Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Every homeowner should know what a Public Adjuster is!


As a Professional Organizer, I go into so many homes on a day-to-day basis, and I am always looking for ways to bring more value to the customer.  About three years ago, I received a phone call from my sister, explaining to me that she had stumbled across a way to make some extra money by providing a much needed service to homeowners.  Since a large percentage of my clients are homeowners, this is something that immediately sparked my interest.  We set up a meeting that was very informative, and needless to say, in almost no time, I had joined forces with her in this new venture.  In my mind it was simply another added service that I could offer to the clients who trust me, that would provide even more value for them.  I became a NJ Licensed Public Adjuster.


So, you are probably asking yourself right now, "what IS a public adjuster anyway?"  A public adjuster is a state licensed professional who: 1) educates homeowners on their homeowner policy...advising them, at no charge, on whether they have sufficient coverage, are paying for excessive coverage that they don't need, etc.; and  2) represents the homeowner when an incident occurs and there is damage to a home, maximizing their settlement by ensuring that they receive the highest claim amount possible - advising them on damages that are covered that they probably weren't aware would be covered.


Insurance policies can be difficult to interpret and can be very confusing to read and understand. Most of the homeowners I talk with don't even know the answers to some very basic questions about their policies.  Additionally, almost all of them have had damages to their homes int he past, that they have paid out of their pockets to repair, after decades of paying their homeowner policy premiums. Why?  Some are afraid of what might happen if they file a claim...some think that certain damages are not covered, only to find out when they sit down with me that they would have been covered. Some examples of covered "perils" are: wind damage, roof leaks, water stains, vandalism, smoke damage...and these are just a few.






The main reason why we are able to help homeowners get the maximum claim payment is because as Public Adjusters, we are educated in the field as a prerequisite to obtaining a license.  Therefore, we speak the same language as the adjusters that work for your insurance company, and we can represent the claim properly so that it is not denied for simple reasons (i.e. using the wrong language in the documentation).  We are also backed by a company that has an impeccable reputation, has a team of attorneys and other professionals if needed, and can help move the process along.






I hope that this post has been educational for all of you homeowners out there, and I encourage you to contact me via email at loni_mendez@outlook.com (in the subject line type in caps "FREE POLICY REVIEW") or by phone at (201) 771-0414 to set up a free 1/2 hour consultation.  During this session I will take a look at your homeowner policy and advise you on whether your level of coverage is appropriate, etc.  Public Adjusters do not sell insurance, so there is nothing to buy from us.  The consultation is just part of a free service that we provide in our efforts to educate homeowners.