Claim Management Adjusters (CMA), a full-service public adjusting firm committed to helping families and businesses recover from insurable property damage and loss, is expanding its nationwide services to include appraisals for restoration contractors.

“Having served restoration contractors and insureds for nearly a decade, we are confident in adding appraisals to our offerings,” said CMA’s Jeremy Walls. “We know we have the skills, network and processes to add value and get results.”

Established in 2009, CMA is well-versed in the claims and appraisal process. The new appraisal division provides contractors and third-party estimating and supplementing partners a seamless, scalable escalation process for:

• Roofing Claims
• Fire & Flood Claims
• Water Mitigation Claims

With affiliate appraisers located across the U.S., CMA is able to process appraisals at high volume, anywhere in the country—even during large-scale disasters.

When to Bring in an Insurance Appraiser

Oftentimes, an initial insurance claim offer is much lower than is needed to repair the damage. When this happens, the contractor or a third-party claim manager will dispute the offer on behalf of the policyholder and, ideally, reach a formidable settlement. However, in cases where the parties “agree to disagree,” the contractor or claim manager can choose to bring in an appraiser to calculate the amount of loss from a neutral perspective. This is especially helpful for contractors, who prefer to focus on growing their business and serving customers rather than negotiating with insurance companies.

How an Insurance Appraisal Works

An insurance appraisal is a form of alternative dispute resolution—much faster and far less costly than going to court. The appraisal process allows both parties (the insurer and the policyholder) to choose their own independent appraisers. The appraisers then agree on an “umpire” to act as the arbiter before conducting separate appraisals.

The umpire will not be involved if the appraisers can agree to a fair, binding settlement based on their itemized calculations. If they are not able to agree, the umpire is brought in, and the decision agreed to by two of the three parties will stand (again, legally binding).

Why a Public Adjuster Makes a Great Appraiser

As an experienced public adjusting firm, CMA is well-versed in documentation, evaluation, negotiation and other key aspects of insurance disputes. Our appraisers are trained and qualified to analyze, investigate and assess damage from fires, floods and other perils. We are here to support our fellow industry professionals and advocate for the consumers they serve.

Contact us for a free consultation.

Fires can strike fierce and fast as is the case with the wildfire overtaking Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. With many only escaping with their lives and the clothes on their backs many people are left wondering where to turn to for help. Displaced residents, business owners and first responders are among those in most need of support.

After some digging we found these 4 notable resources:

1. WBIR-TV: An article listing shelters and restaurants providing food to first responders and displaced residents can be found here. These shelters offer a variety of resources ranging from clothing to food and water and other necessitates.
2. WBIR-TV: Another great article focused around a “how to help” section as well as listings of resources being deployed. You can find a lot of different ways people are helping and then follow those links if you want to be on receiving end.
3. Rocky Top Sports World: These guys have now become home to some 1000+ evacuees and The American Red Cross who is operating out of the complex as well. Visit their Facebook page for more information.
4. Helping Pets & Animals: There are several organizations offering free support for livestock and family pets. Here are a few: Douglas Lakeview Stables (contact Kristi 864-671-8439), The Barker Lounge, Pets Without Parents Shelter, Wildwood Farm (call 865-256-9589), Smoky Mountain K-9 Cottages (contact Marni 865-428-7311).

As the damage continues to be reevaluated it will become more clear what resources are needed. In addition to the groups and sites mentioned above we will be adding more blogs and top resources to this webpage.

Of special note, being consumer advocates we will also be providing free consultations on topics surrounding how to best navigate the insurance claim settlement process so don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation or check out the free onsite soot inspections we are providing to qualified home and business owners.

Why Hire a Public Adjuster to Manage Your Insurance Claim?

Shock, anxiety, depression, fear–property damage or loss evokes a world of emotions that can be difficult to overcome. That’s not to mention the utter disruption to your livelihood. 

Your insurance provider is there to help you, but they are not in the business of handing out money. They know that most property owners don’t have the time, patience or knowledge to scrutinize a settlement. That’s where a public adjuster comes in to handle the legwork for you and ensure that you receive adequate funds to recover from your loss.

The benefits of hiring a public adjuster are:

• Expertise: Insurance comes with a lot of paperwork and fine print. A public adjuster can help you understand how your policy works, and can also guide you through the necessary steps to complete your claim.
• Time: Managing your claim can easily become a full-time job. Your public adjuster will spare you from hours of correspondence, documentation and review, so you can focus on regaining any sense of normalcy possible.
• Pace: The combination of expertise and availability makes a public adjuster more equipped to expedite the claim filing process. Insurance companies speak their own language, and if you don’t understand it, you might find yourself needing two or more attempts to complete each of their requests.
• Representation: Without an expert by your side, your insurer will have no reason to believe that you could and would challenge an unjust settlement. Hire a public adjuster to show that you are serious about your claim, and to assist with next steps if your claim is denied.
• Value: Lastly and most importantly, a public adjuster can recover a sum that truly helps you move forward. A study by the Office of Program and Policy Analysis & Government Accountability in the State of Florida showed that business and homeowner insurance settlements are 747% larger when a public adjuster is involved.

