MEET THE CHIEF COOK & BOTTLE WASHER
Hello, I'm Philip Weber
I have been an insurance insider for more than 20 years.
I was...
Trained by the best in the industry.
Called upon by many insurance companies to solve problems.
Trusted by insurance companies to resolve complicated claims.
Now bringing my knowledge I skills to insureds.
It's All About The Plan! & The Ability to Execute it!
Knowing the strategy, where you stand, your options.
Results are what you need.
A fair settlement that allows you to restore properly.
Experience Matters
I have been an insurance insider for decades. I was taught by some of the best to ever do it. Back in the good ole days when adjusters had full responsibility to agree to, settle, and deny claims and were expected to read and understand the policy purchased by the insured so that those decisions were fair and accurate.
When I started, adjusters were expected to know construction, they were trained to be "Cause of Loss" experts, and adjusters could not approve or deny a claim unless the cause had been determined accurately, the loss investigated thoroughly, and the claim documented with extreme detail. Anyone could pick up any of my files at any point and know exactly where that claim was, what had been discussed, what actions had been taken, what actions were pending, and we communicated professionally and timely. Back then, adjusters were not only expected to make final decisions regarding the claim, but they also had to provide a detailed account of all their actions and reasons for their decisions. Adjuster's, at least good ones, had to prove the claim, one way or the other. Their work had to be beyond reproach. Anything less and you were relegated to the heap.
Many of the state laws have been changed so much so as to advantage the insurers and disadvantage the insureds. This has emboldened the carriers to be aggressive with claims and that aggression has taken the process from a place where insureds were comfortable with relying on the insurance adjuster to where we are today, adjusters are not looking to be fair necessarily, as much as they are there to pay as little as possible. Now an insured better be an insurance expert or find someone to represent them.
Unfortunately, it's easy to become a public adjuster and like most business the best are far and few between, the average are less than desirable, and then there are those that simply should not be allowed.
The Action Plan
Without a plan your blind. You may get something but I would wager it's not what is needed to restore your property fairly, properly.
The best public adjusters have honed a plan of action over the years that gets results.
The worst public adjusters claim to have a plan but cannot tell you what it is.
The best public adjusters have the best experience.
The worst public adjusters have limited knowledge.
Being a public adjuster for years may be experience but it may be the wrong experience. If the public adjuster has less than competent you may never know until it's too late.
A public adjuster has a Fiduciary Responsibility to you, the insured. Has to act in your best interest, not their own best interest, not in the contractor's best interest or anyone else's.
The worst and even average public adjusters put them selves first.
Good public adjusters have excellent knowledge of YOUR policy, the coverages you purchased. They won't take on a claim unless they have obtained the FULL policy and have read it. The best will inspect the loss and do some preliminary investigation and inform you of the potential pitfalls, the issues that are likely to be encountered, what that specific insurance company has a tendency to do and have an actionable plan that they are capable of executing to increase your odds of a fair settlement.
The best adjusters explain your Responsibilities, the responsibilities you agreed to when you bought the policy.
The best public adjusters work with you to determine your goals for the claim that are reasonable considering the policy you purchased.
A bad public adjuster will not have a plan, doesn't discuss strategies and explain what is likely and the plan to deal with these things, doesn't discuss obtaining a certified policy or your FULL policy or explain why these are important.
The best public adjusters have a plan or develops a plan of action to attain your goals, is able to explain the plan to you, explains important dates, what the likely disputes will be, have a strategy they share for overcoming and resolving those disputes fairly. Has a plan to hold the adjuster accountable.
