Why Blue Star
Is a public adjuster worth it? It depends on the loss. On a fire, a total loss or a business that can’t open, there’s more for the first estimate to miss. If the loss is small, or when the carrier’s offer is already fair, our fee may outweigh what we add. We’ll tell you so at the free review.
Most homeowners don’t realize they have the right to hire their own adjuster, someone who works for them, not the insurance company.
| Blue Star Adjusters | Handling It Yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| Who leads your claim | One senior adjuster, from the first call to the final settlement | Whoever the carrier assigns. Files can change hands. |
| Experience | Decades of claims experience with building, inventory, and accounting specialists | Probably your first and only loss, with no prior experience to draw from |
| Inventory | Inventory specialists with extensive databases make sure nothing is missed, including fine art and antiques | Emotional ties to personal property make thorough documentation difficult. Claimable items are likely to be missed. |
| Building Scope | We dictate scope from hundreds of prior claims, and we know fire repair standards | The insurance company sets the scope. It protects its interests, not yours. |
| Control | We dictate the manner and method of the entire adjustment process, proactively, not reactively | The insurance company controls the process end to end |
| Cost | No upfront cost. We’re paid a percentage of what we recover. The higher your recovery, the better for both of us. | No fee. But missed coverages cost money, and an emotional rush to settle can reduce your payout. |
| Speed | Can take longer. More of the loss gets measured and argued, and that takes time. | Can close sooner, on the carrier’s scope and the carrier’s number. |
| Final Say | You always have final say on any settlement | You have final say, but far less information to make the right decision |
Who leads your claim
Blue Star Adjusters: One senior adjuster, from the first call to the final settlement
Handling it yourself: Whoever the carrier assigns. Files can change hands.
Experience
Blue Star Adjusters: Decades of claims experience with building, inventory, and accounting specialists
Handling it yourself: Probably your first and only loss, with no prior experience to draw from
Inventory
Blue Star Adjusters: Inventory specialists with extensive databases make sure nothing is missed, including fine art and antiques
Handling it yourself: Emotional ties to personal property make thorough documentation difficult. Claimable items are likely to be missed.
Building Scope
Blue Star Adjusters: We dictate scope from hundreds of prior claims, and we know fire repair standards
Handling it yourself: The insurance company sets the scope. It protects its interests, not yours.
Control
Blue Star Adjusters: We dictate the manner and method of the entire adjustment process, proactively, not reactively
Handling it yourself: The insurance company controls the process end to end
Cost
Blue Star Adjusters: No upfront cost. We’re paid a percentage of what we recover. The higher your recovery, the better for both of us.
Handling it yourself: No fee. But missed coverages cost money, and an emotional rush to settle can reduce your payout.
Speed
Blue Star Adjusters: Can take longer. More of the loss gets measured and argued, and that takes time.
Handling it yourself: Can close sooner, on the carrier’s scope and the carrier’s number.
Final Say
Blue Star Adjusters: You always have final say on any settlement
Handling it yourself: You have final say, but far less information to make the right decision
A public adjuster earns the fee when the loss is bigger than the first estimate. That gap is widest on these claims.
A Los Angeles house fire needed a full strip out. The carrier offered $38,000. It settled at $276,000.
On a smoke damage claim, an industrial hygienist proved combustion byproducts in porous materials and doors. The offer was $17,000. It settled for about $1.1 million.
Results reflect specific losses and policies. Past results don’t guarantee a similar outcome. See more of our results
Some claims don’t need us. We’ll tell you at the free review, before you sign anything.
The adjuster your insurance company sends is paid to settle the claim for the insurer. A public adjuster is licensed to work only for the policyholder. Our sole obligation is to you, with no divided loyalty between you and the insurer’s balance sheet.
Remember: the tallest buildings in our major cities are named after insurance companies, as are our stadiums and arenas. That wealth came from somewhere.
Our ability to affect your outcome diminishes with time. Bringing us in at the start, before the first estimate is final and before anything is thrown away, gives us the most room to work.
A senior adjuster leads your claim from the first call to the final settlement. Behind that adjuster are building estimators, inventory specialists, accountants, and licensed public adjusters working in concert. Not a single generalist on their own.
Blue Star Adjusters is a new firm, built by Michael Rapport, a top producer at one of the nation’s leading public adjusting firms, across hundreds of losses. You get the benefit of deep industry experience without the outdated methods that come with it. Meet Michael Rapport
Schedule a free review to discuss the details of your claim at no cost. We’ll explain what we can do, and you decide whether to proceed, with no pressure.
Schedule a Free ReviewNo upfront cost. We’re paid a percentage of what we recover. Our incentive is aligned with yours: the higher your recovery, the better for both of us. In California, our fee can never leave you with less than your insurer had already paid before you hired us.
The adjuster your insurance company sends is paid to settle the claim for the insurer. A public adjuster is licensed to work only for the policyholder. Our sole obligation is to you, with no divided loyalty between you and the insurer’s balance sheet.
Remember: the tallest buildings in our major cities are named after insurance companies, as are our stadiums and arenas. That wealth came from somewhere.
Our ability to affect your outcome diminishes with time. Bringing us in at the start, before the first estimate is final and before anything is thrown away, gives us the most room to work.
A senior adjuster leads your claim from the first call to the final settlement. Behind that adjuster are building estimators, inventory specialists, accountants, and licensed public adjusters working in concert. Not a single generalist on their own.
Schedule a free review to discuss the details of your claim at no cost. We’ll explain what we can do, and you decide whether to proceed, with no pressure.
Schedule a Free ReviewBlue Star Adjusters is a new firm, built by Michael Rapport, a top producer at one of the nation’s leading public adjusting firms, across hundreds of losses. You get the benefit of deep industry experience without the outdated methods that come with it. Meet Michael Rapport
No upfront cost. We’re paid a percentage of what we recover. Our incentive is aligned with yours: the higher your recovery, the better for both of us. In California, our fee can never leave you with less than your insurer had already paid before you hired us.
Don’t hire one for speed. A Florida state study found the opposite.
Florida’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability reviewed claims filed with Citizens Property Insurance from March 2008 to June 2009 (OPPAGA Report 10-06). On non catastrophe claims, the median claim with a public adjuster took 115 days to close. Without one, it took 41. On catastrophe claims, represented claims typically took 132 to 296 days longer.
Payments on the represented claims were higher, before the public adjuster’s fee. The report says public adjusters may present a larger scope of damage and often take claims to mediation or appraisal, which takes time. Claims without a public adjuster included some handled by attorneys. And the study covers one insurer in Florida, not California.
So we don’t sell speed. We measure the whole loss, and you decide when an offer is good enough to take.
No upfront cost. We’re paid a percentage of what we recover. The fee is written into the contract you sign. In California, our fee can never leave you with less than your insurer had already paid before you hired us. Public adjuster fees
Yes, when they’re licensed. In California, public adjusters are licensed by the Department of Insurance, and state law sets what their contracts must say. Check the license number before you sign anything.
Yes. We read the denial or payment letter against your policy and tell you at the free review whether there’s room to dispute it. Denied or underpaid claims
As early as you can is best. If you already have an offer, it’s usually not too late. Your policy sets its own deadlines, so check them now rather than later. Claim questions, answered
It depends on the dispute. If it’s about what the loss is worth, a public adjuster measures and negotiates it. If it’s about a sworn statement, a lawsuit or how the carrier handled your claim, talk to a lawyer. When a claim needs counsel, we work alongside your attorney.
Field photograph
Your insurance company has an adjuster protecting their interests. You have the right to one too.