What Does a Public Adjuster Actually Do in Georgia?

A licensed public adjuster represents the insured — the policyholder — in property insurance claims. That's it. Not the insurance company, not the contractor, not the lender. The insured.

Everything else a public adjuster does follows from that. The license itself exists because for a long time the carrier had the only experienced claim professionals at the table, and policyholders were on their own. Public adjuster licensing creates a parallel role with the same kind of training, on the homeowner's side of the conversation.

Claim review

Reading the dec page, the policy form, any endorsements, the claim file the carrier has produced (if any), and any correspondence so far. Identifying what's covered, what's excluded, what's contested, and what the practical next steps look like.

Damage documentation

Independent inspection of the loss. Photographs, measurements, scope notes, and (where appropriate) test squares, moisture readings, or other methodology-specific documentation. The goal is a complete file that doesn't rely on the carrier's inspection.

Estimate review and preparation

Comparing the carrier's estimate to the actual scope, identifying missing items, pricing gaps, and code-required upgrades that weren't included. When appropriate, preparing a supplement that requests specific items the carrier missed.

Policy review

Plain-English explanation of what the policy covers, what the endorsements change, what the deductibles are, how depreciation works on the specific claim, and what time limits apply.

Carrier communication

Handling the back-and-forth with the carrier — phone calls, letters, document submissions, re-inspection requests — on the homeowner's behalf. The homeowner stays informed and makes decisions; the day-to-day communication runs through us.

Negotiation

Where scope or pricing is disputed, presenting the documented case to the carrier and pursuing a resolution. Not adversarial — just the documented position, calmly explained. Most claims resolve through this process. Some go to appraisal if the policy provides for it.

• We don't perform repair work — Restoration, roofing, plumbing, drywall — those are licensed contractors' work. A public adjuster representing you in the claim and also performing the repair is a conflict-of-interest setup that's worth avoiding.
• We don't provide legal advice — Public adjusting is the documentation, valuation, and negotiation side of property claims. Legal questions go to attorneys.
• We don't sue the carrier — Public adjuster representation is the pre-litigation side of the claim. Bad-faith and other litigation is an attorney's role.
• We don't guarantee outcomes — No honest adjuster promises a settlement amount or a specific result. Every policy and every loss is different.

Georgia public adjusters are licensed by the Office of Commissioner of Insurance and operate under O.C.G.A. § 33-23-43 et seq. The license requires pre-licensing education, an exam, fingerprinting, and continuing education. Vertex's license number is 3887881.

Practical implications of the regulation: fees are capped at a percentage of the recovery, written agreements are required before representation begins, there's a statutory rescission period for the homeowner to cancel after signing, and certain practices (waiving deductibles, soliciting at the loss site immediately after a catastrophe) are prohibited.

• Contested cause-of-loss findings (storm vs. wear-and-tear, sudden vs. gradual water).
• Partial payments that don't match the visible scope of damage.
• Denied claims with documentation gaps worth re-examining.
• Complex losses — fire, large water, commercial — where the documentation burden is heavy.
• Situations where the homeowner doesn't have the time or expertise to handle carrier communication themselves.

Small, clean claims with a thorough carrier inspection often don't need one. If the loss is well-documented, the carrier's estimate matches the actual repair cost, the deductible is paid, and the work proceeds normally — there's no friction to manage. Engaging a public adjuster on a smooth claim adds a fee without adding value.

The honest answer for a lot of claims is "you probably don't need us." We tell people that when it's true.