2010

When in doubt ask, call us today – 305.467.5645

Take one step at a time, regardless if filing a insurance claim in Ft. Lauderdale, Sunrise, Palm Beach, Boca Raton or even Minnesota as discussed in an article below. We don’t service Minnesota, but for all you needs in South Florida we’re ready to help. Remember to call our Public Adjuster services in Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and the surrounding areas of Dade and Broward County.

Insurance claims can get confusing and typically surround damage to your property that can be equally as stressful. There are great resources to online that can guide homeowners through the process, but nothing replaces a face to face consultation. However, we recently found a few tips that can be very useful in the event you have property damage.

Typically, your insurance provider will attempt to resolve the matter directly with the policyholder. Remember there can always be other options when your insurance company presents a possible solution.

This article’s sub heading says it best…

Commerce department, public adjusters step in

When there’s a dispute with the insurance company over storm damage, there are options

This article by Rachelle Klemme, Wadena Pioneer Journal explains the scenario really well about how important patience is in when involved in the claim process. Here are a few tips:

• Review the specific terms of the insurance policy. For example, some policies do not cover the undamaged part of the property or tree removal if the tree did not damage the structure itself.

• Ask questions and find out if you and the insurance company interpret your policy differently. Get it in writing.

• Document the relevant details and communications and appeal to your agent and insurance claims executive. Ask for a second inspection by a different adjuster.

• Negotiate for a fair settlement — don’t just rush to take the first offer if it does not meet your expectations.

• Ask for an appraisal of the loss. Three people will appraise the loss: one chosen by you, one chosen by the company, and a third chosen mutually.

Read the full article - http://www.wadenapj.com/event/article/id/19468/

Tags: insurance claim tips, Public Adjusters
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Steps to Filing an Insurance Claim

Posted on July 7th, 2010

The process of filing an insurance claim can be very confusing, especially during the first time you file a claim. We’ve done our best to layout a few essential steps in the Florida insurance claim process – read more steps in filing an insurance claim in Florida. These steps are very relevant to those in many areas around South Florida – this includes Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. The Boca Raton and West Palm Beach communities have been searching online for public adjusters in Boca Raton or public adjusters in West Palm Beach. Really the focus should be on a public adjuster that understands the South Florida communities and insurance claim process regardless of the location the resident is filing their claim. This is true for homeowners in the surrounding Dade and Broward areas. Hope the links and information is helpful to all of our readers.

Here’s a few useful links to keep handy and research for yourself:

Florida Department of Financial Services: www.fldfs.com

Florida Office of Insurance Regulation: www.floir.com

Florida Market Assistance Program (can help people find insurance companies): www.fmap.org

Consumer Federation of America: www.consumerfed.org

National Association of Insurance Commissioners (has a link to help people look up complaints/financial data on their insurer): www.naic.org

Insurance Information Institute: www.iii.org

These links and others can also be found on the Sun Sentinel website. They have a great story gallery on the Florida homeowner insurance crisis.  We’re excited about bringing these resources to our readership. It’s important that consumers / homeowners understand how to navigate the insurance claim process in Florida. We recommend that time be spent to learn about the insurance claim process before a disaster hits – it’s a lot easier and there’s time to get your questions answered.

Florida Insurance Claim Process:

STEP 1: PRE-LOSS PREPARATION

Ironically, the claims process begins long before the actual loss. In order to get properly and timely compensated in the event of an Insurance Claim, it is important to take the following precautionary steps: have a copy of your ENTIRE policy readily available, understand the types and amounts of coverage you have, film a video and take numerous pictures of the interior and exterior of your home and an inventory list of all of the items of personal property that you have in your home. Remember; keep this list, video and pictures outside of your home.

STEP 2: LOSS MITIGATION & DAMAGE CONTROL

One a loss occurs, whether it is water damage, fire, flooding, hurricane, vandalism or otherwise; you should make every effort to mitigate damages and salvage whatever you can. This includes, but is not limited to, using tarps, create ventilation, contact remediation companies and safeguarding your valuables.

STEP 3: CONTACT A PUBLIC ADJUSTER

Contact Your Public Adjuster to facilitate with the claims filing and handling processes. At some point, you will need to provide your adjuster with all of the above listed documentation so that the claim can be handled professionally and settled in a timely manner.

STEP 4: FILING THE CLAIM

Although it is always recommended to hire a Public Adjuster, many people do not. If a Public Adjuster is involved, it is strongly recommended that the Public Adjuster actually call in the claim information. The information you will be asked when filing the claim will include: Type of Loss, Date of Loss, Loss Location and questions regarding what you have done since the loss to mitigate damages. It is important not to provide too much detail or information in the form of an opinion as whatever you state can be used against you. There are many policy exclusions and limitations that Insured’s are not familiar with and your statements are checked against those exclusions and limitations so that the Insurance Company can deny or limit coverage.

STEP 5: THE PROPERTY INSPECTION

Typically, within 72 hours of the loss, the Insurance Company will send out an “independent adjuster” to evaluate the damages, assess coverage and make recommendations to the Insurance Company. The only thing “independent” about these adjusters is their title. They are hired by the Insurance Company to represent the interests of the Insurance Company – they are not there to advocate for you. This is primarily why you need a Public Adjuster – to represent your interests and advocate for you.

At this inspection, the adjuster will ask many questions, look at the damage, take measurements and photographs and write up some notes to include in his estimate. DO NOT assume that just because he is doing these things the claim will be paid. Usually, the adjuster has no authority and is simply there to gather facts and information for the Insurance Company so that they can determine coverage. Normally, they use this information to claim some exclusion such as long term damage or wear and tear. Be very careful what you do and say with this independent adjuster.

more steps - Florida insurance claim process

Tags: filing insurance claim
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