Working with an insurance adjuster

The adjuster assigned to your claim works for the insurer, or for a firm the insurer hired, and their job is to confirm that a covered loss happened, measure it and price the repair under the policy. They are not your enemy and they are not your advocate. You get the best result by being organized, accurate and specific, by putting disagreements in writing, and by remembering that the first estimate is an opening figure that you are allowed to question.

What the adjuster actually decides

After you report the loss, the claim is assigned to someone who investigates three things: whether the cause of loss is covered under your policy, how much damage there is, and what the policy pays for it after the deductible, depreciation and any special limits. On a small claim that may be a desk adjuster who works from your photos, a contractor's bid and a phone call. On a larger one, a field adjuster visits the home, measures, photographs and writes an estimate, commonly in xactimate or a similar pricing program.

Who that person is varies. Some are employees of the insurer, some are independent adjusters on assignment, and after a big storm many are catastrophe adjusters brought in from other states. staff, independent and public adjusters: who works for whom explains the differences and who answers to whom. For you, the practical point is the same either way: the adjuster recommends, and the insurer decides. The decision letter comes from the company.

Before the inspection

You cannot control what the adjuster finds, but you can control what they have in front of them. Gather these before the visit:

1. Photos and video you took before cleanup, plus any emergency repair invoices (documenting damage: photos, video and receipts).
2. Your declarations page and policy, so you can check the deductible, the roof settlement terms and any endorsements.
3. Contractor estimates, ideally itemized, from a licensed contractor who has looked at the damage.
4. A list of damaged belongings with age, price and model where you know them (filing a personal property claim: the contents list).
5. Your own notes on when you first noticed the damage, what you did to stop it and who you spoke with.

If you have not yet read the section of the policy on your duties after a loss, do that now. The ISO form (HO 00 03) asks you to show the damaged property, protect it from further damage, keep records of repair expenses and provide a proof of loss when asked; see policy conditions: your duties under a homeowners policy. Your insurer's own form and your state's rules control the details.

During the visit

Be present if you can, and walk the adjuster through the whole loss, including rooms and areas you think are minor. Adjusters work to a schedule, and on a storm claim they may have a dozen homes that day. What they do not see, they do not write down.

• Point out everything, including hidden-damage clues: stains on ceilings, warped baseboards, a musty smell, shingles that were replaced a year ago.
• Ask what they are measuring and photographing and whether they plan to use a drone or go on the roof. If they cannot reach something, ask when they will return.
• Answer the questions asked. Be truthful and specific about dates, the cause as you understand it, and previous repairs. Do not guess at causes you do not know. "I do not know when the leak started; the stain was there when I came home Tuesday" is a better answer than a speculation.
• Do not agree to a figure on the spot. An adjuster may give a ballpark number. Ask for the written estimate and the explanation of what is and is not included.
• Write down the adjuster's name, license number where your state requires it to be given, phone and email, and the date and content of what they said. Florida, for example, requires the adjuster to give you a name and license number when inspecting (florida's 2022–2023 property insurance reforms explained).

Keep casual conversation factual. If the insurer asks for a recorded statement or an examination under oath, that is a different step with its own rules; see recorded statements and examinations under oath.

Reading the estimate

When the estimate arrives, ask for the line-item version, not just the total. The numbers you will see:

A hypothetical example: say the estimate shows $20,000 in RCV, $4,000 in depreciation and a $2,500 deductible. The first payment is $13,500, and the $4,000 of recoverable depreciation is paid when you complete the work and send the invoices, if your policy provides replacement cost. recoverable depreciation: getting the rest of your claim covers how to collect it.

Then compare the estimate with your contractor's. Typical gaps are scope (a room missing, drywall repaired instead of replaced), unit prices below local rates, overhead and profit left out, permits, code upgrades covered under ordinance or law coverage, and items that were measured but not written. Mark each difference in a short list.

When you disagree

Disagreements about the amount are routine, and a supplemental request is how most of them are resolved.

1. Send a written request to the adjuster, copying the claim email, naming each disputed item, attaching your contractor's itemized estimate, photos and any report, and asking for a revised estimate or a written explanation.
2. Keep the dates. A written request starts the clock on the insurer's duty to respond in many states; see how long insurers have to pay a home claim.
3. Ask for a re-inspection if the adjuster missed areas or you found damage after work began. This is a supplemental claim.
4. Escalate to a claims supervisor if the adjuster does not respond.
5. Use the formal tools if the disagreement is over the value of the loss: the appraisal clause, a complaint to your state insurance department (how to file a complaint with your state insurance department), or help from a licensed public adjuster or an attorney. underpaid home insurance claim: how to push back sets out the sequence.

Cashing the first check generally does not waive your right to ask for more, but read the check and any cover letter for release language before you deposit it. Some states restrict releases on partial payments; ask your insurance department if the wording is unclear.

What not to do

• Do not hide prior damage or previous claims. A false statement can void coverage for the claim under the policy's concealment or fraud condition.
• Do not let work start that destroys evidence of the damage before the adjuster has inspected, except for emergency steps that stop it from getting worse (reasonable repairs: what you can fix before the adjuster comes).
• Do not sign contracts or assignments that hand the claim to a contractor or anyone else without reading what you are giving up (contractor fraud after storms: how it works and how to stop it).
• Do not be rude. A civil, organized policyholder gets faster answers, and the file notes follow the claim.

Key takeaways

• The adjuster is the insurer's representative; the estimate they write is a proposal that you may question with evidence.
• Be present at the inspection, show every area of damage and have photos, bills and your own contractor's estimate ready.
• Ask for the line-item estimate and compare it to your contractor's, looking for missing scope, low unit prices and depreciation.
• Put disputes in writing, keep dates and names, and escalate to a supervisor, appraisal, a complaint or a public adjuster only when the gap warrants it.
• Read your own policy and your state's claim rules; deadlines and release rules differ by insurer and state.