Frequently Asked Questions

Serious property damage events in commercial properties present many challenges to business owners. Emergency and recovery management efforts must be knowledgeably coupled with continuity business planing to ensure efficient recoveries. Due to the nature of commercial loss events, it is usually advisable for commercial property owners to hire a professional public adjuster to provide the hands on expert resources owners need to restore their business operations in the shortest time possible.  

During the traditional commercial property claims process, you can expect:

1. Initial Contact: Notify your insurance company about the damage or loss as soon as possible after the incident.
2. Documentation: Provide evidence of the damage, such as photographs or videos, and gather relevant information like the incident's date, location, and any witnesses. Do not provide any more information than the carrier specifically requests. 
3. Adjuster Assessment: The insurance carrier will assign an adjuster who represents their interest who may visit your property to assess the extent of the damage and investigate the claim further.
4. Communication: Maintain regular communication with your insurance company throughout the process and follow up as needed.
5. Settlement Offer: Once the claim is evaluated, if coverage is accepted the insurance company will provide a settlement offer based on their interpretation of the policy coverage and assessment of your damage.
6. Review and Resolution or Appeal: Review the settlement offer carefully and negotiate if necessary. If you're dissatisfied with the offer, you may explore options for appeal or seek professional advice. Appealing a coverage or settlement position is difficult however and usually beneficial for property owners to engage a professional public adjuster to represent their interest before a dispute arises. 

Overall, you are entitled to thorough evaluation of your claim, clear communication with your insurance company, and a resolution that adequately addresses the damage to your commercial property.

Even the most sophisticated property owners are typically not adequately prepared to successfully navigate the property claims process without professional help. The ever-changing landscape of property claims, and the expertise required to expedite fair settlement awards often leaves property owners under-resourced when claims occur. Hiring a professional public adjuster as soon as possible after an event occurs is typically the best way to ensure a positive outcome to your claim. Absent professional representation, there are some key mistakes to avoid in the commercial property claims process:

Delaying Notification: Promptly report the damage to your insurance company to avoid potential complications or coverage issues.

Failure to Mitigate Further Damage: Take reasonable steps to mitigate further damage to your property after the incident, as failing to do so could impact your claim.

Incomplete Documentation: Thoroughly document the damage with photographs or videos and gather all relevant information, including dates, locations, and witness contacts.

Miscommunication: Maintain clear and consistent communication with your insurance company, providing accurate information and promptly responding to inquiries.

Not Reviewing the Policy: Familiarize yourself with your insurance policy to understand coverage limits, exclusions, and deductible requirements, preventing misunderstandings during the claims process.

Neglecting Follow-Up: Stay engaged throughout the claims process, following up with your insurance company as needed and ensuring that your claim progresses efficiently.

Accepting Inadequate Settlements: Review settlement offers carefully to ensure they adequately cover the damage to your commercial property. Don't hesitate to negotiate or seek professional claims or legal advice if necessary.

By avoiding these mistakes and remaining proactive throughout the commercial property claims process, you can increase the likelihood of a successful resolution. The best way to ensure you receive fair compensation for the damage to your property is by hiring a professional public adjuster. 

Public Adjusters are independent professionals who work on behalf of policyholders to negotiate with insurance companies and ensure fair settlements. Their expertise in insurance policies, claim procedures, law, and property damage assessment can help level the playing field between policyholders and insurance companies, especially in complex or high-value claims.

Public Adjusters can thoroughly evaluate the extent of damage to your commercial property, providing detailed documentation and evidence the insurance carrier will to support your claim. Their experience in navigating the claims process and advocating for policyholders' interests usually leads to more favorable outcomes. Additionally, public adjusters can handle the entire claims process on your behalf, alleviating the claims management burden and negotiations while allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. Overall, involving a public adjuster can help ensure that you receive fair compensation for the damage to your commercial property and expedite the resolution of your claim.

Public adjusters are typically hired by individuals or businesses that have suffered property damage or loss to assist in navigating the insurance claims process. Any business enterprise or person that owns real property that is insured for loss or damage will typically benefit from hiring a public adjuster when a loss occurs. 