The benefits of hiring a public adjuster really strengthens during a catastrophic event when the insurance companies are handling a high volume of insurance claims within a short time span.  

With such a high volume of claims many details are missed and oversights happen with nobody there to catch them. Often, insurance companies aren’t even using their own adjusters to handle the workload. Instead they hire 3rd party companies who then also hire 1099 Cat Adjusters to do the work. A public adjuster ensures you don’t get caught in this trap.

If your property has been damaged or destroyed by a fire, other peril, or catastrophic event, then you may want to consult a public adjuster. You can then assess some of the benefits of hiring a public adjuster first hand.

Here are 3 real examples for why you should consider hiring a public adjuster to handle your loss.

The surrounding Fayetteville, N.C. area is still seeing the aftermath unfold. Flooding, water damage, and lingering effects of the storm are an ever-present reality in the wake of recovery. Roadways are still closed, boiling alerts are just now being lifted, and many places are still under water waiting for the floods to recede. With rebuilding and recovery in mind, here are the top five post hurricane resources for the greater Cumberland County area.

Navigating road hazards and city maintenance

Fayetteville infrastructure has been devastated by washouts, flash flooding, standing water, downed trees and debris in roadways. The old saying “turn around, don’t drown” is still in full effect. The city of Fayetteville has to be given credit for taking questions and concerns head on in online forums, Facebook groups, and online at the city’s website. Rebuilding is neither a quick nor an easy task. Meanwhile you can stay up-to-date on current road closures on the city’s web page.

Short term property rentals

For many of those who were displaced for the storm, the reality of moving “home” isn’t quite a reality at this point. Shelters are full, with some closing as the state of emergency is lifted around the area. So where can people turn for the simplistic necessity like a roof over their head? The Cumberland County Housing Resource list is a great start for those looking to rent while they clean or rebuild. Also, the Department of Development website offers plenty of useful information regarding community rebuilding. The Department of Development committee can be contacted by phone, email, or social media all found on the website.

Food and alleviation

420 Dunn Rd. is most likely an address you’ve seen on the Internet, seen on local TV or heard on the radio. Covenant Love Church assembles volunteers 6 days a week, Monday-Saturday starting at 8:00 a.m., and closes with a hot meal at 5:00 p.m. Teamed up with Operation Blessing out of Virginia Beach, the Church has done massive cleanup over the past several weeks. If you’re in need of assistance, stop by 9:30am-4:30pm to request help. If you’d like to help, show up at 8:00 a.m. to fill out the volunteer form. For more information, check their Facebook page.

Another organization offering help is Manna Church Cliffdale. The Cliffdale site of the mega church is branching out with “adopt a block” to serve the community. Based out of two locations, 5117 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville and 3744 Legion Road, Hope Mills, the church is offering a noticeable helping hand in Cumberland County.

Counseling services

In times of crisis, people often find a way to get through the immediate situation only to put off and repress their true feelings as time marches on and they begin to fully process the trauma. A couple of places offering help are Grays Creek Christian Center in Hope Mills and Mt Olive Missionary Baptist in Fayetteville.

Insurance claim assistance

Dealing with insurance companies can be the biggest pain during recovery. The process can even be daunting when it comes to estimating the damage. Not only can a Public Adjuster help someone recover between 30-70% more money, they can also make the process less of a headache. We are regularly answering questions and offering advice to help people get the most from their claim. Chat with us live through our website or Facebook page throughout the week. Or visit our Hurricane Matthew Insurance Claim Help page for more information.  You can always call or email if this is better!

I have never seen such an amount of proof of the corruption many insurance companies participate in while they “help” their customer through the claim’s process.

I know it might seem hardly believable if you are a good citizen who has been paying premiums on time and to a highly-rated insurance company. However, I guarantee nearly all people felt the same way prior to seeing it with their own eyes. I’ve seen it with my own eyes and feel compelled to openly share my experience in hopes of encouraging you to have your claim reviewed by an experienced public adjuster early on in the process.

As the operating COO of Claim Management Adjusters, one of my main duties has been to craft and launch the estimating service we provide contractors, other public adjusters and nearly anyone busy with insurance claim settlements. To date, I have never been exposed to the inner-workings of more estimates any other time in my professional career.

Here are a few before & after examples:

These examples are taken from homeowner insurance claims I’ve personally witnessed where the insurance adjuster gives the customer an estimate based on their scope of loss, and then upon CMA’s review, a new estimate outlining what the customer is actually owed is presented.

Ex 1: Louisiana Residential Flood Insurance Claim

Original estimate completed by the insurance company: $99,200
Estimate completed by us: $135,200
A difference of $36,000

Ex 2: Indiana Residential Fire Insurance Claim

Estimate completed by the insurance company: $44,000
Estimate completed by us: $89,000
A 200%+ increase the insured can now use for making repairs

Ex 3: Indiana Roof & Exterior Insurance Claim

Estimate completed by the insurance company: $13,800
Estimate completed by us: $22,000
$8,200 missed by the insurance company

I hope this shows you a little of what I see each day. There is no doubt in my mind that every home and business owner who suffers an insurable loss should at least have their insurance claim reviewed by an experienced public adjuster as early in the insurance claim settlement process as possible.