Public Adjuster vs. Roofer in Georgia — Who Does What

When a Georgia roof gets damaged and a claim opens, there are typically three different professionals involved at some point: a roofer who will eventually do the work, an adjuster sent by the insurance company, and (sometimes) a public adjuster representing the homeowner.

Each one has a different license, a different scope of authority, and a different person whose interests they're paid to represent. Understanding the boundaries makes the rest of the claim easier to navigate.

A roofer is a residential or commercial contractor. In Georgia, residential roofing work above certain dollar thresholds requires a state contractor license. Their core role is repair and installation — they price the work, do the work, and warranty the work. Many also offer free roof inspections and can speak to the damage from a contractor's perspective.

What a roofer can do well: identify roof damage from a craftsman's perspective, produce a repair estimate, perform the actual work. What a roofer cannot legally do in Georgia: represent you in the insurance claim itself — negotiate with the carrier, prepare claim packages, or solicit and adjust claims on your behalf. That's the line Georgia public adjuster licensing draws.

Be cautious of "contingency agreements" that ask you to commit to a specific roofer before you've decided whether to file a claim or whether the carrier will pay. These can be hard to back out of and have caused real problems for homeowners over the years.

When you file a claim, your carrier assigns an adjuster (sometimes an employee, sometimes an independent contractor working on the carrier's behalf) to inspect the property and produce an estimate. That adjuster has a job to do, and they often do it professionally, but the person whose interests they represent is the insurance company that pays them.

That's not a slight against carrier adjusters. It's just the structural reality of the claim process. The carrier's adjuster scopes the loss using the carrier's pricing database, applies the policy as the carrier interprets it, and produces a settlement number consistent with the carrier's position. None of that is in bad faith. It just isn't the same thing as someone representing the homeowner.

A public adjuster is a licensed insurance professional who represents the policyholder — the insured — in property insurance claims. The license is regulated at the state level. In Georgia, public adjusters operate under O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43 et seq., which sets the licensing requirements, the fee caps, and the rules of representation.

A public adjuster's role on a claim typically includes: reviewing the policy and explaining coverage in plain language, documenting the loss independently of the carrier, preparing claim packages and supplements, communicating with the carrier on the homeowner's behalf, and negotiating disputed scope and pricing. Representation begins only after a written agreement, and fees are a percentage of the recovery capped under Georgia law.

When a roofer is enough

Small, clean claims with a thorough carrier inspection often don't need anyone in your corner beyond a qualified roofer. The carrier scopes the loss, the roofer prices the repair, the deductible is paid, the work gets done, the claim closes. No disputes, no missing scope, no contested cause of loss.

When a public adjuster review may help

Where a public adjuster review tends to add value: claims with contested cause-of-loss findings, claims where the carrier's scope appears to miss meaningful damage, claims with denials anchored on roof age or wear-and-tear, partial-payment claims where the math doesn't add up, and complex losses (fire, large water, commercial) where the documentation burden is substantial.

When both can work together

A roofer and a public adjuster can coexist on the same claim and often do. The public adjuster handles the claim; the roofer handles the repair. They each play to their actual expertise. The combination tends to be cleaner than either one trying to do both jobs.

• Public adjusters in Georgia are licensed by the Office of Commissioner of Insurance and must hold a current license to represent policyholders. Vertex's license number is 3887881.
• Public adjuster fees in Georgia are capped at a percentage of the recovery and must be disclosed in a written agreement before representation begins.
• There is a statutory rescission period after signing a public adjuster contract during which the homeowner can cancel.
• Insurance fraud — including "waiving the deductible" — is illegal in Georgia regardless of how it's marketed.