Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS A PUBLIC ADJUSTER? (ALSO KNOWN AS A PUBLIC INSURANCE ADJUSTER)

A public adjuster is an educated and highly trained individual who is an advocate for and paid by the policy holder in documenting, appraising, estimating, and negotiating an insurance claim. Other than attorneys, only public adjusters are licensed by the state and legally able to represent the rights of the insured during an insurance claim process. They have a vast expertise and knowledge on insurance policies, co-insurance, depreciation, building & personal property damage assessments, and repair or replacement costs. Public Adjusters, also know as PA’s, have to pass a stringent certification exam and attain a surety bond before the Department of Insurance will grant a license. The sole mission of the public adjuster is to help you, the policy holder, receive the actual settlement amount legally due you from your insurance carrier.

I’VE SUFFERED A LOSS –WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Promptly report the loss to the insurance company or, even easier, call Parrot Public Adjusters and we will report the claim right away after you retain our services.

WHY DO I NEED HELP IN FILING AN INSURANCE CLAIM?

The typical insurance policy contains hundreds of provisions and stipulations that are constantly changing and many complex details about your requirements in case of a loss. Most people do not know or understand these policy provisions - and most do not realize that the burden of proof is on them, the policy holder. Most insurance company adjusters actually prefer to work with an experienced Licensed Public Insurance Adjuster vs. an inexperienced insured. Parrot Public Adjusters not only has your confidence, but also that of company adjusters who recognize that they are dealing with a professional.

WHY SHOULD I HIRE A PUBLIC ADJUSTER WHEN THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS PROVIDED AN ADJUSTER?

The adjusters sent by them are employed and paid for by the insurance company. It is advantageous for their adjusters to work on behalf of the insurance companies. They offer to pay in most cases what is in their favor, not yours. Parrot Public Adjusters is your private and personal adjuster working exclusively for you. With our experience and knowledge, we are better able to obtain a more favorable adjustment.

HOW IS THE ACTUAL LOSS DETERMINED?

There is an itemized estimate of all the damages in your property, as well as a physical inventory of your personal property to make sure all provisions in your policy are properly fulfilled. This often involves numerous steps of which you may know little or nothing, but can make a significant difference in the amount of the final adjustment.

MY INSURANCE COMPANY ALREADY SENT OUT AN ADJUSTER & WROTE ME A SETTLEMENT CHECK – DOES THIS MEAN IT IS TOO LATE TO GO BACK AND HIRE A PUBLIC ADJUSTER?

Absolutely not! In the state of Florida you have anywhere from one to five years to have your claim reopened. CALL Parrot Public Adjusters for a no cost, no obligation consultation to get paid what you deserve!

WE JUST RECEIVED OUR SETTLEMENT CHECK, BUT I BELIEVE WE WERE SHORT CHANGED. CAN YOU STILL HELP US?

YES, absolutely. We often times have to file a “supplemental claim” on behalf of the insured because they were underpaid. Again, we re-open the loss with the insurance company and negotiate with them for you and insist they pay what they owe you on your claim.

IF I HIRE PARROT PUBLIC ADJUSTERS, AND I HAVE TO PAY A PERCENTAGE OF MY RECOVERY, WON’T I BE SHORT MONEY?

This is the biggest misconception. Since our recovery is usually 100%-300% more than what the average policy holder can get on their own, it makes perfect sense to hire us - almost for free. We handle the claim properly and expeditiously and get you more money, which more than makes up for our fee.

IS IT TOO LATE TO PLACE A CLAIM? I THOUGHT MY DAMAGE WAS MINOR, NOW THE REPAIR COSTS ARE EXCEEDING MY DEDUCTIBLE.

It is never too late to place a claim as long as it is within 5 years. Old claims are difficult to re-open and should be left to the professionals at PARROT PUBLIC ADJUSTERS, Inc.

WILL I HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR SERVICES IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO COLLECT MONEY FOR ME?

NO. You pay us nothing if we do not collect.

MY CLAIM WAS DENIED, AM I ENTITLED TO A SECOND OPINION?

YES, absolutely. We have many clients that were told their claim was denied. We re-open the loss with the insurance co. and negotiate with them for you. If you have a valid loss, we will insist they pay up. HOW LONG WILL MY CLAIM TAKE? Every claim is unique, and there are a lot of different things that could affect how long it takes to resolve your claim. Keep in mind that even though filing a claim is probably a rare event for you, our adjusters and the insurance company’s claims teams are made up of experienced professionals who work with issues similar to yours every day. We will always do our best to get your claim resolved quickly, efficiently and to your satisfaction. But in the end, we can only move as fast as your insurance company moves.

IF AN ATTORNEY IS HIRED, WHAT ARE THE FEES AND EXPENSES?

A law firm handles virtually every case on a contingency fee basis, unless the client requests other arrangements. Under standard contingency fee agreements, if there is no recovery, there are no fees or costs owed to the law firm. In addition, Florida law provides that if a policy holder sues his/her/its insurance company, to recover on a Florida issued policy, the insurance company must pay a reasonable attorney’s fee if the insured is successful in the suit. There are some policies, such as certain flood policies and policies issued outside of the state, which may not qualify for an attorney's fee award. The law firm routinely advances all costs associated with the litigation and only charges those costs to the client/policy holder in the event of a recovery.

MY INSURANCE COMPANY WANTS TO TAKE MY RECORDED STATEMENT. SHOULD I COOPERATE?

Yes, most policies of insurance, particularly homeowners and business owners, require an insured to cooperate and to give a statement if requested. However, use good judgment and seek professional assistance if the interview is more than a few basic questions about your loss. For example, if you have suffered a fire loss and your insurer begins to ask you questions about your finances, debts, flammable liquids in your home, etc., you may wish to reschedule your statement and seek professional assistance. Your insurer may believe the loss to be intentional and may suspect you are responsible. In all cases where your "adjuster" is from your insurer’s "S.I.U." (Special Investigative Unit), you should seek legal advice. “S.I.U." units are typically devoted to suspected fraudulent claims. In such cases, ask your adjuster, on tape, for a continuation of the statement to a time that your attorney can be present.

(888) 852-9830