Public Adjusters Serving Metro Atlanta

What Georgia law says before you sign with anyone

Georgia regulates public adjusters more tightly than most property owners realise. These protections are yours whether or not anyone mentions them.

The contract must say WE REPRESENT THE INSURED ONLY. Under O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43.2 a public adjuster contract must be titled Public Adjuster Contract, executed in duplicate, and carry that notice prominently. It must give the adjuster full name, licence number and business address, and confirm the licence is valid as of the date you sign.

You have three business days to cancel. The same section grants a right to rescind within three business days of signing, in writing, to the address on the contract. It applies by operation of law, so you have it even if the contract does not mention it.

Fees are capped at 33.3 percent. Under O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43.3 total commission cannot exceed 33.3 percent of the settlement and must be reasonable. An adjuster also cannot take the whole fee from the first cheque; it comes as a percentage of each payment.

If your insurer pays the policy limit within 72 hours, nobody can charge a percentage. The same section bars percentage compensation where the insurer pays or commits in writing to pay the limit within 72 hours of the loss being reported.

Your adjuster cannot profit from the repairs. O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43.8 prohibits a public adjuster from participating, directly or indirectly, in the reconstruction, repair or restoration of the property being adjusted, and from accepting a fee for referring you to a contractor, salvage company or attorney. If the person estimating your loss also stands to be paid for fixing it, their incentives are not yours.

Who works for whom

Three different people can turn up after a loss and all three are called an adjuster.

• The company adjuster is an employee of your insurer.
• The independent adjuster is a contractor the insurer hires for overflow. Also working for the insurer.
• The public adjuster is licensed by Georgia to represent the policyholder.

None of that makes the first two dishonest. It means that when there is a disagreement about the scope of your loss, nobody in the room is paid to argue your side unless you bring them.

When it is worth involving a public adjuster — and when it isn’t

Probably not worth it if the loss is small and clearly covered, the insurer has already offered the policy limit, or the offer matches your contractor estimates. Georgia law reflects this directly: percentage fees are barred when the limit is paid or committed within 72 hours.

Worth a conversation if the claim has been denied, the cause of loss is disputed, damage extends into structure you cannot see, there is a mold question, the property is commercial, there is a business interruption element, or the gap between the offer and your estimates is large enough to matter.

Six signs a claim is being underpaid

• The repair scope stops at the visible water line rather than where moisture readings say water travelled
• Nobody metered behind walls or under flooring
• Contents settled as a lump sum instead of an itemized inventory
• Matching brushed aside, leaving a visibly mismatched repair
• Recoverable depreciation never explained or claimed back
• Cause of loss reclassified from sudden to gradual

Frequently asked questions

How much can a public adjuster charge in Georgia?

Total commission cannot exceed 33.3% of the settlement under O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43.3, and the fee must be reasonable. Most fees in practice are well below the cap.

Can I cancel after I sign?

Yes. You have three business days from signing to rescind in writing, under O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43.2.

Can the same firm handle my repairs?

No. O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43.8 prohibits a public adjuster from participating directly or indirectly in repairing property they are adjusting, and from taking a referral fee for sending you to a contractor or attorney.

Do you cover my city?

We work across metro Atlanta — Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Clayton, Douglas and Paulding counties. If your city isn’t listed above, call and ask.

My claim was already denied. Is it too late?

A denial is a position, not a verdict. Get it in writing with the specific policy language relied on. Most denials turn on cause of loss or exclusion wording, and both are arguable with the right evidence. Check your policy’s suit limitation clause — it is often much shorter than people expect.

What does a review cost?

A policy and claim review costs nothing. It tells you whether the offer on the table reflects the actual loss.

Get a second opinion on your claim

If your claim has been denied, underpaid or stalled anywhere in metro Atlanta, a review costs nothing and takes one conversation.

Call us today: 404-445-5671 or request a free claim review.