Public Adjusting Services
Public Adjusting Services
In the aftermath of a large property loss to your home, commercial building or business, many policyholders do not know where to turn for help or who to trust. Being inundated by contractors, restoration professionals and public adjusters alike can be equally disconcerting.
Most folks who have suffered an insured loss can benefit from hiring a qualified Public Adjuster, in both the payout a policyholder recovers and their experience going through the claims process. Many property owners are unaware that Public Adjusters even exist as an alternative to dealing directly with the insurance company. Public Adjusters obtain repair estimates, order asbestos and lead testing where called for, hire experts, and handle all negotiations with insurance companies, thus reducing stress and frustration for policyholders. Crown Adjusting’s expertise ensures thorough claim support, compliance with policy terms, and maximized damage assessment. It makes sense to educate yourself and become well-informed as you begin your claim process after a fire loss, by partnering with a Public Adjuster, especially Crown Adjusting.
Residential
Review your insurance policy
Review your insurance policy thoroughly and develop clear goals in relation to it.
Determine the Extend of Damages
Determine the scope and extent of the damages to your home and necessary repair.
Test for asbestos and lead
Test for asbestos and lead with regard to building damage and contents contamination.
Prepare a Replacement Cost estimate
Prepare a replacement cost estimate that substantiates what is owed under the claim
Hire Experts
Hire experts when necessary to evaluate building damage and document repairs
Inventory and assess Damage
Inventory and assess damage to personal property for loss valuation purposes.
Utilize Professional Appraisals
Utilize professional appraisals for specialty items, i.e., rare books, art, antiques, collections and etc.
Prepare, Present, Adjust and settle
Prepare, present, adjust and settle the insured’s agreed value settlement, while exploring all of their options under the policy, including cashing out.
Present Supplemental Claims
Present additional living expenses, loss of use, fair rental value or loss of rental income claims for the insured post loss, and through completion of repairs subject to the insurance company’s agreement.
Secure Monies
Secure monies agreed to under the claim through the completion of repairs, including: code upgrade claims, replacement cost benefits/recoverable depreciation for betterment, supplemental and or additional claims not previously submitted – from permitting through the repair process to completion.
Commercial
Comprehensive review of your insurance Policy
Provide a comprehensive review of your insurance policy and coverage as it applies to you loss and provide a proactive claim strategy that maximizes your financial recovery
Assist with Policy Compliance
Assist you in complying with your policy’s requirements, such as mitigating further damage and being aware of time and coverage limitations.
Check for Hazardous Materials
Test for asbestos and lead with regard to building damage and contents contamination.
Evaluate Every Aspect of Your Loss
Conduct a thorough evaluation of your loss, carefully researching, detailing and substantiating every aspect of your claim and recovery
Hire Construction and Equipment Consultants
Hire builders, estimators, and other expert consultants as needed to substantiate and support your claim.
Advocate at all inspections and Meetings
Work as your advocate at all inspections and meetings with your insurance company when appropriate.
Get the best financial settlement
In support of securing the best financial settlement in the shortest period of time, work to achieve your own goals and objectives every step of the way.
Business
Provide a Claim Strategy
Review and assess your insurance program and provide a claim strategy that is sound and effective. This includes helping the insured with business relocation and or partial operations at a new or temporary location.
Document Property and Insured Losses
Present additional living expenses, loss of use, fair rental value or loss of rental income claims for the insured post loss, and through completion of repairs subject to the insurance company’s agreement.
Hire Outside Experts
Retain outside experts such as accountants and consultants where helpful to establish the scope and magnitude of business interruption and related costs.
Develop a Business Recovery Strategy
Help develop a sound business recovery plan with the approval from the insurer, utilizing your insurance money wisely, to set up temporary operations, or to permanently relocate your business when possible. The insured has the obligation to mitigate the loss at all times during the period of indemnity.
Establish a diary of agreements and Costs
Work with the insured to comply with all requirements under the insurance policy provisions and establish a diary of agreements and costs that will be covered in the claim.
Prepare the Loss of Business Income Claims
Document and prepare the insured’s loss of business income and extra expense claims with the assistance of a forensic accountant, where the policy provides loss of income coverage.
Manage Coverage Limitations
Work closely with the insured paying particular attention to coverage limitations so the insured does not end up spending down their policy benefits unnecessarily.
Mitigate the loss of business income
In anticipation of the insured reopening their business and preserving their customer base, work strategically with the insured using business income and extra expense coverage to enhance and support customer relations, while mitigating the business income loss, to the extent possible.
Crown Adjusting Services
Property Coverage Terms and Conditions
Insurance policies contain complex terms and language that is unfamiliar and confusing to laypersons. Crown Adjusting begins each claim with a thorough review of the terms and conditions of the insurance policy itself. Although most insurance policies contain similar language and policyholder requirements, each policy will have specific coverage limitations or exclusions, extensions of coverage, and differing loss settlement provisions. You can rely on Crown Adjusting to understand and explain the nuanced differences in policy language, and to apply a proactive claim strategy that will have a direct bearing on the claim valuation and the insured’s financial recovery.
Measurement Of the Damages As Of The Date Of Loss
The policyholder must establish the scope of repair or replacement if they wish to recover more than the insurance company’s initial lowball offer. The insurance company adjuster and the “independent” adjuster or contractor they retain will prepare an estimate for the insurance company, which is often below what the insured is actually entitled to. Without an advocate on their side, the policyholder may be stuck with the insurance company’s preliminary estimate of repair as the basis for a settlement. The insured does not know what may be missing or incorrectly stated in the insurance company’s scope of repair. Crown Adjusting will prepare and present a detailed, supported, and complete claim package to the insurance company, taking into account hidden damage, like kind and quality, materials and workmanship, unit cost pricing that reflects today’s repair (or replacement) costs, building code and ordinance requirements, hazardous materials abatement and demolition, plans and engineering where needed, additional coverages or extensions, and other conditions that may raise the costs of repairs. With an experienced, tenacious, and creative Public Adjuster like us on your side, your eventual recovery can be significantly enhanced.
Documentation Of The Loss & Claim
Documenting your claim without professional help will be tedious, time-consuming and burdensome. When we are involved in your claim process, we take the entire responsibility of dealing with the insurance company off your shoulders. We begin the claim evaluation process with the insurance company’s participation, establishing common goals and objectives in the near term, while planning for the longer term ahead. The basis of every successful adjustment is developed through meticulous analysis, recording and presentation. Every claim, every insurance company and every adjuster working for or with an insurance carrier has his or her own agenda. Their own approach to establishing the loss for the insurance carrier changes frequently, based on the claims personnel that supervise and approve what is paid out to the insured. Without an experienced and test proven public adjuster on your side, promoting your own interests at every phase of the claim process, your claim and eventual settlement can be significantly understated.
Reaching An Agreement With Your Insurer
Every aspect of the insured’s claim is subject to the terms and conditions of the insurance policy, so every claim payment made by the insurance company is based upon information presented and agreed to by you, the insured. Accepting a check from your insurance company does not preclude you from challenging the insurance company’s claim offer, but the insured must communicate with their insurance company and advance their own claim requests, in writing, particularly when the insured can demonstrate that the insurance company’s claim calculation is woefully inadequate. When a public adjuster is managing the claim for the insured, you should expect that many factors leading to an undervalued claim will be avoided altogether. A seasoned and experienced public adjuster, representing the insured, effectively knows what to do to avoid many of the pitfalls that arise out of a claim managed solely by your insurance company and/or their representatives. Your claim and eventual settlement will not be approved or finalized without your expressed permission. A public adjuster’s work is not done until every dollar owed and agreed upon is paid.