What is a Public Adjuster?

A company adjuster is an employee of the insurance company.  They represent the insurance company during the claim adjustment process and generally have the authority to determine whether the event is covered by your insurance policy (determine coverage) and will put together an estimate of what the damages are and what the insurance company is willing to pay to make repairs.    

An Independent Adjuster also represents the insurance company but is a third party that is hired by your insurer to perform the adjustment of the claim.  Depending on the relationship between the insurance company and the independent adjusting firm, this type of adjuster may be be able to determine coverage and write the estimate for repairs themselves or they will only provide their opinion and report back to a forth type of adjuster, the inside adjuster, for approval.  Generally independents are used when your insurance company is smaller and does not have their own adjusters on staff, if there is a catastrophe situation that effects many property owners such as a major flood, earthquake, or hurricane, or if there is an extraordinary amount of claims such as during a severe hail or wind storm in an area.

A Public Adjuster is your adjuster!  They represent you in the insurance claim process.  In other words, they are your advocate.  You hire them to make sure you get a fair and equitable insurance adjustment.  They make sure the language in your insurance policy is interpreted correctly and coverage details are not missed.  Then they make sure all damages that were caused by the event, whether it be tornado, fire, flood, hurricane, hail, wind, lightning, etc. are taken care of by your insurance company.  And finally they make sure enough money is paid to correctly make repairs to the damaged areas of your home, business, or commercial property (this is called properly indemnifying the insured).

ABOUT US...

IHCPA is on Your Side

Many property owners have the misconception that an insurance claim is as easy as.... damage is done to your property, you call your agent and they pay you to fix the problem.  Unfortunately, very few damage claims work that easily. 

Who is IHC Public Adjusters

• THE PROPERTY OWNER ADVOCATE
  
• WE WORK FOR YOU, NOT THE INSURANCE COMPANY
  
• A FIRM WITH THE UTMOST INTEGRITY
  
• EXPERTS IN STORM DAMAGE RESTORATION
  
• RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL CLAIM ASSISTANCE
  

IHC Public Adjusters is your insurance claim advocate.  If you have experienced a situation where you feel a insurance claim is warranted, before you file your claim, let us review your situation.  

One of our licensed Illinois Public Adjusters will thoroughly review your insurance policy, assess the damages to your property, and then give you their expert opinion as to what your best course of action is going forward.

IHC Public Adjusters is a sister company to Innovative Home Concepts, Inc.  Innovative, as an exterior renovation and restoration contractor, has been helping homeowners with wind and hail damage claims for well over a decade.  In that time, representatives from Innovative Home Concepts have helped thousands of homeowners through the confusing, time consuming, frustrating, and sometimes futile homeowner's insurance claim process.  

In 2016, to better serve their customers, the owners of Innovative started IHC Public Adjusters.  IHCPA is an Illinois licensed public adjusting firm which currently has 8 licensed Public Adjusters on staff.

Backed by Innovative's many years of experience in the construction industry and the claim process from a contractors standpoint, IHCPA gives Chicagoland, Illinois, and Wisconsin homeowners a new allie when disaster unexpectedly strikes their property.

Don't go it alone.  You wouldn't go to court without a competent attorney.  Don't make an insurance claim without a professional and competent Public Adjuster. 

IHC can help you with any Commercial or Residential Insurance Claim.

Why Use IHCPA for your insurance claim?

You have several choices when it comes to representation during an insurance claim.  You can represent yourself.  But unless you have experience in the construction field and experience in the insurance industry, specifically the claims process, this is not recommended.

You can hire a contractor to represent you.  This is a good idea but not the best.  A contractor can accurately access the damages your property has sustained and give recommendations as to the steps needed to make repairs and the cost associated.  Unfortunately however, all they can discuss is the extent of damage and repair recommendations.  They cannot legally discuss any aspect of your insurance policy, what it covers, and your rights as a policy holder.

By law, there are only two individuals that can discuss your insurance policy and coverage, an attorney and a licensed public adjuster.  When a contractor tries to discuss information pertaining to your insurance policy, they are literally breaking the law.  And you can be absolutely sure your insurance company will call them on it.  

A public adjuster can discuss insurance coverage.  They can use the language of the policy to defend your claim and make sure you are properly indemnified.  Unfortunately there a few issues that arise from using a pure public adjuster who is not associated with a General Exterior Contractor:

• For one, many public adjusters are not fully versed in the science of construction or because they deal with many types of claims they only have a generalized knowledge so they might miss aspects of the repair process.  The items they miss will cost you money when the repairs are eventually completed.

