Industry News
PIA Advises Public Adjusters Are Not Needed in Most Cases
PIA National issued a press release on May 24 that had two purposes: (1) to educate the public about post-disaster claims filing; and (2) to make the point that most people do not need to hire a public adjuster.
Our press release was prompted by one that was issued by the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, in which they present claims filing advice filled with recommendations that Oklahoma disaster victims should consider hiring a public insurance adjuster.
“Public adjusters sometimes have a role, but frankly in most cases consumers do not need to take on the additional expense of hiring one,” said PIA National Executive Vice President & CEO Ron Von Haden. “Professional insurance agents assist their clients in the claims filing process, which begins with filing a claim with the insurance company, at no added cost. The overwhelming number of claims are properly paid. Approaching the claims filing process in an open, cooperative manner produces a better result than assuming a potentially adversarial stance from the outset.”
In our press release, Senior Vice President Patricia A. Borowski elaborated further. “Public adjusters imply that the settlement won’t be fair to the policyholder without their intervention, for which they charge an additional fee directly to the person who is insured,” she said. “This fee is usually a percentage of the final settlement – and for some, it might also include extra charges for the expenses of the public adjuster.”
“Under the insurance and contract laws of every U.S. jurisdiction, insurance companies are required and obligated to perform the claims services and settlements that are stated in their insurance policy contracts,” Borowski said. “Also, in every state there is a Department of Insurance, along with regulators, who will assist consumers to ensure that insurers meet their obligations. This service is a part of state government, which consumers have already paid for in their taxes.”
PIA Offers Post-Disaster Claims Filing Tips (May 24, 2013)
PIA National issued a press release on May 24 that had two purposes: (1) to educate the public about post-disaster claims filing; and (2) to make the point that most people do not need to hire a public adjuster.
Our press release was prompted by one that was issued by the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, in which they present claims filing advice filled with recommendations that Oklahoma disaster victims should consider hiring a public insurance adjuster.
“Public adjusters sometimes have a role, but frankly in most cases consumers do not need to take on the additional expense of hiring one,” said PIA National Executive Vice President & CEO Ron Von Haden. “Professional insurance agents assist their clients in the claims filing process, which begins with filing a claim with the insurance company, at no added cost. The overwhelming number of claims are properly paid. Approaching the claims filing process in an open, cooperative manner produces a better result than assuming a potentially adversarial stance from the outset.”
In our press release, Senior Vice President Patricia A. Borowski elaborated further. “Public adjusters imply that the settlement won’t be fair to the policyholder without their intervention, for which they charge an additional fee directly to the person who is insured,” she said. “This fee is usually a percentage of the final settlement – and for some, it might also include extra charges for the expenses of the public adjuster.”
“Under the insurance and contract laws of every U.S. jurisdiction, insurance companies are required and obligated to perform the claims services and settlements that are stated in their insurance policy contracts,” Borowski said. “Also, in every state there is a Department of Insurance, along with regulators, who will assist consumers to ensure that insurers meet their obligations. This service is a part of state government, which consumers have already paid for in their taxes.”
PIA Offers Post-Disaster Claims Filing Tips (May 24, 2013)
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