How much does a public adjuster cost?
How contingency fees work, and why there's no upfront cost
The honest, complete answer: a public adjuster costs nothing upfront, nothing out of pocket, and nothing at all unless your recovery improves. The fee is a percentage of what's recovered for you, agreed in writing before any work begins.
How contingency fees work
When you hire a public adjuster, the fee terms are set by contract: a specific percentage of the settlement, stated plainly, signed before the work starts. Public adjuster fees are regulated by state law, and the contract itself is a regulated document. There are no hourly bills, no retainers, and no surprise invoices. If the claim recovers nothing, you owe nothing.
The question behind the question
What people are really asking is: "Will there be enough left after the fee?" It's a fair question, and the honest answer comes down to what a documented claim recovers versus a first offer. Initial offers are typically built from what was easy to see and quick to estimate. A fully documented claim, with hidden damage found, policy provisions claimed, and contents properly inventoried, is usually a meaningfully different number. The fee comes out of that difference. That's why most clients come out ahead even after the fee, compared with what they would likely have recovered on their own.
Questions worth asking any public adjuster
- What exactly is the fee percentage, and is it in the contract?
- Is the fee on the whole settlement or only the amount above the existing offer? (Ask. Answers vary by situation.)
- Are you licensed in my state, and can I see the license?
- What happens if you don't improve my settlement? (The answer should be: you owe nothing.)
The bottom line: the real cost question isn't the fee. It's what an undocumented claim leaves on the table.
Fair is what you're owed. We hold them to it.
You make one call. From there, we take the weight off your shoulders and handle the claim the way it should be handled.
