What does an insurance claims adjuster do? In property and casualty insurance, a claims adjuster investigates a loss, assesses damage or negotiates a settlement.
Has your home or business suffered a loss? Your insurer tells you that it will send a claims adjuster to assess the damage. But what does the term actually mean?
Many people assume that an insurance adjuster always works for the insurer. However, there are also professionals who work independently on behalf of policyholders, such as Expertises LMS. You can hire a public insurance adjuster to help you prepare and negotiate your claim. Read on to learn about the profession and how an adjuster can guide you through the process.
What is the role of an insurance claims adjuster?
A public insurance adjuster versus the insurer’s adjuster
The adjuster appointed by your insurance company is paid by that company and represents it in the claims process. A public insurance adjuster hired by you, such as a member of the Expertises LMS team, works on your behalf and represents your interests.
Would you like your own representative when discussing the amount of your claim? A public adjuster can assess the losses and negotiate with the insurer on your behalf.
The distinction is about who the adjuster represents: the insurer’s adjuster works for the insurance company, while the public insurance adjuster works for you. In English, the term “independent adjuster” alone can also describe a contractor hired by an insurer, so it is important to clarify the professional’s mandate.
Four areas of claims adjustment
Claims adjusters often specialize in particular types of insurance claims. Examples include:
- Automobile: claims involving collisions, vehicle fires and other insured losses.
- Buildings and property: losses such as fires and structural collapses. This is Expertises LMS’s specialty.
- Civil liability: claims involving alleged harm to another person. For example, a restaurant may notify its insurer if a customer slips on a puddle, breaks a leg and makes a claim against the business.
- Professional liability: claims arising from professional services or alleged errors. For example, an electrician facing a claim after a fire following electrical work would need the circumstances reviewed under the applicable liability policy.
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The responsibilities of a public insurance adjuster
A public insurance adjuster specializing in property claims has a wide range of responsibilities. Their main services include:
- Investigating the cause and circumstances of the loss.
- Explaining the tasks and services to be provided to the policyholder.
- Reviewing the insurance policy to understand what is and is not covered, including the scope and application of its provisions.
- Preparing an inventory of belongings and property damaged in the loss.
- Reviewing all documents relevant to the claim.
- Interviewing the people affected and any witnesses, where appropriate, and obtaining their accounts of the circumstances.
- Estimating replacement costs and the value of damage and losses.
- Negotiating with the insurer’s adjuster to pursue a fair settlement for the policyholder.
A typical day at Expertises LMS
That is something of a trick question: there is no single typical day in the life of a public insurance adjuster!
Our professionals spend approximately three quarters of their time in the office working on client files. This includes emails, accounting, preparing submissions to insurers, reviewing reports and making telephone calls.
The remaining quarter of the week is generally spent meeting clients and contractors and inspecting loss sites in person. There is certainly plenty to keep the team busy.
Covered losses and LMS fees
We work to document and pursue all losses covered by your insurance policy. Compensation depends on the coverage, terms and limits that apply to your claim.
The initial consultation is free. If you retain us, LMS’s fees are deducted from the insurance settlement paid at the end of the settlement process, as set out in the written engagement agreement. You are responsible for these fees. Take time to understand the services included and the payment terms before signing.
In past claims handled by LMS, additional settlement amounts obtained have offset our fees. Results vary from case to case; this outcome is not a guarantee for your claim.
The Expertises LMS mission
At Expertises LMS, our mission is to help you move through the claims process as efficiently as possible. You cannot undo a loss, but you can get support to make the next steps more manageable. A thorough understanding of your insurance policy is essential—and that is one of our specialties.
We review your policy, its provisions and how they apply to your claim. We also prepare an inventory and a detailed assessment of property damaged or destroyed in the loss. We then negotiate with your insurer’s representatives to pursue a fair settlement.
Our goal is to approach every claim fairly and support compensation that reflects the policyholder’s covered losses.
See our claims adjusters in the field
The following interview is in French.
Having trouble viewing the video? Watch the interview on YouTube.
From the adjuster’s role to the steps in your claim
To understand the work involved in a claim, explore policy analysis, damage assessment, claim preparation and settlement negotiation.
Learn about the LMS team and their areas of experience.