Hire a Durham Public Adjuster
If you're a Durham property owner dealing with storm, hail, water, or fire damage, you may already be frustrated with your insurance company's settlement offer. A licensed Durham Public Adjuster works for you, not your insurer, to document every bit of damage and negotiate the settlement you're owed under your policy.
What Does a Public Adjuster Do?
A Public Adjuster is a licensed insurance professional who represents policyholders on first-party property claims. Your insurance company sends its own company adjuster or hires an independent adjuster, and both are paid by the insurer to represent its interests. A Durham Public Adjuster is the only adjuster at the table who works for you.
Public Adjusters can help you interpret your policy, file and document your claim, and negotiate with your carrier. They handle residential and commercial property claims, and can even help with renters' insurance claims. You can bring one on at any point, but hiring early lets your adjuster document damage before repairs or cleanup change the scene.
How Much Does a Public Adjuster Cost in North Carolina?
Durham Public Adjusters typically work on contingency, meaning their fee is a percentage of the settlement they help you recover. North Carolina law requires that exact percentage to be written into your Public Adjuster Contract, along with any expenses to be reimbursed from your claim payment.
When the Governor or the President declares a catastrophic incident, North Carolina caps Public Adjuster fees at 10% of the insurance settlement. For those claims, a Public Adjuster also cannot collect any fee, retainer, or deposit before your claim is settled.
North Carolina protects your wallet in other ways, too. Your Public Adjuster can't take their entire fee out of the first check from your insurance company; they collect a percentage of each check as it's issued. They also can't charge late fees or collection costs. And if your insurer pays or commits to pay your full policy limit within 72 hours of the loss being reported, your Public Adjuster can't take a percentage of that payout.
Know Your Rights Before You Sign
Before you sign anything, a North Carolina Public Adjuster must give you a separate written disclosure explaining the three types of adjusters and your right to communicate directly with your insurer. Your contract must be titled "Public Adjuster Contract" and list the adjuster's license number, services, and full fee.
- Three days to change your mind: You can cancel a Public Adjuster Contract in writing within three business days of signing it.
- No hidden conflicts: Your Public Adjuster must disclose in writing any financial ties to contractors, salvage firms, or other companies working on your claim.
- Your name stays on the check: A Public Adjuster contract can't require your insurer to issue payment only in the adjuster's name.
Are Durham Public Adjusters Licensed?
Yes. Anyone acting as a Public Adjuster in North Carolina must be licensed through the North Carolina Department of Insurance. To get licensed, a resident Public Adjuster must pass a state exam, submit fingerprints for a criminal background check, and carry a $20,000 surety bond (or letter of credit) that protects consumers from fraud or unfair practices. You can verify a Durham Public Adjuster's license through the NC Department of Insurance before you hire.
If you're interested in learning about license requirements in other states, you can access the 50-state database of Public Adjuster license requirements by state.
Tiger Adjusters® Will Fight for Your Fair Settlement
Tiger Adjusters® is the largest public adjusting franchise in the United States. Our local team knows North Carolina's insurance regulations inside and out. We work to recover the full amount your policy provides, so you have what you need to make repairs.
Whether it's hurricane remnants rolling up from the coast, a spring hailstorm, or a burst pipe, your local Tiger Adjusters® team is ready to hit the ground running in Durham to inspect your property and negotiate your claim on your behalf.
Nick Sullivan
Owner/ Operator and Public Adjuster
West Charlotte, North Carolina
NC#22185327
(704) 464-7620