As public adjusters, we already know that Florida insurance companies don’t like us, and we know why. In fact, it is kind of like a badge of honor that they don’t, and in the following blog post, you will learn why. To help our readers understand why Florida insurance companies don’t like public adjusters, Noble Public Adjusting Group would like to share this great article from the Florida Sun-Sentinel, Florida’s premier newspaper, titled, For State Insurance Officials, The “P” Term is a Dirty Word.
Why Florida Insurance Companies Don’t Like Public Adjusters
The Florida Sun-Sentinel does a wonderful job of explaining why Florida insurance companies don’t like public adjusters. Here is the first section of the article titled, For State Insurance Officials, The “P” Term is a Dirty Word. “Shhh…There’s a term state insurance officials apparently dare not use right now. That term is “public insurance adjuster. Public insurance adjusters are often seen by insurance companies as adversaries because — unlike regular claims adjusters who work for insurance companies inspecting damages and working up repair cost estimates — public adjusters work directly for policyholders and often challenge estimates by insurance companies’ adjusters.
In a tip sheet presented as a list of “myths” and “facts” about hurricane insurance released last week, Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s chief financial officer, avoided using the term even as he urged policyholders confronted with a claim denial or inadequate claim payment to “always get a second opinion to verify the cause of loss and/or the cost to repair or replace the damage.” Providing second opinions — then helping manage the claim to ensure policyholders get every dollar to which they are entitled — is what independent public insurance adjusters do.
They work for a fee or percentage of the claim and, yes, they often work to the chagrin of insurers who would prefer policyholders accept their decisions as the last word. Disagreements cost more money — whether they result in expanding the scope of the repair or fighting it out in court.”
Noble Public Adjusting Group loves reading that kind of press coverage of public adjusters. It makes us feel like what we do is being recognized far and wide, and it is about time! A public adjuster, make no mistake about it, works for policyholders, and that is the reason insurance companies don’t like us. We take them to task, making sure a claim is paid promptly and fairly.
Here is another bit from that Sun-Sentinel article, “The Sun-Sentinel asked Patronis spokeswoman Anna Alexopoulos Farrar whether the “second opinion” that Patronis urged claimants to “always get” was an endorsement of hiring a public adjuster. Farrar responded with this statement: “As with any major repair, the CFO recommends consumers get a second opinion from a licensed contractor or other licensed professional on repairs made to their home. For example, making sure you are getting the right types of repairs made, and the appropriate amount of repairs (not over repairing).”
Asked whether her response about getting a second opinion from a licensed contractor or “other licensed professional” could be interpreted as advocating hiring a public adjuster, Farrar said “yes” but again did not include the term in her second response: “Yes it could include but also licensed professionals like roofers or plumbers.” Even Erin VanSickle, deputy chief of staff for Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier — whose office is overseen by Patronis — refused to use the “p” term when asked whether Patronis’ tips sheet could be interpreted as endorsing the use of public adjusters.
“If a claim is denied or if the claim payment is inadequate to effectuate covered repairs, a consumer has a number of options to pursue, including a followup call to a contractor or engineer, the consumer’s insurance agent, the [Department of Financial Services] Consumer Services helpline, or other professionals qualified to render an opinion on coverage or scope of damages,” VanSickle said.”
Noble Public Adjusting Group has to laugh at the way the spokespeople in that article goes around and around the word “public adjuster” as much as they can, kind of like politicians, talking out both sides of their mouths, but you get the gist of the article. Using a public adjuster when you have an insurance claim that needs to be filed is the smartest move to make. Here is one more section from the Sun-Sentinel article, “Responding to a request for comment about Patronis’ tip sheet, Jimmy Farach, president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA), pointed out that Patronis’ two predecessors didn’t hesitate to use the words. Farach provided videos of former CFO Alex Sink and Jeff Atwater acknowledging the importance of public insurance adjusters.
“I understand the important place public insurance adjusters have in the whole scheme of the world of insurance. What would we do without public adjusters? Where would people go if they had no other place to turn?” said Sink, speaking at what a Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters spokeswoman said was a “political event” in 2010. And Atwater, serving as keynote speaker at the association’s 2013 annual dinner, said: “The work of public adjusting is defined by the noble work of helping somebody navigate a path they have no way of knowing how to navigate themselves and don’t believe they can.”
Did you notice that? The word “noble” in the article? We love that! We DO fight the noble cause for policyholders, that is why we are called Noble Public Adjusting Group. Like David taking on Goliath, we go to battle for policyholders to bring down big corporate insurance. The article goes on to discuss myths and facts about insurance and public adjusters in general. Read the full article by following this link.
If you are a homeowner or commercial property owner in Florida and have an insurance claim you want us to file for you, or just want to introduce yourself and learn more about public adjusting, don’t hesitate to give us a call. Noble’s main office is in Panama City Beach, but we have locations all across Florida, in Georgia, and in Texas. Under the right circumstances, we can handle an insurance claim anywhere in the US.
Noble Public Adjusting Group
107 Amar Place Suite 103
Panama City Beach (West End), FL 32413
(850) 249-MY-PA