Business Owners and Managers: All types of small business owners as well as owners or managers of larger commercial properties hire public adjusters to handle insurance claims related to property damage, business interruption, or other covered losses.

Condominium Associations: Condo associations or HOAs hire public adjusters to assist with claims related to damage to the common areas of the property, such as the building structure, roofs, or other shared amenities.

Retail, Hotels and Hospitality Businesses: Retail, hotels, resorts, and other hospitality businesses hire public adjusters to handle insurance claims for property damage, business interruption, or liability claims.

Property Management Companies: Companies that manage multiple properties, such as apartment complexes, office buildings, or retail centers, may utilize public adjusters to handle insurance claims on behalf of their clients.

Industrial and Manufacturing Businesses: Factories, warehouses, and other industrial facilities may hire public adjusters to assist with insurance claims related to property damage, equipment breakdowns, or business interruption.

Nonprofit Organizations: Nonprofit organizations that own property may hire public adjusters to help them navigate insurance claims processes and recover funds needed for repairs or replacements.

Homeowners: Homeowners who have experienced damage to their property due to events such as fire, water damage, storms, or theft may hire a public adjuster to help them maximize their insurance claim.

In general, any entity that has insurance coverage for property damage or loss and wants to ensure they receive fair compensation from their insurance company should consider hiring a public adjuster to represent their interests during the claims process.

The most common types of business insurance claims can vary depending on factors such as geographical region, industry, location, and specific risks faced by each business. However, some of the most frequently encountered types of business insurance claims include loss that ensues from:

Fire Damage: Claims resulting from fires that cause damage to buildings, structures, equipment, inventory, and other property owned by the business.

Water Damage: Claims arising from water-related incidents such as burst pipes, leaks, flooding, or sewer backups that cause damage to the property.

Storm Damage: Claims for damage caused by severe weather events such as windstorms, hailstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, or heavy snowfall, which can damage roofs, windows, siding, and other parts of the property.

Adjacent Building Damage: Claims from harm inflicted upon a structure that is situated nearby or in close proximity to another building or property that has experienced an adverse event. 

Theft and Burglary: Claims for losses resulting from theft, burglary, vandalism, or malicious damage to the insured property or its contents.

Equipment Breakdown: Claims for damage to machinery, equipment, or systems due to mechanical breakdown, electrical failure, or other operational issues.

Business Interruption: Claims for financial losses incurred when a covered event, such as a fire or natural disaster, disrupts the business's operations and causes a temporary cessation or slowdown in revenue generation.

Tenant-Related Damage: Claims for damage caused by tenants or their guests to leased commercial properties, including damage to walls, floors, fixtures, or other parts of the premises.

Liability Claims: Claims for bodily injury or property damage suffered by third parties on the insured property, such as slip-and-fall accidents or falling objects.

A business interruption claim is a type of insurance claim made by a business when it is unable to operate normally due to a covered event, resulting in financial losses. These claims typically arise from events such as natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, floods, earthquakes), fires, vandalism, or other unforeseen circumstances that disrupt the normal operations of the business.

When a covered event occurs and causes damage to a business's property or premises, it can lead to a temporary suspension or cessation of business activities. As a result, the business may experience a loss of revenue, additional expenses incurred to mitigate the damage, and ongoing operating expenses that continue even while the business is unable to operate.

A business interruption insurance policy is designed to help mitigate the financial impact of such disruptions by providing coverage for the lost income and ongoing expenses that occur during the period of interruption. These policies may cover various aspects of the business's financial losses, including:

Lost Profits: Compensation for the income that the business would have earned if it had been able to operate normally.

Extra Expenses: Reimbursement for any additional expenses incurred by the business to minimize the disruption or to expedite the recovery process, such as renting temporary facilities or equipment.

Continuing Expenses: Coverage for ongoing operating expenses, such as payroll, rent, utilities, and loan payments, that continue to accrue even when the business is not operating.

Business interruption claims can be complex and usually require thorough understanding of business operations, comprehensive documentation of the financial losses incurred, as well as evidence of the cause and extent of the disruption. Public adjusters are often hired to help businesses navigate these types of claims processes and Eastern Public employees a high level forensic accounting staff to assist our clients with efficiency and accuracy when business income losses occur.