Topic: Anyone use a public adjuster for a big (6-figure) insurance claim?
One of our commercial buildings burned yesterday. Thankfully it was not the Duff Beer Global Center For World Domination, but another building a few miles away. It looks like the tenants were diagnosing a fuel pump and caught a tank of gas on fire, which ignited their waste oil storage tank and a large stock of tires, and completely destroyed the building. The steel beams are sagging and all of the aluminum melted and ran in streams to form pools in the parking lot. We're going to have to demolish it and start over.
Before I even knew about it (the tenant had left me a VM that I should call them about something, but I hadn't called back yet), I had a public adjuster calling me to try to represent me to the insurance company. These guys appear to be the ambulance chasers of the insurance industry, calling owners after any major fire. They basically do the same thing as the insurance company adjuster, but they work for the claimant to try to get a higher settlement. They work on commission.
It makes sense, especially for a large claim. I've worked with insurance company adjusters on smaller claims, and they try to pay out as little as possible, which seems like it would be their job. Having an adjuster that works for me seems like a good idea, but I've never made a major insurance claim before.
Have any of you guys/gals ever used a public adjuster for a large claim?
Roger from Duff Beer