Busting Five Myths About Public Adjusters

If you’re engaged in a heated battle with your insurance agency over a claim, you may be considering hiring someone to represent you. But you’ve heard so many negative things about public adjusters that you’re afraid to work with one.

There are a lot of rumors circulating about working with a public adjuster, and we’re here to clear the air once and for all. In this article, we’ll bust five common myths about public adjusters. 

Myth 1: Adjusters Take a Huge Chunk of the Settlement

Before you work with a public adjuster, they’ll present you with a contract that outlines their services and fees. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department must approve the contract before any parties sign it. When you sign the contract, you and the adjuster are legally bound to the number indicated in the contract.

The fees associated with hiring a public adjuster are a percentage taken out of your claim. If the rate is too high, you can look for another adjuster. 

Catastrophic event claim fees have a statutory cap of 10%, but non-catastrophic event claims can be a bit higher. However, your adjuster is advocating on your behalf to your insurance company, which requires a lot of work. Even after you pay the adjuster’s, you’ll likely end up with more money in your pockets than you would without the help of the adjuster.

Myth 2: Your Insurance Premiums Will Rise

Although insurance providers are usually not thrilled when you use a public adjuster because it means they’ll have to pay out more, they can’t raise your insurance premium because you are using an adjuster.

If you know someone whose premium went up after they used an adjuster, the most likely explanation is that rates for the entire region went up. This is especially common after a natural disaster causes a large amount of claims submissions. 

Myth 3: Public Adjusters Can’t be Trusted

All public adjusters and public adjustment services must have a state license. Our PA license number is 738304, and the Pennsylvania Insurance Department allows you to search for all licensed adjusters in your area.

To obtain their license, public adjusters must be fingerprinted and pass a background check. Since the state can revoke their license at any time, most public adjusters aren’t going to risk losing their business by taking advantage of you.

Public adjusters want to help you, not rip you off. They’re there to fight on your behalf, so you get the reparation you deserve.

Myth 4: Hiring a Public Adjuster Will Delay Your Claims

Hiring a public adjuster can actually expedite your claim. As seasoned professionals, adjusters know how to put an appropriate amount of pressure on your insurance agency’s insurance adjuster. 

Additionally, it is essential to realize that it may take a bit longer to fulfill your claim to a public adjuster because your adjuster is negotiating on your behalf to get you more money. 

If it takes longer than a quick payout, understand that your adjuster is fighting for you to get what you deserve, not what you can get immediately.

Myth 5: Your Insurance Company Will Drop You

While insurance companies can drop policyholders for any reason at the end of their agreement, the only reason they can drop a client in the middle of a policy period is for payment delinquency. 

Unless you’ve been negligent on your payments, your insurance company will not drop you for hiring a representative.

Get the Most Out of Your Claim


You don’t have to negotiate with your insurance company on your own. At TSO Adjustment Services, our incredible public adjusters are ready to fight for you. 

To learn more about what we can do for you or get your quote, call 215-886-7440 or visit our website.