Public Adjusters Gone Bad

What happens when a Public Adjuster doesn't play by the rules?

We’ve been over and over how the main job of a Public Adjuster is to help people file claims with their insurance companies and get the best settlement possible. Public Adjusters are experts in all the process that revolves around filing claims. An experienced adjuster knows all the ups and downs and how to get around obstacles to help their clients.

We’ve also talked about how Public Adjusters charge for their services. We know that there’s a fee based on a percentage of the total amount of the settlement. But, like with any other job, there are some people that are out there just to get a quick buck. These are the people that make the rest look bad. While the majority of Public Adjusters in the United States are good, honest, hard-working people, there’s sadly a percentage of them that are less than ethical on their practice.

The trick is knowing how to tell apart the real honest ones from the bad ones. So with that in mind, here are five signs of a Public Adjuster gone bad:

1. They don’t have a license. Out of the 50 states in the country, 45 plus the District of Columbia require that all Public Adjusters be properly licensed. So unless you live in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, South Dakota or Wisconsin, chances are that if you come across a Public Adjuster that doesn’t have a license, you should send him away. They’re probably some kind of scammer.

2. They double as a contractor or know a guy. It is quite common for Public Adjusters to work with contractors since the last is the one that is actually going to do all the repairing your property needs. However, if you come across a Public Adjuster that also works as a contractor or insist on hiring a particular one, be wary. There have been cases where contractors and Public Adjusters work in tandem to inflate the budget and get paid more for their work.

3. They want to be paid up front. We know that Public Adjusters charge for their services, that’s to be expected, but we also know that their fees are based on a percentage of the total amount of the settlement. It is unusual to have a Public Adjuster demanding for payment before even starting the claim filing process.

4. They just showed up. A very clear sign that there’s something fishy about a Public Adjuster is when they show up before you contact them. Whether you really have a claim to file or not, having someone knocking on your door without being invited is not good. There are many cases of bad Public Adjusters showing up on people’s houses telling them they could file claims for things they didn’t even know about. These people are less than trustworthy and you should just ignore them.

5. They don’t have references or testimonials. You wouldn’t hire someone to babysit your children without first knowing a little bit about them or checking their backgrounds. The same goes for your house and insurance claim. When a Public Adjuster can’t or won’t give you any type of references or testimonials, there’s clearly a reason for that. Try to avoid doing any kind of business with people like these.

Now that you know a little bit of how to tell apart the good Public Adjusters from the bad ones, you can contact them any time you need help with filing a claim. Take your business to someone who deserves it.

In a state annually hit by hurricanes and tropical storms such as Florida, every person that owns an insured property should always have a Public Adjuster as one of their contacts in case they ever need one. We know you trust your insurance company but remember that as with any company in the world, they will try to pay as little as possible in any given situation. In these cases, you can always count on people like Alfredo Arnesen, Public Adjuster to help you out. With plenty of years of experience under his arm in this field, he’s the one you want to turn to in cases like these.

Illegal activity by a Public Adjuster can get them imprisoned!

ALFREDO JOSÉ ARNESEN

3861 Sw 147 Ave Unit 104

Miami, Fl 33185

Tel: (305) 223-2793

Email: arnesen@bellsouth.net

FL Public Adjuster License # P103216