A rising problem that we in the public adjusting profession have been dealing with for years seems to finally have caught the attention of Florida officials. That is, the practice of insurance adjusting without a license by roofers and restoration contractors who sometimes are also unlicensed. A recent article, Illegal for roofers to act as insurance adjusters, experts warn perfectly illustrates the growing problem that takes advantage of homeowners who are in a stressful situation trying to repair their property and get a fair settlement. Hats off to Nancy Dominquez of The Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters who states, “when you have individuals or companies trying to convince homeowners that their contracting or roofing license permits them to handle insurance claims, that's incorrect. Not only is it incorrect, it's against the law.”

Most in the Caribbean Islands were unprepared.  In fact, one emergency operations manager downplayed the storm over the radio so much that thousands were caught off guard as they did not take the necessary precautions to protect their properties from Hurricane Gonzalo.  It is rumored he will soon lose his job.  At the request of some clients, I flew into St. Maarten the day after the storm passed.

Given the severe localized flooding to parts of Southern and the east coast of Florida this past week due to heavy rains, it’s timely to point out that it only takes one storm to trigger a property insurance claim that can decimate your property value. It’s interesting to note a recent article that reviews worldwide property loss stats. While we haven’t had a large catastrophe event it points out that a larger group of smaller storms can still impact insurance rates and property values. Smaller losses, as we have seen in our practice, can still create time consuming claim complications. The time to identify your “claims team” is before you suffer your loss. Work with your insurance agent to fully understand the claims process. Then identify trusted public adjusters, restoration contractors, and yes even property insurance attorneys so you don’t fall upon the predatory few that will try to make a buck from your loss.  

As Public Adjusters, helping homeowners and businesses with their insurance claims is our business. But our firm has always believed in giving back to the local communities we serve. Congratulations to Public Adjuster, Michael Platts who recently presented copies of the Of The Declaration, Constitution and Bill of Rights to Mr. Perez, Social Studies teachers and Mr. Hart, Principal of Monroe Middle School. Thanks to Mike’s efforts, every 8th grader will now have a personal copy for their upcoming Constitutional Studies class. We’re proud of you Mike!

Here is an insurance claim question that we recently were asked to weigh in on as a contributing member of insurance claim experts for United Policyholders who advocates for property owners. 

Q. We received a question from a North Carolina consumer regarding a roof replacement due to windstorm damage. The carrier is claiming that only a "spot-repair" is required under the policy but the homeowner has requested a full replacement. This position is supported by the North Carolina Department of Insurance, yet I find scant case law to support it. Further, when I browse through the North Carolina Insurance Code, I find a reference to "like, kind, and quality" v. "functional" repairs but I'm not clear on what this means in practice. If you have had any recent experience with this type of scenario, I would be interested in your insight.

As public adjusters, we tend to see property damage resulting in an insurance claim sometimes well after the damage has been done and errors in filing and estimating the claim or just simple lack of documentation has occurred. Fortunately, policyholders can take a number of steps to protect their property claim. A recent article by Consumer Reports: Hurricane warning: Don’t let your house insurer blow you over states that “ the policyholder needs to stand tough and stand up to make sure you get everything you’re entitled to under your policy. They point out 10 ways to do that.

A recent article from CNN Money Damaged home? How to get an insurer to pay up states that utilizing a public adjuster can help policyholders obtain a fair recovery. As the article states, “Often, policyholders accept low-ball offers from insurers because they don't know what they're entitled to, don't realize how much repairs cost or they're just worn down.” Public adjusters are typically insurance industry veterans who understand the claims process and know how to talk the industry language. Especially with large or complicated losses or during a disaster, involving a public adjuster early in the process can help the homeowner avoid costly mistakes and subsequent denials that require legal action.