FAQ
Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. This page contains the most common questions policyholders ask. If there is a question you have that’s not listed below, please contact us. We are more than pleased to help. What Is a Public Adjuster? A public adjuster or public insurance adjuster is a state licensed advocate for policyholders only and are authorized to negotiate on the your behalf. We will prepare, adjust and negotiate your insurance claim to achieve the best results. When you file an insurance claim, the insurance company will send out their own adjuster which works exclusively for the insurance company and their interests in minimizing their losses. If the insurance company has an adjuster working for them, you should have Liberty Group Adjusters working for you. How Do I Pursue My New, Pending, Denied or Closed Insurance Claim? Simple. Whether you have a new, pending, denied or closed claim, Liberty Group Adjusters assists in all variations of the claims process. Usually at this point, you are trying to deal with the mental and physical loss of your property. If you have already filed a claim and are in negotiations with the insurance company and received an offer or even a check, you may be entitled to more money. You may have received a settlement amount and chances are you were greatly underpaid. In this case, Liberty Group Adjusters will assess your claim and determine if we can produce a supplemental claim. If your claim was denied and you did not receive a settlement, Liberty Group Adjusters will review your claim properly and asses if there is damage or not. In most cases, we are able to get our clients compensated once we are involved. Important Note: If you are being offered a settlement check and have been asked to sign a release, once signed, you are no longer entitled to open and pursue your claim. Why Do I Need Help? Pursuing an insurance claim yourself is not an easy task. If not done properly, you take an enormous risk of not being able to settle and maximize your claim properly. The process requires itemized and detailed written statements key to recovering a successful loss. Taking on the insurance company yourself is like getting into a boxing ring with a professional fighter. You will lose. That’s why it is crucial you seek Liberty Group Adjusters to help with maximizing and settling your claim. When Should I Hire A Public Adjuster? Immediately. Once you contact the insurance company about the loss, your incomplete or expressed answers regarding the extent of the damage may greatly reduce your chances of recovery. Policyholders state that there is not much damage when there actually is. If Liberty Group Adjusters is engaged early in the claims process, prior to the fact finding stage, you will have a greatly increased chance in recovering a fair settlement. Even if you received a settlement check, we can negotiate a larger amount. Will the Insurance Company Be Upset and Drop Me If I Hire a Public Adjuster? Most defiantly not. An insurance company cannot cancel your policy because you hired a Public Adjuster. This is a direct violation of the Texas Department of Insurance. As stated previously, Public Adjusters are licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance. If you are a policyholder, you have the right to hire a Public Adjuster who will represent your claim and your interests. The insurance company hires adjusters to protect their interests, so should you. Why Not Hire a Lawyer? The only time you’ll need a lawyer is when you have a legal dispute with your insurance company. In most cases, insurance policies state that you may not take legal action until all requirements are met according to your policy. Since lawyers are not experts at determining or calculating damage, they usually end up hiring public adjusters to write a scope of loss. We have worked with countless law firms in assisting policyholders achieve a large settlement and will consult with lawyers on special claims that may need legal attention. In those special cases, it's a winning combination. Can I Hire a Roofing Contractor to Represent and Negotiate My Claim? Absolutely not. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, contractors cannot “negotiate” or “represent” an insurance claim with the insurance company representatives on behalf of the policyholder. Insurance company adjusters that negotiate insurance claims with contractors are knowingly engaging in this activity and committing unfair insurance claims violations. Please read the Bulletin on our News page or visit the TDI website to read the bulletin issued by the Commissioner of the TDI, Eleanor Kitzman: http://www.tdi.texas.gov/bulletins/2012/cc16.html Public Adjusters have no interest in the construction aspect of the claim and are prohibited by the Texas Department of Insurance in doing so. If someone ever contacts you with an offer to represent and negotiate your insurance claim on your behalf, you should first verify they are a public adjuster and licensed by the Texas Department of insurance. You can verify the following information by visiting TDI: https://txapps.texas.gov/NASApp/tdi/TdiARManager. Do I Have to Accept the Insurance Company’s Offer? No. It is your right to refuse whatever the insurance company offers. You cannot make fully sure the offer will cover your loss and you may be owed in excess of the policy limits. This means if policy limits are $100,000, we can collect more than that amount. How Do Public Adjusters Receive Compensation? As public adjusters, we work on a “No Recovery, No Fee” basis. This means that there are no immediate upfront costs and we only get paid a percentage when we are able to produce a settlement for you. The Texas Department Insurance and the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance sets and regulates public adjuster fees so we cannot charge whatever we feel like. Remember, we cannot collect a fee unless we are successful. In some cases, your policy may contain a clause that covers our fees directly from the insurance company. Hiring us to increase your insurance claim basically pays for itself. With this said, you everything to gain and nothing to lose. What Items Will I Need to Have Ready for My Free Consultation? Please make sure that you have your insurance policy or declarations page available at time of meeting. If you don’t have a copy of your policy, you can always contact your agent or insurance company by calling or in writing and request one without explanation. Other items such as pictures, responses from the insurance company and personal notes of events from before and after the property damage are also useful if you have them. How Do I Arrange a Meeting With Liberty Public Adjusters LLC? Easy. You have a few options; You can contact Liberty Group Adjusters by filling out the Contact Us form or email us at contact@LibertyGroupAdjusters.com. If you need immediate assistance, please call us directly at 1-888-609-8222. We will be waiting. |
Do Not Do The Following
DO NOT CASH ANY INSURANCE CHECKS MARKED “FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT” Cashing an insurance check marked “Full and Final Settlement” will prevent you from collecting on future settlements on your claim. If you discover further damage after cashing that check, you lose your rights to pursuing a claim any further. DO NOT SIGN A RELEASE Signing a release does not allow you to collect any future payments on your claim. Once signed, that’s it. You should never agree to finalize a claim unless you have a professional such as Liberty Group Adjusters review it. DO NOT SETTLE FOR LESS Policyholders usually do not know what they are receiving in regards to a settlement. Although it might seem like it’s enough, it may not be and cost you much more in the long run. Do not risk you property on an assumption. DO NOT GIVE UP Do not ever give up no matter how complicated and exhausting your claim is. policyholders usually give up half way or towards the end of their claim due to frustration. Consult with Liberty Group Adjusters on the best route to maximize and settle your claim. DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE DAMAGE Do not ever assume that you do not have damage to your property. It will cost you dearly and will cause major problems once you discover later that you do have damage. If not pursued in time, you may pass the statute of limitations for filing a claim and recovering any settlement owed to you. Do The Following DO TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE This could be the most important aspect of your claim. Photos show what the damage is and where it occurred. Since temporary repairs should begin to stop any further damage, photos are one of the best ways to prove damage. If possible, take a video of the damage actually occurring or damage caused by the event. DO WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN After a disaster, it is hard to remember what actually happened. Be sure to write everything down such as time, date, what caused the damage and what events lead to the damage. DO MAKE SURE YOU GET IT IN WRITING Make sure the insurance company is communicating with you in writing. Far to often verbal communication is not a guarantee and cannot be used in your defense. Make sure once you call in a claim that you get confirmation in writing. DO MAKE SURE YOU ARE ALWAYS SAFE Please make sure you are always safe and out of harm’s way when dealing with damaged property. Never enter a damaged home or building. It may be unstable and you can get hurt or even worse, die. DO CALL US IMMEDIATELY Calling Liberty Group Adjusters immediately after you experience property damage can increase your chances of a fair and fast settlement by leaps and bounds. |
Texas: Liberty Group Adjusters LLC TDI License #: 1768217