• Another disadvantage of using a pure public adjuster is the amount of effort they will put in to maximize your insurance claim.   Traditionally a public adjuster gets paid a percentage of the total claim.  Public adjusters love straight forward claims.  They are in and out with very little work.  A more complex claim can involve many visits to the site, hours of gathering estimates, multiple meetings with adjusters, engineers, and insurance company representatives, and hours and hours of phones calls and follow up with your insurance carrier.   Many times after the first adjuster meeting a large portion of the claim will be covered.  A good PA will continue on and fight for every penny.  A questionable PA may just mail it in and take their fee on the major portion of the claim instead of put in lots of work for a little bit of pay.

• One more aspect that makes using a pure public adjuster not the best option is that you have to pay them.  Regardless of how much money they work to get you for repairs as a result of your claim, you still have to pay them either a flat fee or a percentage of the total claim.  In most cases this results in more money out of your pocket.  For example, if your claim is $100,000, your deductible is $1000, and your public adjuster is charging you 10% of the claim, you will be on the hook for $11,000 of the repair costs.  

So if you shouldn't make the claim yourself.  A contractor can only talk about damage and repairs but not how they are related to my insurance policy.  And a pure public adjuster may not have the construction experience needed to know what needs to be covered, may not go after all of the funds needs, and in the end will have to be paid out of the proceeds of the claim...

Your Best Opinion to for Help with Your Insurance Claim

In the great state of Illinois it is possible to get the best of all worlds.  The legislators in their wisdom determined that it is not a conflict of interest for a contracting business to be related to a public adjusting firm.  So the answer to the above question is hire a public adjuster company that has a sister contracting company.

The good news is you found what you are looking for.  IHC Public Adjusters is a licensed public adjusting firm that is a sister company to one of the premier contracting companies in the Chicagoland, Illinois, and Wisconsin area, Innovative Home Concepts, Inc.

With IHC Public Adjusters, you are hiring a professional, knowledgeable, and experienced company that represents you in the insurance claim process.  When you hire IHCPA, your part of the annoying claims process is done.  We take care of every aspect of your claim. 

Top 5 Advantages of Using IHC Public Adusters

As a policy holder or what is called an insured, you have the right to make a claim if something happens to the property you have insured.  Many homeowners and property assume the process is black and white.  I have damage, the insurance company comes out, and the insurance company pays me to repair the property.  Unfortunately, going through the insurance claim process is many shades of gray.   The following are the main reasons you want to hire a public adjuster to help you with your insurance claim.... 

1.  Our Public Adjusters are Licensed Professionals

Most states require public adjusters to be licensed to represent homeowners and business owners.  In Illinois public adjusters must pass a competency exam, the state runs a comprehensive background check, the PA must be bonded for their customers protection, and all contracts used with the public must be approved by the Illinois department of insurance.  Once all of the above are satisfied, the state issues a Public Adjuster's license number and lists said PA on their professional regulation website.  Click the following and you can look up any Illinois licensed public adjuster.

It is always a good idea to look up any professionals you are considering to do business with.  Unfortunately, many roofers and other construction professionals will misrepresent themselves and claim to be a licensed PA.  Frauds are easily discovered if you take the time.

IHC Public Adjusters currently has 7 full time, licensed Public Adjuster on staff and growing.

2.  Using Us will Always more than Pay for Itself

We specialize in maximizing homeowner and business property damage claims.  Our staff has completed thousands of claims.  We know what to look for, where insurance companies try to cut corners, and where they try to low ball their repair estimates.  We are not afraid to fight for You and Your claim.   We will make sure your insurer pays what is owed to make all necessary repairs.  Our goal is make sure you are 100% indemnified for your loss so all repairs can be done.  

On most claims we add many times the fee we charge to help our clients.  Depending on the situation, we can sometimes double, triple, or quadruple the total amount of a claim.  Using a PA pays for itself and then some. 

3.  Only a Policy Holder, Attorney, or Public Adjuster can Legally Settle Claims

There are many times that roofing contractors, general contractors, fire and flood restoration companies, accountants, and others who deal with insurance claims are by their actions acting illegally as a public adjuster.   In general, a contractor can only point out damage and recommend measures to correct said damage.  As soon as they begin to discuss concepts contained in the actual insurance policy and/or use or interpret policy language they are in violation of the law.

If you have a contractor represent you during an insurance claim you are setting yourself up for failure because they will only be able to discuss damage and repair and NOT coverage and policy language.  

