In life, there are two sides to everything; political opinions, lawsuits, or even simple disagreements as to who is the better basketball player – Michael Jordan or Lebron James. Property insurance claims are no different: on one side, there’s the insurance company, who writes a check to pay for damage to property covered by one of their policies; on the other, there’s the policyholder.

For years, insurance companies have successfully (through radio, print and TV advertisements) convinced the general public that they could fairly and honestly represent both their own interests and those of their insured. One company persuades customers that they are “in good hands,” while another claims to be “like a good neighbor,” and still another that they are “on your side.” As effective as those marketing slogans may be, they often serve to camouflage the inherent conflict of interest present when insurance companies try to represent both sides of a claim. To wit, no judge would allow one attorney to represent both sides of a case.

To ensure that everyday people receive the same quality of representation as the insurance company, the state legislature passed a law allowing for Tennessee Public Adjusters to assist claimants with their negotiations. This law, based on a model developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, has now been implemented in 46 states as part of their statutory law.

Accordingly, substantial requirements are in place for public adjusters. Any person acting as a public adjuster is required to pass a test before they are licensed, and in order to keep that license, they are required to complete 24 hours of continuing education every 2 years. Additionally, they must also post a $50,000 surety bond with the state as well as another $500,000 in coverage for errors and omissions.

At the Howarth Group, we are committed to maximizing your insurance settlement. If you are interested in having someone review your claim documents and render you a second opinion please give us a call today at 800-647-2236. It won’t cost you anything to find out what someone with decades of experience in handling insurance claims thinks of yours.