FAQ
What is a loss consultant / public adjuster?
A loss consultant / public adjuster is a professional that advises business owners and families through the process of proper claim preparation, presentation, and adjustment following loss or damage. A loss consultant / public adjuster also may work with attorneys, serve as expert witnesses in trials, and act as appraisers if a disputed claim moves into the appraisal method for resolution.
I've called my insurance agent to report the damage. What happens now?
You will be contacted by the insurance company and given many forms to complete, with requests for documents that prove what you have lost. Now is the ideal time to schedule an appointment with Southern Loss Consultants. Not only will we help you complete your claim, but we'll handle hundreds of details you hadn't even considered and guide you along the path to complete restoration.
Won't my insurance company's adjuster take care of preparing my insurance claim?
A large part of preparing an insurance claim is documenting the loss itself, which your insurance company's adjuster will require you to do. He or she will then evaluate your damages from the insurance company's perspective. To make sure your insurance company considers your claim from your perspective, you need an expert working for you.
How can an advocate help me?
Having expert representation will relieve you of the burdensome process of documenting your loss and preparing your claim. A loss consultant will:
- Compile data for structural estimates and content inventories
- Assign value to lost items
- Estimate lost business income
- Take care of the myriad other details involved in claim preparation
Why is it important to act quickly?
The philosopher Plato said, "The beginning is the most important part of the work." We couldn't agree more. It's an unfortunate fact that problems with a claim are often not identified until after the claim has already been submitted and reviewed, when making changes may be virtually impossible.
Claim representation, an increasingly complex process, takes a great deal of time, research, and documentation. Decisions usually involve thousands, if not millions, of dollars and often must be made quickly without a margin of error. That's why it's critical that you decide early on whether you're going to handle the claim yourself or utilize professional expertise.
For more FAQs about public adjusters and loss consulting, see the NAPIA Frequently Asked Questions page.
