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Before you sign

Built from what policyholders actually complain about to regulators and the BBB. Every item is a question you can ask before a contract exists.

  1. Has your insurer made an initial offer yet?

    Regulators warn that signing before the carrier's first settlement can mean paying a percentage on money you were getting anyway. You generally keep the right to dispute an offer after it arrives — check your policy's time limits. Get the first number, then decide. Run the timing check →

  2. What is the cancellation window, in writing?

    Cancellation windows are set by state law — Georgia gives 3 business days (O.C.G.A. §33-23-43.2). Check your state's rule before signing, and get the date in writing. After the window closes, getting out is the single most common complaint regulators see.

  3. Who does the insurer pay — you, or the adjuster's escrow?

    "They're holding my check" is a recurring complaint. Ask whether settlement funds are paid to you directly, and if not, the exact disbursement timeline in the contract.

  4. What's the fee, and what's it applied to?

    Percentage of the total, or of the new money above the carrier's offer? On prior payments? Some states forbid fees on money already paid. Check your state's cap →

  5. Did they contact you, or did you contact them?

    Showing up at the scene, calling within 48 hours of a storm, or off-hours solicitation is restricted or prohibited in states like Florida (48-hour rule, Fla. Stat. §626.854(6)) and New Jersey (6 PM–8 AM during the first 24 hours, N.J.A.C. 11:1-37.13(c)). It's also the profile of the adjusters regulators discipline most. Report a solicitation →

  6. Check the license — from the regulator, not the business card.

    Public Adjusters are licensed by your state insurance department. Every state's lookup is here →

  7. Who picks the contractor?

    Adjusters are commonly barred by state law from taking anything from contractors who repair your property. Ask directly whether they have any financial relationship with the firms they'll recommend.

  8. What's the communication commitment?

    “Won't return calls” is among the most common complaints policyholders raise. Ask how often you'll get an update and who your contact is if the public adjuster is in the field. Get it in the contract if you can.

What the research says

The most-cited study on public adjuster outcomes is OPPAGA Report No. 10-06 (March 2010), commissioned by the Florida Legislature. It examined Citizens Property Insurance claims closed between March 2008 and June 2009 — Citizens only, not all Florida carriers.

ScopeCitizens Property Insurance, claims closed March 2008 – June 2009
Catastrophe claimsMedian payment 747% higher with a public adjuster (mostly reopened 2004–05 hurricane claims)
Non-catastrophe claimsMedian payment 574% higher with a public adjuster
Settlement timeClaims with a public adjuster took longer to settle
CauseOPPAGA drew no conclusion about why payments differed

The 747% figure has been widely quoted without context. The study covered one state-run insurer, not the private market. Catastrophe figures are dominated by reopened claims from hurricanes a half-decade earlier. The report does not say whether original settlements were adequate, how much policyholders received after the public adjuster's fee, or whether higher payments reflected underpayment by the carrier or other factors.

Source: Florida OPPAGA Report No. 10-06, March 2010.

State rules we've verified

Informational only. Not legal or insurance advice.