Can my Contractor help with my Insurance Claim? | People’s Insurance Claim Center

Home — Blog

Can my Contractor help with my Insurance Claim?

Having sustained damage to your home or business as a result of a storm or other incident, your instinct may have been to contact your regular contractor in order to have a professional on site to assess the damage and estimate the cost of repairs. Now that he is on the scene, your contractor may have indicated he would be happy to handle the paperwork and communicating with the insurance company on your behalf. This is a big red flag for several reasons, and you should advise the contractor that his sole responsibility will be completing the repairs to your property. Lets look at why a contractor should not be assigned the additional task of handling your insurance claim. First, it is against the law for anyone to assist you with any part of the claims process without possessing the proper license. Even if your contractor also happens to possess a valid Public Adjuster license, he would be disqualified from...

What can I do to ensure I am Covered in the event of Property Damage?

As a responsible property owner, you carry insurance to protect yourself against a loss as a result of damage to your home or business. The truth of the matter is the average homeowner or commercial insurance policy is laden with many stipulations and exclusions which could inhibit your ability to rely on your insurance when you need it most. There are some steps you can take to ensure you have the appropriate amount of coverage and are prepared to file a properly documented claim should the need arise. Here are a few things you can do to better protect yourself from a loss due to property damage. First, you should maintain an inventory of your valuables and store it with any other important documents in a safe, secure location. Better still, with the advent of the internet and personal cloud storage, keep a digital copy of it saved in your iCloud or Google Drive account so it is always accessible....

My Property has Suffered Damage from a Flood – What should I do?

Living in beautiful, sunny South Florida does come with a certain amount of risks. Severe rainstorms bring torrential downpours and ocean surges which can lead to devastating floods across the region. Living so close to sea level, it is likely your property will suffer flood damage at some point, as there are few preventative measures you can take to avoid floodwaters. Should the unthinkable happen and you are suffering flood damage to your property, there are a few steps you should take immediately in order to mitigate the damage and properly prepare for your eventual insurance claim. If you have not already, you should evacuate the property until floodwaters recede in order to avoid any accidents that could lead to someone’s death. Once you and your family are safe, you should contact a water damage remediation company. There are many such companies here in South Florida, and at People’s Insurance Claim Center we would be happy to recommend a reputable...

What should I Expect my Public Adjuster to Handle?

Now that you have decided to take advantage of the services of a Public Adjuster, you may be wondering what responsibilities they will handle and what will still be left to you. A reputable public adjuster will be the primary point of contact for the insurance company throughout the process, advocating on your behalf to ensure a sufficient recovery of funds to cover your losses. There are several tasks to complete to this end, and your public adjuster should handle all of them, occasionally requiring your input when preparing your claim. Here are a few of the actions your public adjuster should be undertaking in order to properly defend your rights through the claim process. The first step in the claims process is properly documenting the damage sustained to your property and assembling the necessary repair estimates. At People’s Insurance Claim Center, we have decades of experience inspecting and assessing property damage, as well as an exhaustive list of professionals...

Damage to my Business from Riots – What should I do?

Business owners today are faced with several significant risks to the profitability and normal operation of their storefronts. Widespread closures continue to plague the businesses of the United States, and the stress of the pandemic combined with recent violence by police against civilians has resulted in civil unrest throughout the country. There have been riots and looting in many cities, including some locations here in South Florida. As a business owner, what can you do in the event your business suffers damage at the hands of rioters or looters? First and foremost, you should take steps to re-secure your storefront from any unauthorized access by potential looters or rioters. Be sure to take photographs of the damage before moving or altering any debris in order to properly document the condition of your property after the incident. Only after you have taken photographs of all damage sustained to your property should you make any necessary repairs to secure the structure. If...

Ensure you are Ready for Hurricane Season

Hurricanes are a fact of life here in South Florida, the price we pay for our beautiful beaches and tropical climate. While we have no control over the weather, we are able to prepare for the inevitable storm hitting our shores. At People’s Insurance Claim Center, we care about our community and want to do everything we can to help you prepare for this year’s hurricane season. We are currently offering complimentary policy reviews and home inspections for all our clients, past and present, in order to help you feel comfortable you are ready for this hurricane season. First, our comprehensive policy review will identify any potential gaps in your coverage which would prevent your claim from being approved in the event of a loss. Insurance policies are designed to be verbose and opaque, with clauses, addendum, and exclusions all designed to limit your insurance company’s exposure. We have decades of experience dealing with homeowner and commercial property insurance policies...

My Property has Sustained Damage – What do I do?

Dealing with the aftermath of property damage can be a stressful and exhausting ordeal. If this is your first time handling this type of situation, you are likely scrambling to figure out how to proceed in a way that restores your home or business as quickly as possible. A Public Adjuster can help you through this process, preparing all the necessary documentation and negotiating with your insurance company on your behalf. There are a few steps you can take immediately following the damage occurrence which will help expedite the preparation of your claim. First, you should take photographs of the damage sustained by your property. Make sure to take both wide shots and close ups that clearly display all aspects of the damage. It is better to have too many photos than not enough, and with cell phone cameras and cloud storage it is easy to take a plethora of pictures to support your insurance claim. If you have any...

How to Determine if a Public Adjuster is Right for You

Now that you have decided it is in your best interests to retain a Public Adjuster you must decide which firm to employ. There are many companies to choose from, all with varying specialties and degrees of experience in the field. You should seek out a Public Adjuster whose expertise aligns with the specifics of your situation. There are several questions you should ask as well as things to look out for when determining which Public Adjuster is right for you. Here are a few tips to help you identify the right firm for your situation. First, you should be very wary of any Public Adjuster soliciting you immediately following a loss which should be covered by your homeowner’s policy. These predatory practices are common among less reputable firms who will make all kinds of promises before they even review the damage you’ve suffered or the terms of your homeowner’s insurance policy. It is best to rebuff any advances from...

Options for Business Owners Suffering Closure due to Pandemic

Many business owners today are suffering at the hands of the CoVID-19 pandemic. Forced storefront closures, reduced maximum capacities, and increased expenses due to additional health and safety requirements are pummeling small business owners with added costs and lost revenues. In these uncertain times any assistance is welcome, and many commercial insurance policies cover the loss of revenue due to government-mandated closures. Commercial coverage in these situations is often confusing and mired in legal terminology designed to discourage the average business owner from attempting to file a claim. A Public Adjuster can make sense of this legal verbiage and ensure you receive all the benefits outlined in your policy. Typical commercial property policies include coverage for both physical loss or damage to property as well as loss due to actions of civil authority. Physical loss or damage to your property is not limited to visible structural damage – if your property has been found to be contaminated with CoVID-19 and...

Why you Should Consider a Public Adjuster for your Commercial Claim

As a business owner, your primary concern is the successful operation of your business so you may provide for your family and your employees. When your business suffers a loss as a result of property damage, you should be able to focus on getting back to business as usual rather than getting sidetracked trying to handle the insurance company and claims process. A Public Adjuster can take the arduous and time-consuming claims process of of your hands, leaving you to focus on the restoration of your business to normal working order. Hiring a Public Adjuster also ensures your claim is handled properly and you receive all the benefits you are entitled to as outlined by your commercial insurance policy. The day-to-day operation of your business has likely been significantly impacted by the property damaged you are currently working through. You want to be able to focus on expediting repairs and minimizing the amount of revenue lost as a result of...