Filing a homeowner insurance claim on your own can be as risky as going to court without a lawyer. It is important to have an advocate on your side from the beginning.
Stellar Public Adjusting Services helps homeowners and business owners get the proper and timely settlements to which they are entitled. "We're there with the homeowner from the very beginning to the end of the process," says company President Rami Boaziz. "We make sure the insurance company pays the proper amount to compensate for the damages and restore the property to the condition it was in before the loss."
Better Outcomes
A January 2010 study from the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability found that when claimants used a licensed public adjuster, they received higher payments than when they did not. The reason is simple, Rami says. "The insurance company's adjuster is working for the insurance company's best interest. We're working for our client's best interest."
If a home or business is damaged by mold, storm, flood, fire, theft, or even a simple leak causing water damage to property, it can be devastating. "When something like that happens to your home or business, you are naturally upset," Rami says. "And that's exactly the time that you're going up against one of the most powerful industries in America. Your insurance company's slogans may seem warm and welcoming, but the truth is that more often than not, their primary interest is pleasing their shareholders."
Stellar Public Adjusting Services can point to numerous cases where it has helped clients get far more than the amounts for which insurance companies were initially willing to settle. One homeowner, for example, had a broken pipe under the kitchen sink. The leaking water damaged the cabinets as well as the wood flooring adjacent to the kitchen. "The insurance company offered a settlement of $3,300," Rami recalls. "But this client had invested a lot in a beautiful kitchen, and we thought the insurance company should restore the home to what it was like before-not do a job that was just okay if you didn't look too closely. Eventually, we got a settlement of $50,000 for our client."
Another homeowner filed a claim because her tile floors had cracked. "The insurance company denied the claim, basing their denial on 'improper installation,' despite the floors being installed 20 years ago without any issues over that time,"Rami says. "But we went in and discovered that an undetected leak from the refrigerator water line was causing the tiles to de-bond. The insurance company had turned a blind eye to it. Eventually, they paid to fix the floor."
Expertise and Advocacy
Most homeowners do not have the expertise to uncover all the causes of damages or to know what it will take to repair them. "Often, damages that may look minor to you can lead to more severe problems later" Rami says. "And damage in walls or under floors may not even be visible at first. Our adjusters are experts who are trained to look at all aspects of a case."
Stellar's professionals include experts in engineering, roofing, plumbing, water extraction, contents restoration and other areas. "Their experience in the field means they know what to look for, and how much it will cost to put things back the way they were," Rami says. "A homeowner can't do that by him- or herself. The insurance company has a wide array of experts at its disposal. We make the same kind of expertise available to the homeowner to get the outcome he or she deserves. A licensed public adjuster can level the playing field."
A Complex Process
Homeowner insurance policies are complex, detailed documents that can be many pages long. "Even if the consumer reads the policy, he or she is unlikely to understand it," Rami says. It's filled with obscure terminology that can easily be used to the detriment of the policy holder, often without the homeowner even knowing about it."
A licensed public adjuster, on the other hand, can fully understand the intricacies of the policy. "After reviewing it, we can strategize the claim so the consumer is not taken advantage of and gets what he or she deserves," Rami says.
Often, homeowners will call their insurance agents for help understanding their policies. "The problem is, your agent isn't an expert at understanding the claims process or coverage matters, either," Rami says. "He or she is simply an expert at selling policies."
Don't Wait
It is best for Stellar Public Adjusting Services to get involved immediately after damage occurs. "We want to be the first call the homeowner makes," Rami says. "If you wait until after you have filed a claim, you are giving the insurance company an opportunity to deny the claim or to settle it for less. It's much more difficult to get the insurance company to change something it has already decided than it is to get it to see the consumer's side of things from the very beginning."
Fees Based On Results
A licensed public adjuster is compensated only if he or she achieves results for the client. The fee is based on the size and type of claim and the public adjuster's involvement in the process. "We're paid only if you're paid," Rami says. "Our goal is to help you every step of the way, and to get the very best results possible."
STELLAR PUBLIC ADJUSTING SERVICES
Professional Insurance Claim Representation
2450 NE Miami Gardens Drive -
Suite 200 -
Miami, FL 33180
www.StellarAdjusting.com •
www.propertyinsuranceblog.com •
Phone: 305-396-9110 •
Fax: 305-873-8719
Caption: Stellar Public Adjusting Services can point to numerous cases where it has helped clients get far more than the amounts for which insurance companies were initially willing to settle. Company President Rami Boaziz and his staff have always put the customer first!
