Insurance Claim FAQs
You have questions? We have answers!
(If you have any questions that aren't answered here, don't hesitate to contact us directly.)
At Advocate Claims Public Adjusters, we are happy to assist you in any way possible!
A few of the most frequently asked questions include:
No! Advocate Claims Public Adjusters will help you to decide if claims are covered and if it is worth reporting this claim to your insurance company. Even if you are only asking them a question, insurance companies keep records on your calls and will often count a call as a claim. This may raise your rates even though you never really meant to make an actual claim.
No, often they will offer you a “preferred contractor program” to provide emergency service or repairs, but they will NOT warranty or guarantee their work. Ask their contractor for references in the same way you would hire your own independent contractor. Remember, these contractors get their work assignments from the insurance company so, ask yourself, who do they really work for?
No, your roof is not covered. Roof repairs are considered regular maintenance. The insurance policy only covers the interior damages that occur subsequently to your roof damage. Call us to see if such a claim is worth reporting.
Your claim can be supplemented or reopened for additional damages, if your damages are properly documented.
Absolutely not. The only people authorized in the State of Florida to negotiate and settle an insurance claim are: the policyholder, a public adjuster (such as Advocate Claims Public Adjusters) and an attorney.
Yes, it is ok to cash your check on property damage insurance claims in Florida. Doing so does not prevent you from asking for additional money.
Florida law requires that the insurance company notify your mortgage company that you had a loss. This is done by writing the insurance settlement check to your mortgage company. Your mortgage company will have to endorse your check in order for you to cash it or, perhaps better, they should reimburse you for the total amount of your claim check. You will need to communicate with your mortgage company to find out their particular process for determining that you repaired your damage to their satisfaction.
Yes, an insurance company can basically do as they please. They can raise your premium or drop you after a claim. The bottom line is your insurance company makes the rules and decides if you are a profitable customer to them. The watch phrase here is buyer beware.
There is no requirement in your policy stating that you have to get three estimates. Advocate Claims Public Adjusters will put the estimate of damages together for you and save you the trouble of getting three estimates. In addition, the estimates must be determined on a per-line item basis and most contractor estimates do not comply with this. If your three contractor estimates are not properly detailed, the insurance company will ignore them anyway. Furthermore, most contractors do not have the software, knowledge, or time to write estimates for free.
It is up to you to document your loss. Many “storm adjusters” are only here temporarily after a hurricane or similar event, leaving you to prove your damages after they have skipped town. You may have multiple adjusters sent to your house too. As a public adjuster Advocate Claims Public Adjusters will fully document your loss for you.
Yes, but a public adjuster will only take on assignments if they feel it should be covered. That is why it is better to meet with a public adjuster at the start of your claim process, before you contact your insurance company.
You have an obligation to stop any leak and mitigate any damage under the conditions of the insurance policy. The insurance company can deny your claim for not stopping the leak in a timely manner. This can be very costly if not taken care of properly.
Most public adjusters will charge more for a claim once it has been submitted to the insurance company because it is more work to undo problems that existed before they entered the case.
No, you shouldn’t have called them. Calling them right away is the conventional wisdom drummed into policyholder minds from insurance company advertising. Remember, the “captive” insurance agent works for their insurance company and “independent” agents work for many insurance companies. All of these agents have a contractual obligation and get paid by the insurance company. Only public adjusters like Advocate Claims Public Adjusters and attorneys are licensed to advocate insurance claims on your behalf.
Public adjusters offer many advantages over hiring an attorney for a covered insurance loss. Adjusters handle claims for the insurance company, just like public adjusters give you personal adjusting service. Public Adjusters try to keep the claim moving, arriving at a much quicker settlement for far less money than attorneys. Remember, once you hire an attorney, the insurance company will bring in their attorneys too. If the courts are involved you may be looking at years to get your claim settled!
