Why You Need a Public Adjuster for Your Winter Storm Damage Claims

Why You Need a Public Adjuster for Your Winter Storm Damage Claims

For those living in Ulster County in Upstate New York, the storm that moved across the region in early February 2022 was ‘some storm’. Leaving downed power lines, about 65,000 without heat or electricity, many residents were forced to leave their homes and move into temporary shelters for their meals and beds. Governor Hochul, who was raised in the region, observed the damage left in the ice storm’s wake and noted it was also, “heartbreaking” to see tree damage, “one of the most beautiful assets in the area…that is a loss of part of your identity.” The Governor’s comment reminds us at United Public Adjusters & Appraisers, of the importance of returning to normalcy as soon as possible after a natural disaster. That underscores the need for home and property owners to partner with professional public adjusters to ensure that their storm damage insurance claim yields them the highest settlement allowable by their policy.

The February storm was considered to be the worst the region had seen in the past 20 years. Almost an inch of ice blanketed the county. In addition to power losses, storm damage claims are expected to spike. However, we advise against rushing to submit a claim and recommend that you contact our team instead. Not only can our professionals document existing losses, but also take note of potential storm-caused damage that will not be immediately noticeable. By this, we mean structural damage in the form of roof leaks that may manifest in warmer weather with a ceiling collapse or trees and landscaping that appear dormant in Winter, but do not leave or bud in Spring. United Public Adjusters will review your existing policies, then assist you to submit a claim that covers all damages, contingencies and potential future issues. Should your insurance offer not be sufficient, we negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf to bring about a fair and just offer in line with your plan benefits. Perhaps the best reason for contacting a professional public adjuster is this: statistically, most home/property owners prepared and submitted claims receive a ‘low ball’ offer. Virtually none of storm damage insurance claims that are prepared and submitted by professional property adjusters receive low offer returns.

We invite you to schedule an appointment with our team to get started.