4.  Our Adjusters Study and Understand Policy Language

Have you ever actually read your homeowners insurance policy?  Right, no one has.... EXCEPTS US!  What is in the that policy is just as important as the damage that was done to your property.  There are nuances that can help get a claim covered or prohibit it from being considered.  Things like what buildings and parts of the buildings are protected, what damaging events or perils are covered, what the maximum amount of money your insurance company will pay out on a claim, and much more are covered by your policy.  Knowing what is in an insurance policy and how it relates to a claim can make or break it.

What many people misunderstand is that an insurance policy is in actuality a contract between you and your insurance carrier.  In exchange for the money that you pay in premiums your insurance company promises to cover expenses that occur if your property is damaged, minus your deductible of course.   Having an expert in policy language on your side is invaluable.

5.  We Represent YOU because your Insurance Company is NOT Always on Your Side

Insurance companies are there to make sure if your stuff is damaged or destroyed it will be repaired or replaced.  Insurance companies are also there to make money, either for their investors or their owners.  This dual purpose makes for an interesting and sometimes unfair conflict of interest.  For the most part, the bottom line is the bottom line.  Insurance companies try as much as possible to minimize expenses to increase profits.  When your product is insurance coverage, the only way you can do this is to control or lower claim payouts or in extreme cases, deny claims all together.   

A good public adjuster knows the industry and makes sure your claim is dealt with by your insurance company in a fair manner.  IHC Public Adjusters make sure your insurance company treats you, your property, and your claim with "good faith".

6.  IHCPA Staff Public Adjusters are Experts in Recognizing and Estimating Damage

Our sister contracting company, Innovative Home Concepts, has been helping property owners with their insurance damage claims since 2005.  We have literally helped thousands of homeowners and business owners in Illinois and Wisconsin with wind and hail damage claims.  

Having a sister company that specializes in exterior renovation gives IHC Public Adjusters a unique and highly educated approach to recognizing and estimating damage caused by storms.  With years and years of combined experience we have developed an expertise in recognizing damage caused by hailstones and excessive winds.  In addition, the fact that Innovative's specialty is roofing, siding, gutters, and all things exteriors gives IHCPA an extensive knowledge of the cost and methods necessary to make repairs that conform to current building standards and governmental guidelines.

7.  Our Public Adjusters Have Expensive Experience with Insurance Claims

Would you go to court without an attorney?  Why would you make an insurance claim without being represented by an experienced professional?

We work with hundreds of clients each year.  Our claims range from single family roof claims for a few thousand dollars all the way to multi-million dollar claims on multi-family, apartment complexes, and commercial buildings.  Last year alone, we completed over 500 claims.  With this diversified range and the shear volume of claims we work with, there is nothing that our public adjusters have not seen or have an answer or strategy to overcome.  

In addition, all of the experience we have compiled has also taught us to be masters of every aspect of the insurance claim process.  Repetition, education, and adaption has taught us to be excellent where others make huge mistakes and fail.  From initially filing your claim correctly to making to the most of an adjuster meeting to knowing when to call in legal representation, we have your back.  Our knowledge and experience wins claims!

8.  Our Staff is Constantly Learning and Sharpening their Skills

 Our staff is highly educated and experienced but that doesn't mean we pretend to know everything.  The landscape of property insurance and claims is constantly changing and we are always learning how to represent our clients better and more effectively.  

9.  IHC Public Adjusters will Save You Tremendous Time and Aggravation

If you have read this far, I have to believe you are realizing how complex and involved an insurance claim can be.  Sure some claims go through no problem and might take a few weeks.  Some claims however can be monsters.  Even ones that initially seemed like simple residential claims can take months and can involve dozens of onsite meetings, hours of phone calls and conference calls, hours of documentation, hours of estimating, and a whole lot of frustration and confusion.  

Now imagine the nightmare of a big commercial building, apartment complex, or homeowner association HOA claim that involves tons of moving parts, ownership interests, construction estimates from dozens of tradesman, interpretation of a hundred plus page insurance policy, meetings with teams of adjusters, engineers, and construction experts, and months and months of read tape, denials, and negotiations.  Many property owners try to do these claims themselves or assign them to property managers who have little or no experience in this arena.  

Do yourself a favor, hire IHC Public Adjusters.  We do all of the work which allows you to get your life back together after a catastrophe.  We take the stress, frustration, and aggravation out of the claim process for you.

10.   There is a Way for You to Hire an IHC Public Adjuster for NO FEE

In Illinois a contracting company and a public adjusting firm can be owned by the same entity.  Some would say this a conflict of interest.  In our opinion it may be conflict of interest but in the policy holders favor.  There are three distinct advantages you, as a property owner, get to enjoy as a result of this governmental stance.