FAQ's
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is a public adjuster?
A Florida public adjuster is licensed by the state and is required to carry a bond. Experienced and knowledgable public insurance adjusters are insurance professionals that provide insurance adjusting services exclusively to the public, not insurance companies.
Why is it a good idea to hire a public insurance adjuster?
A qualified public insurance adjuster will analyze your insurance policy, determine the extent of your damages and advise if your loss is covered. If so, they will determine how much it will realistically cost to rebuild, repair and recover financially after an insured loss. It's always a good idea to get professional assistance from someone who is looking out for your interests. Does the IRS prepare your taxes for you? If you are in a legal dispute, do you let your opponent decide if you are correct and how much you should pay them? If you are purchasing a home it's always a good idea to use the services of a qualified real estate agent to guide you through the complicated process. The same is true of the insurance claim process. Policyholders should always get the professional assistance of an experienced, qualified, licensed professional public insurance adjuster to ensure that their interests are being protected.
What's the difference between hiring a public adjuster or an attorney for an insurance claim?
Attorneys and public insurance adjusters have entirely different roles. Ideally, a policyholder will hire a public insurance adjuster to adjust the claim with the insurance company and avoid the expenses and time associated with litigation altogether. However, if your public adjuster and insurance company reach an impasse there are typically three dispute resolution options available - mediation, appraisal or litigation. Attorneys handle substantive and procedural law - meaning they resolve disputes often through the use of time consuming and expensive litigation.
Sometimes when an insurance company is not acting properly or breaching the contractual agreement you entered into, an attorney may be required. Litigation is one of three options that are available to policyholders in a disputed claim. Your public insurance adjuster can review all these options with you to help you make the right choice for your claim.
The adjustment process, which must take place prior to filing any lawsuits, is where the public adjusters expertise comes in. Reliant Insurance Adjusters will analyze, document, prepare and present your claim to the insurance company so that they can make a timely coverage and payment decision. Essentially, we will put the ball in their court for payment. You will have complied with all of your duties after a loss because Reliant Insurance Adjusters will make sure you meet all the conditions in your insurance policy contract. We will meet with the adjuster working for the insurance company and provide them all the information they require to make a favorable claim decision for our clients. If the insurance company decides to not pay the claim properly even after you have done everything right, dispute resolution options can be reviewed. Typically, however, the claims we handle for our clients are resolved without the need for third party involvement.
Sometimes when an insurance company is not acting properly or breaching the contractual agreement you entered into, an attorney may be required. Litigation is one of three options that are available to policyholders in a disputed claim. Your public insurance adjuster can review all these options with you to help you make the right choice for your claim.
The adjustment process, which must take place prior to filing any lawsuits, is where the public adjusters expertise comes in. Reliant Insurance Adjusters will analyze, document, prepare and present your claim to the insurance company so that they can make a timely coverage and payment decision. Essentially, we will put the ball in their court for payment. You will have complied with all of your duties after a loss because Reliant Insurance Adjusters will make sure you meet all the conditions in your insurance policy contract. We will meet with the adjuster working for the insurance company and provide them all the information they require to make a favorable claim decision for our clients. If the insurance company decides to not pay the claim properly even after you have done everything right, dispute resolution options can be reviewed. Typically, however, the claims we handle for our clients are resolved without the need for third party involvement.
Which public adjuster should I hire?
Hire Reliant Insurance Adjusters. We can help. Karen Schiffmiller and Scott Scovin are both members of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) and are held to the highest standards of ethics. Karen Schiffmiller is the past President and remains on the Board of Directors of FAPIA. They regularly attend educational courses that are public adjuster specific in order to keep up to date on all of the latest rules, laws, trends and insurance company policies to be able to advocate for their policyholder clients. Look no further. You have found your public insurance adjuster.
How much does a public adjuster charge?
In Florida, public adjusters fees are regulated and cannot exceed 20% of any claim payments made after the execution of the contract. In the event of a disaster (hurricane, tornado, etc.) where the Governor makes a declaration of a state of emergency, public insurance adjuster fees cannot exceed 10% of any claim payments for one year following the date of the event.
Why Hire Reliant Insurance Adjusters
When you have insurance professionals like Karen Schiffmiller and Scott Scovin in your corner, bringing the competence they have gathered through so many years of experience, you cannot go wrong. Don't believe us. The state of Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) conducted a study of public adjusters some time ago. They determined that policyholders who utilize the services of public adjusters on non catastrophe claims typically receive an average of 574% more than policyholders who choose not to hire a public adjuster. For catastrophe claims (hurricane, etc.) the difference was even more striking. Policyholders who hired public adjusters received an average settlement of 747% more than those that did not.
