A public appraiser is an insurance claims adjuster that is employed by the policyholder to evaluate and negotiate an insurance claim. In addition to lawyers and the insurance broker, public appraisers authorized by state insurance departments are the only type of claim adjusters who can legally represent the rights of an insured person during the insurance claim process. The Ohio Department of Insurance regulates and licenses all public appraisers operating in the state of Ohio. Not all claims require a public appraiser.
Many claims are routine and a company adjuster is more than capable of doing the job effectively. Finding a public insurance adjuster is relatively easy. Start by searching the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) website. The NAPIA directory lists all public appraisal firms that must have a license in their state of operation.
You can enter your city and state or zip code to see a list of adjusters in your area. In the case of a minor claim, a public appraiser may be able to find text in your insurance contract that could result in thousands of additional dollars for your claim. Instead of using the insurance company's adjuster, some policyholders choose to hire a public appraiser. In addition, the public appraiser will carefully review your claim and ensure that no damage is overlooked.
It's important to note that a public appraiser cannot ethically obtain more than what the policyholder is rightfully entitled to. A public insurance adjuster is an independent, trained insurance professional who helps people with the home insurance claim process. If you choose to do so, your public appraiser will act as a liaison so that you never have to talk to a representative or negotiate yourself. The best time to hire a public claims adjuster is before filing the claim or early in the claims process.
For any home insurance claim, a public appraiser can point to the money in the claims to which you are entitled and that you didn't even know. After all, you can't expect the landlord to be an insurance expert. In addition, the model law states that public appraisers can only act or assist for the benefit of the insured in first-party claims. A public appraiser can help you with claims related to, among others, floods, fires, wind damage, vandalism, or theft and business interruption.
The cost of hiring a public appraiser varies, but the fees typically cost between 5 and 15% of the liquidation offer. A public appraiser can help you with the claims process and ensure that your payment is fair and accurately reflects the damages and your coverage. Like a claims appraiser, a public appraiser will assess the damage to your property, help determine the extent of the repairs, and estimate the replacement value of those repairs. The other way to find a public insurance adjuster is to get a recommendation from friends or family.
In many states, a public appraiser is a legal trustee under state or federal jurisdiction (e.g.
