Public adjuster vs. the insurance company's adjuster

After a loss, you'll hear the word "adjuster" constantly, and it can mean three very different people. Knowing which is which matters more than almost anything else in your claim, because only one of them is on your side.

1. The company (staff) adjuster

Employed directly by your insurance company. Usually professional, often genuinely friendly, and paid by the insurance company to evaluate and settle your claim within the range the company prefers. That's not a conspiracy; it's simply whose paycheck it is. Their estimate is the company's opening position, not a neutral appraisal.

2. The independent adjuster

This is the one that confuses people, because "independent" sounds like "on your side." It isn't. Independent adjusters are contractors hired by insurance companies to handle claims, common when claim volume spikes and in busy regions. Different business card, same client: the insurance company.

3. The public adjuster

The only adjuster licensed to represent you, the policyholder. A public adjuster documents the loss, reads the policy, builds the estimate, and negotiates with the insurance company, all in your interest, paid only as a percentage of what they recover for you. Public adjusters are licensed and regulated by state insurance departments.

The test that never fails

Ask one question: "Who pays you?" If the answer is the insurance company, directly or as a contractor, they represent the insurance company, however helpful they are. If the answer is "a percentage of your recovery, and only if you recover," you've found the one who works for you.

Worth knowing: nothing stops you from being represented. The insurance company has professionals managing its side of your claim from day one. You're allowed to have one too.