How Public Adjusters Help with Commercial Insurance Claims

Many businesses hire a public adjuster for complex or high-value commercial insurance claims.

Some businesses hire a public adjuster after an insurer denies their commercial claim. Others work with a public adjuster from the outset of a large or complex claim to ensure a speedy resolution.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about how public adjusters help with commercial insurance claims.

What is a Commercial Public Adjuster?

A commercial public adjuster is a licensed insurance industry professional specializing in managing commercial insurance claims.

When a business experiences a loss, the business might make an insurance claim. Depending on the size and severity of that loss, it may be in the business’s best interest to hire a commercial public adjuster.

Licensing laws vary between states. In most states, however, commercial public adjusters must complete a licensing and certification process. Some states require continuing education for licensure to remain active. Many commercial public adjusters are also members of NAPIA, TAPIA, BOMA, and other professional associations.

What Do Commercial Public Adjusters Do?

Commercial public adjusters represent business owners – not insurance companies – while managing insurance claims.

The goal of a commercial public adjuster is simple: to ensure their client (the business owner) receives the optimal amount of compensation for their insurance claim.

Commercial public adjusters also help speed up claims, overturn denied claims, and supervise repairs, among other processes.

Some of the roles and responsibilities of a commercial public adjuster include:

• Analyze damage and review the commercial insurance policy to ensure the business is receiving the correct amount for the insurance claim.
• Negotiate with the insurer on behalf of the business to obtain an optimal outcome for your commercial insurance claim.
• Speed up your insurance claim and ensure your insurer processes the claim efficiently.
• Overturn denied claims and challenge reduced claims.
• Organize evidence and documentation to ensure an optimal outcome for your commercial insurance claim.
• Increase payout and ensure you’re using all parts of your commercial insurance policy – from business interruption coverage to property damage coverage.

Find a Public Adjuster

Overall, commercial public adjusters make claims go more smoothly while advocating for policyholders. This allows you to continue to run your business and focus on restoring your property.

Commercial Public Adjusters vs. Commercial Claims Adjusters

There are two main types of adjusters in the commercial insurance space:

• Commercial public adjusters, who represent policyholders (i.e. business owners)
• Commercial claims adjusters, who are salaried employees or independent contractors of insurance companies and represent insurers

Commercial public adjusters work for the public. They represent policyholders (like business owners) – not insurance companies. Their goal is to increase your payout, speed up your insurance claim, and ensure you receive every penny owed to you by your insurer.

Commercial claims adjusters, meanwhile, represent your insurance company. They’re salaried employees or contractors of your insurance company. When you contact your insurer to make a claim, your insurer assigns a commercial claims adjuster to your case. This adjuster is your main point of contact with your insurer. You’ll work with the adjuster throughout the claim.

The two adjusters have different goals and represent different sides of the claim:

• The commercial public adjuster’s goal is to represent your best interests. They negotiate with the insurer on your behalf to obtain a higher payout, overturn denied claims, and optimize your claim from start to finish.
• The commercial claims adjuster’s goal, meanwhile, is to close your claim quickly while minimizing payout and liability for their employer. In many cases, their goal is to pay as little for your claim as legally possible.

When to Hire a Commercial Public Adjuster

Your insurance company may not want you to hire a commercial public adjuster. It shows you’re not a pushover.

In many cases, however, it’s the best decision for your business – especially if it’s an expensive or complex commercial insurance claim.

Some of the situations where you may want to hire a commercial public adjuster include:

• On complex commercial insurance claims
• When the insurer denies your commercial insurance claim or offers a disappointingly low claim settlement
• When there’s a large disputed amount at stake
• When you want to speed up the insurance claim
• To ensure your business receives the maximum possible amount of compensation for your claim

Many commercial public adjusters offer free consultations. During this consultation, the public adjuster can assess the situation, then determine the best path forward – including whether or not hiring a public adjuster is the right choice for your commercial insurance claim.

How Commercial Public Adjusters Get Paid

Commercial public adjusters typically get paid as a small, fixed percentage of the final settlement.

Adjusters discuss this fee upfront. In many cases, adjusters don’t charge any fee until the final settlement.

A typical commercial public adjuster fee is anywhere from 5% to 25% of the final settlement. Fees vary based on the complexity of the claim and the adjuster’s experience, among other factors.

If you hire a public adjuster after a claim is denied, it’s possible the public adjuster only charges the fee on the extra amount received as a result of their services. If your insurer initially offered $40,000 and your public adjuster increased the payout to $70,000, then the public adjuster may charge a fee on the extra $30,000 instead of the full $70,000 payout.

Commercial Public Adjuster Salary

Public adjusters tend to work for themselves or for larger public adjuster firms (like ClaimsMate). According to salary data shared online, public adjusters make more, on average, than insurance company adjusters.

According to ZipRecruiter, for example, the average public insurance adjuster makes $74,680 per year, or around $35.90 per hour. This is much less than an attorney would charge should you try to file a lawsuit immediately.

In comparison, insurance company adjusters make around $64,609 per year or $31 per hour.

Salaries vary based on location and experience.

Schedule a No-Cost Consultation for a Better Commercial Insurance Claim

Commercial insurance claims can be tiresome, complicated, and expensive. Many businesses hire commercial public adjusters to help.

Schedule a no-cost consultation with a commercial public adjuster today by contacting ClaimsMate.

Our public adjusters specialize in commercial insurance claims and have a proven track record of obtaining higher payouts and optimal commercial claim outcomes for clients.

Stephanie Corona

Stephanie is a property insurance claim expert with over 20 years of experience working as an insurance adjuster, expert witness, appraiser and umpire. She is passionate about sharing her expertise, knowledge, tips and training to help both property owners and Public Adjusters in their pursuit of effectively managing claims and recovering the claim settlement they deserve after a loss.