Damage Appraiser Schammage Appraiser

You’ve got an insurance claim and the “adjuster” sent out by the insurance company is perfectly willing to tell you what isn’t covered but can’t tell you what is covered. Or tells you they can’t commit the insurance company to coverage or payment. What do you do?

This situation is more common than you might expect. Much of the time when we inspect losses with the insurance company adjuster, the adjuster begins the inspection with a preamble something like this: I’m here to inspect the loss and I don’t have any authority to act on behalf of the company. Now I know this statement is B.S., my guys know this statement is B.S., but the adjuster thinks this relieves them of any responsibility for their actions. Having pontificated thusly, the adjuster then begins to go through the loss, taking exception to this damage or that price. They are always willing to tell you what isn’t covered, what they believe to be over priced and what they believe to not be related to the cause of loss. They may even want to take a recorded statement or pick up receipts for repairs and expenses.

All of this is the activity of an adjuster as opposed to a damage appraiser. Their actions negate their words. I hold the adjuster to their actions. I also never trust that adjuster to be straight with me from that point forward.

Now as a policyholder, you may not appreciate this distinction until it’s to late. So what I recommend is that you watch what the adjuster does. If they go through your loss telling your “this is not covered” or that is the result of “long term leakage”, make a note of these statements in your journal. Note as closely as possible the exact wording of their remarks. On the other hand, if the adjuster tells you the roof is going to be replaced or you’re going to get a new kitchen, make a note of this as well. Then write a letter to the adjuster acknowledging the commitments made by that adjuster. Don’t acknowledge a no coverage position, only those things which the adjuster agreed to pay for. On anything that the adjuster takes exception to during the inspection, insist they write you a letter citing the appropriate policy language supporting their position.

The idea here is to document and or confirm everything that was said. If you fail to document it now, while it’s fresh in your mind, you’re at a disadvantage when trying to remember what was said later. If after confirming what was said to the adjuster in writing they try and backtrack, you can then put them on the spot by insisting that they explain their statements.