Public Adjusters

ANOTHER RIP-OFF…Assignment of Benefits!

March 23, 2013 - Opinion by Scott Johnson 3 Comments

Industry alarms are sounding as more and more contractors and loss remediation entities, emergency water extraction companies and the like, exploit “assignment of benefits” to take control of homeowner’s claims–usurping rights to negotiate and adjust the loss, then threatening to sue the insurer to force payment of inflated bills.

Consistent with Florida’s curse, this scam not only has links to lawyers and public adjusters, it’s a major cost driver and frighteningly fertile ground for even more fraud! [Read more…] about ANOTHER RIP-OFF…Assignment of Benefits!

Public Adjusters, Public Image–Believe Your Eye’s & Ears!

February 18, 2013 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

Few disagree with my prediction that if public adjusters succeed in overturning caps on their contingency fee’s there will be more of them with more incentive to file even more claims, justified or not. [Read more…] about Public Adjusters, Public Image–Believe Your Eye’s & Ears!

PUBLIC ADJUSTER’S…Some say “Lower Our Fee’s!”

February 15, 2013 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

Yep, you read the title correctly.

After my blog reporting that New Jersey regulators uncovered abuse of the state’s public adjuster(PA) contingency fee system, I learned of legislation to fix the problem by limiting their fees to 12.5% for catastrophe claims only. [Read more…] about PUBLIC ADJUSTER’S…Some say “Lower Our Fee’s!”

Public Adjuster Fee’s & Public Policy!

February 5, 2013 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

They certainly don’t need any more bad press. Still…recent stories about public adjusters are instructive and may even warn of real challenges ahead for Florida’s tenuous property market. [Read more…] about Public Adjuster Fee’s & Public Policy!

Freedom of Speech & the USA!

January 17, 2013 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

After my last blog providing a list from Citizens of public adjusters handling over $46 million in claims, I received slightly more than the usual number of comments. Most seemed to agree that, just like attorneys and Citizens employee’s, public adjusters would be a good addition to a Citizens Inspector General’s work plan.

Distracting from that point, however, was a threat from one public adjuster to file suit because I said the name of his firm and one other “…seem intended to make policyholders think they are with the government…” [Read more…] about Freedom of Speech & the USA!

Citizens Inspector General & Public Adjusters

January 5, 2013 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

It’s not just law firms that should be added to a Citizens Inspector General’s list of who to oversee or inspect, it’s also Public Adjusters (PA’s)!

Whether you look at the Case of the Yellow Hammer, when PA Jorge Espinosa revealed how threats and intimidation were used to fuel the worst kitchen fire epidemic in Florida history, or; the case of PA Alina Nunez who organized arson rings of “straw renters” (See NOTE #1 below), the results were similar–millions stolen from premium payers to benefit a greedy fringe. [Read more…] about Citizens Inspector General & Public Adjusters

The Case of the Yellow Hammer!

October 27, 2012 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

The State Fire Marshall’s office and Division of Insurance Fraud have just completed their joint investigation of the infamous “Case of the Yellow Hammer”. Public Adjuster, Jorge Espinosa, used a yellow hammer on the floor in Angela Frye’s kitchen to inflate her small grease fire (and thus his fee) into a $70,000 fraud against Federal National Insurance Company. [Read more…] about The Case of the Yellow Hammer!

Public Adjusters–Free Speech & Paragraph (K)

July 31, 2012 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

Since Florida’s Supreme Court just ruled that preventing Public Adjusters from contacting claimants within 48 hours of a loss is an unconstitutional restriction on commercial free speech (Case #. ID10-2459), it’s appropriate to remove similar impediments to free speech for non-public adjusters as well. [Read more…] about Public Adjusters–Free Speech & Paragraph (K)

NEW PA RULES…Where’s The Industry?!

April 22, 2012 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

Please…those in the industry who are engaged in all issues dealing with public adjusters, forgive my lumping you in with those who appear not to be.

Such lumping is unavoidable and unintentional!

But…it is important that insurers and insurer groups give greater attention to the heightened campaign by PA’s to represent literally everyone who files a claim–regardless of need. [Read more…] about NEW PA RULES…Where’s The Industry?!

Public Adjuster(s)…Raising of the Ire!

April 8, 2012 - Opinion by Scott Johnson Leave a Comment

Legislatively speaking the last couple of years haven’t been good for Public Adjusters (PA’s). New laws specifically restrict their activities, advertising, contracts with clients, their fee’s, dealings with companies and much more.

Their revenue’s may have taken even bigger hits from indirect changes that encourage consumers to drop sinkhole coverage or that eliminated the moral hazard created by the prohibition against replacement cost “hold back”, and, again…much more. [Read more…] about Public Adjuster(s)…Raising of the Ire!