In most cases, an insurance adjuster will contact you by telephone within 48 hours after you make a claim. This person is a claims settlement professional who is either a staff adjuster or an independent adjuster . Staff adjusters are employed by insurance companies and are paid a salary, just like employees in other businesses. Independent adjusters are owners or employees of adjusting companies hired by insurance companies to adjust claims. In either case, the adjuster represents the insurance company and one or the other does not make a difference in how your claim is handled.
Adjusters are responsible for making sure the claim receives prompt attention and fair settlement.
They are also responsible for detecting fraud and taking appropriate action when fraud is suspected. Despite what some people believe, adjusters are not rewarded for minimizing claim payments. Rather, they are judged on the number of claims they resolve, promptness and quality of their reports, their promptness in settling a claim, the number of complaints made against them, and their compliance with company rules. In telephone claim settlements, you will need to answer some questions to establish that the damaged property belongs to you. You will also answer questions about the brand, model, age, and purchase price of the damaged property.