 The Difference Between Insurance Adjusters, Independent Insurance Adjusters and Public Insurance Adjusters
Insurance Adjusters An insurance adjuster is somebody who is tasked with investigating insurance claims. The ones who work for insurance companies can be desk adjusters (also called claims examiners) and field adjusters. It is the field adjuster's responsibility to visit your property and inspect the damages. They will gather information about your claim, take pictures of the loss and prepare an estimate of how much the damage is worth. Once that is completed, they will submit their report to the desk adjuster for review. The desk adjuster will review all the documentation submitted by the field adjuster in order to determine if the claim is covered. They may ask you for additional information about your claim or ask you to provide a recorded statement to provide facts about the claim. Once their investigation is complete, they will create a report with a recommendation on how much the insurance company should pay. Independent Insurance Adjusters Independent insurance adjusters perform the same function as a field adjuster but are not employees of the insurance company. They work for themselves or an adjusting company contracted by the insurance company. Although independent adjusters are not permanent employees of an insurance company, they still work for insurers rather than policyholders and represent the interests of the insurance company. Public Insurance Adjusters Public insurance adjusters are also known, confusingly, as private insurance adjusters. We do the same job as a field adjuster and a desk adjuster combined. We work solely for you, the policyholder, not the insurance company. Our job is to protect your interests and make sure that the insurance company pays the proper amount for your insurance claim. We review your insurance policy and inspect the damages to make sure you have a covered loss. We take copious notes and photographs and prepare an itemized damage estimate to properly document the amount you are entitled to under your insurance policy and that all coverages are accounted for. Getting expert help from a public insurance adjuster will not only save you from dealing with the insurance company on your own, but will result in the best possible outcome for you claim no matter the size and type of damage to your property.
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 There have been so any times that I enter a home and there is a weird odor that gets more prominent as you walk into the kitchen. I look around and the home is clean, sink empty and clean, no food or garbage is noticeable. What could that smell be?
In south Florida, sink disposals are in almost every kitchen. You use it regularly and probably rinse it after every use, but there always seem to be an odor emanating from it and you cannot figure out why. Let me explain. When you use your disposal, there are always remnants of food particles that adhere to the underside of the rubber and to the metal neck (upper part) of the disposal right beneath the rubber. No matter how many times you rinse or clean your disposal, the odor will not leave. Here are important tips to rid your disposal of any odor and keep your home smelling fresh and clean. These can also help you avoid a potential blockage in your disposal which could lead to water damage to your kitchen cabinets:
Always stay safe while cleaning your disposal and do not place your hands down into the main part of the disposal. Wishing you a safe and happy holiday.  As Covid-19 has affected so many families throughout our country, it is important to remember those that are struggling in our communities. Those that have lost their jobs, cannot feed their families nor pay for the necessities of housing, water and electric.
I have always made it my mission, not just professionally, but personally as well, to always help others. I have been this way since I was a child and helping children is my primary focus. I recently learned about a family where both parents lost their jobs after Covid and they were living out of their car with two young children. Although we help all year round, I was unable to stop thinking about this family when I learned of another family needing help. For any child left to wonder how they will eat or have basic needs met, just tears at my heart. I had a discussion with some friends who also wanted to help a family in need. With a collective effort of shopping, we were able to help these families with gift cards, gas cards, clothing and toys for the children. I know I certainly slept better that night. Paying it forward and giving back is so important. If you can, please make a difference in the lives of others by contacting your local food banks and charities and donate what you can or volunteer where needed. No matter the size of your donation, donating to help those in need certainly makes a difference.  It’s amazing how fast this year has gone in light of the events we have all faced. December is such a festive time of year and I see that so many more homes are being decorated with holiday lights as I drive around different communities in south Florida.
As I love to always help others and provide safety tips whenever possible, this time of year is especially important because so many of us have the mindset that “it won’t happen to me”. Keeping your loves ones and property safe is important and I wanted to give you these helpful tips to avoid a fire loss if you decorate for the holiday season: 1. Before lighting the candles on your menorah, clear the surrounding are from any flammable materials and place your menorah on a glass or ceramic dish or tray. 2. Inspect electrical decorations and extension cords for damage or exposed wires and make sure they are labeled with a safety certification. 3. Always keep your tree watered daily to avoid drying. 4. Never overload electrical outlets. 5. Use battery operated candles whenever possible. 6. Never leave your kitchen unattended while cooking and baking. 7. If you are using a fryer, keep your surroundings clear from any flammable items, wear a fire safe apron and gloves. Never put your face or body over the fryer. 8. Never pour cooking oil down your sink drains, disposal or toilets. Cool the oil and put in a sealed container and discard in a trash container. 9. Always unplug, turn off and extinguish all decorations when going to bed. 10. While using your fireplace, place a protective screen in front and make sure there are no lit ambers before discarding. From our homes to yours, we want to wish all of our clients, colleagues, friends and families a very happy, healthy and safe holiday season.  Have you ever had a property damage insurance claim where your home, or the property you rent to others, was unlivable as a result of the damage or the repairs needed? There is coverage in your insurance policy which is listed as Additional Living Expenses (ALE) or Loss of Use.
ALE is an important coverage that comes into play when you cannot reside at your property during the repairs that have to be made and temporary living accommodations are needed. Most insurance companies state that your property has to be uninhabitable for this coverage to apply. So, what deems your property uninhabitable? There are many reasons you may lose use of part of your property during repairs, including the amount of rooms affected by the damage, the type of repairs being done and your health or other factors. Depending on the insurance company, they will either set up temporary housing and pay the housing expenses directly, or they will require that you first incur (pay) the expenses, then submit your invoices. They will then reimburse you for the extra expenses that are over and above your normal and customary living expenses. For example, if you pay a monthly mortgage or you are mortgage free and incur hotel expenses, the hotel expenses are considered over and above and are reimbursable by the insurance company. If you incur additional gas because your commute to work increases, the increased cost of gas/mileage is reimbursable. If your food expense increases, the amount incurred over and above what you would normally pay for food is reimbursable. With our knowledge and expertise, we prepare and submit a detailed report of your expenses so there is never any question what you are owed by your insurance company. If you own a rental property and your tenant is unable to reside at the property, the insurance company will pay the Fair Rental Value. If you were to lose your tenant as a result of the damage due to the length of time needed for repairs, the insurance may reimburse you for the portion of the lease that was lost and for the amount of time you will be unable to rent the property to others during repairs. Lastly, we often times see that there is limited coverage for this expense. In the event of a large or catastrophic loss, depending on the type of accommodations and length of time needed, you can exhaust your coverage limit quickly. It is always important to review your policy to make sure you are properly covered. |
