Insurance Explained – Claims Adjuster

February 10, 2022

Ever run into a situation when you need to use your insurance policy? Perhaps while you were on vacation last winter, your house flooded unexpectedly when a pipe burst. But before you can use your insurance to take care of your house, oftentimes an insurance adjuster will need to come by and inspect what’s going on.

A claims adjuster investigates insurance claims to determine liability. They handle different types of claims from personal injury to property damage. Depending on what kind of claim is filed, a claims adjuster can handle it over the phone, or in-person. If the example above were real, an adjuster would follow up to inspect the damage, find out what caused the issues, and record all that information for the insurance company. The insurance company uses that information to determine whether a situation is covered or not. The point of claims adjustment is to resolve the matter by offering enough resources to remedy the situation.

There are also public insurance adjusters everyone can use. These types of adjusters work on behalf of the policyholder to determine whether you need help filing a claim or feel as though you need a second opinion on the original claim amount offered by insurance. Public adjusters usually have experience in a field related to the claim you are trying to file. If you feel confident in the dollar amount you feel is owed, a public adjuster can help confirm or they can help you file a claim with your insurance. An accurate, detailed claim is important in obtaining the funds to cover a loss.

Another type of adjuster is an independent claims adjuster. These types of adjusters are considered to be more of a consultant and work as a third-party objective opinion. They are often hired by the insurance company to help adjust a claim. Many times, they are in demand to help with the overflow of claims an insurance company may receive. An independent adjuster might also be called on to handle special cases like a rare occurrence that requires special knowledge or skill to assess. Note that independent claims adjusters work for the insurance company, unlike a public adjuster which is hired exclusively by the policyholder.

Moving forward, if you need a second opinion about a claim, hire a public claims adjuster. Have a special claim? You might be meeting with an independent adjuster.  A claims adjuster is part of the insurance process and helpful in getting you the funds and resources you need to move forward.