What Does a Public Adjuster Actually Do?
It's an odd job title. Most people encounter it for the first time when someone suggests they need one, and it isn't obvious what the work involves.
We're Insurance Claims Consultants. This page describes the job plainly — including the parts that aren't glamorous and the situations where you don't need us.
Call (864) 497-2151. First conversation is free.
The Work Itself
Read the policy. Properly, including the endorsements and exclusions most people never look at. What you're owed is determined by the document, and a surprising number of claims are settled without anyone on the policyholder's side having read it.
Inspect the damage independently. Not a review of the carrier's report — our own inspection, looking specifically for what a first pass misses: moisture inside cavities, smoke in ductwork, movement in structure, contents affected but not obviously ruined.
Build the scope and estimate. An itemised assessment of what it takes to put the property back, by trade and line item, in a format that can be compared directly against the carrier's.
Inventory the contents. Item, age, condition, replacement cost. On a household this is genuinely laborious and it's where a lot of money is either recovered or lost.
Calculate the other coverages. Additional living expenses, business interruption, debris removal, code upgrades. These sit outside the main dwelling limit and are routinely under-claimed.
Handle the paperwork and the deadlines. Proof of loss, supplemental claims, correspondence, extensions where needed.
Negotiate. Line by line, with evidence attached to each disputed point.
What a Public Adjuster Doesn't Do
- We don't repair anything. We're not contractors and we don't take a cut from them. Our only interest is what the claim settles for.
- We can't practise law. Where a claim needs litigation, a bad-faith action, or interpretation of contract law, that's an attorney's work — and we'll say so.
- We don't decide coverage. The policy does. We can argue about how it applies, but we can't create coverage that isn't there.
- We don't work for insurers. Ever, on any claim. That's what makes the licence what it is.
Licensing and Regulation
Public adjusters are licensed by each state, and the licence isn't a formality. It typically requires examination, a surety bond, continuing education and adherence to a contract format the state approves.
Two consequences worth knowing:
Only a licensed public adjuster can negotiate a first-party claim on your behalf. In South Carolina that's explicit in state law. A contractor can give you a repair estimate — useful — but they cannot represent you to the carrier, and anyone offering to "handle your claim" without a licence is operating outside it.
You can verify a licence. Each state's insurance department publishes a lookup. It takes a minute and it's worth doing for anyone who knocks on your door after a storm.
When It's Worth Bringing One In
Usually: a substantial loss, an estimate that looks low, a denial or partial denial, complex damage involving smoke or water inside the structure, a commercial loss with business interruption, or simply not having the time to run a claim while running a household.
Usually not: a small straightforward claim barely above the deductible, or one the carrier has already scoped fully and fairly — which does happen.
We'd rather tell you at the first conversation that you don't need us. There's no benefit to either of us in a fee on a claim we can't improve.
How We Work
The first conversation is free and carries no obligation. We look at what happened, what the policy says, and where the claim stands — and tell you straight whether we can improve your position.
If we can, the claim comes off your hands. If we can't, you've lost twenty minutes.
No hourly billing. No upfront cost.
Our fee is a percentage of what you recover.
We work for you, not for the insurance company.
Anywhere in North Carolina, South Carolina or Georgia, call (864) 497-2151.
