WHAT IS A PUBLIC INSURANCE ADJUSTER?
· As a public insurance adjuster I am required to be licensed and bonded by the State of Florida
· The State requires that I have sufficient training and experience
· The State requires that I use only ethical practices and conduct business legally and honestly
· I will work for you in maximizing the proper reimbursement you are entitled to for your loss
· I will inventory your loss
· I will submit your claim to the insurance company
· I will make sure the most equitable and prompt settlement is obtained
· I will be able to make sense of the “Lawyer Speak” in your contract
· I understand the responsibilities of the insurance companies
· I have 30 years in the insurance and construction industries
· Attorneys and public insurance adjusters are the only parties that are allowed by law to represent and pursue another party's interests in an insurance claim
· The insurance companies employ adjusters and will assign one to your claim, but their adjuster represents the insurance company's interests, NOT YOURS
· As a licensed professional public insurance adjuster I have a fiduciary responsibility only to you, the policyholder
There are no upfront fees
I get paid only after you get paid by the insurance company!
To get a better understanding of how I work for you, please read the following article. Newspaper Article Adjuster helps people with insurance claims By Jay Meisel - Associate Managing Editor – Hometown News After working 30 years as a general contractor, Steve Philipson knows a lot about the costs of construction and repairs. With that experience in mind, Mr. Philipson noted that after the hurricanes in 2004 and 2005, a lot of people needed help in getting enough money to fully repair their hurricane-damaged properties. Knowing the true cost of repairs because of his work as a contractor, he decided to become an accredited public insurance adjuster. As an adjuster, Mr. Philipson said, he works to convince the insurance companies to provide property owners with enough money to make all the repairs on their damaged property. His relationship with his property owners is one where the client can’t lose. “If I can’t get them additional money, I don’t charge them anything,” he said. “Only if I get additional money, do I collect a fee. It’s a no-lose situation.” Generally, Mr. Philipson said, a person, whose property was damaged by a hurricane, fire, water or mold contacts him after he or she is dissatisfied with an offer from an insurance company. Only after he does an extensive inspection of the property and creates a line item list of the damages does he ask the client to sign a contract. His estimates are based on accepted costs for the area in which the property is located. He finds that the insurance company’s offer often doesn’t cover the repair costs. He said in most cases he does obtain more money for the clients. “Twice the amount (of what the insurance company offers) has been more typical than not,” he said. In a couple of rare cases, his findings showed that the insurance company’s offer was correct. But a case involving a house up the street from where he lives in Wabasso is more typical. That house had a lot of damage because of a leaky roof after Hurricane Jeanne. The water had damaged cabinets, drywall and electrical fixtures. His evaluation showed the damages were about $200,000, although the insurance company only offered $90,000. In the end, Mr. Philipson said, the insurance company agreed to pay $183,000. Mr. Philipson's fee was based only on the $93,000 difference between the original offer and the amount he was able to secure for the clients, not the full amount of the settlement. A WIN-WIN situation for both. After he submits his estimation — if the insurance company doesn’t agree with it — a mediation process begins, which often takes about 10 weeks. “Usually it is settled at mediation,” Mr. Philipson said. But if an agreement can’t be reached at mediation, the situation goes to an appraisal where he and the insurance company agree on an umpire. The umpire’s decision is final, he said. That process can take 10 weeks. Mr. Philipson represents clients on the Treasure Coast, and as far south as Fort Lauderdale. He said clients appreciate that they deal directly with him from the start. He can be reached by telephone at:
(772) 696-5585 or toll free (877) 274-2352. His e-mail address is apiafla@comcast.net
