What is a Public Adjuster? Roles, Claims, and Demographics
Aug 30, 2025
A public adjuster is a licensed professional who helps insurance policyholders maximize the value of their insurance claims. Policyholders hire a public adjuster to ensure accurate claims are submitted to their insurance provider. Doing this improves their chances of a successful claim.
There's a lot more nuance to the profession than one would assume. Furthermore, most people fail to understand the value, roles, and goals of a public adjuster. We explain everything in this guide to make things easier for you.
What Does a Public Adjuster Do?
A public adjuster represents an insurance policyholder against an insurance provider. You negotiate on behalf of the insured policyholder after signing a contract. The goals of a public adjuster are:
- Understand your client's condition and claim
- Assess his policy and coverage
- Analyze and assess the damage caused
- Calculate the coverage or settlement
- Create the paperwork and file the claim
- Negotiate to reach a viable plan
A public adjuster must do all this while following state laws for insurance claims. You cannot fabricate, exaggerate, or inflate figures. You have to create a strong case for your client while complying with all legal codes and laws.
What Claims Does a Public Adjuster File?
A public adjuster can file any type of claim that a property insurance policy covers. Most of their claims are related to damage caused by natural disasters, which most policies cover. Here's a quick overview of some claims that public adjusters can take care of:
| Type of Claim | Examples | Who Usually Hires a Public Adjuster |
|---|---|---|
| Fire & Smoke Damage | House fire, electrical fire, kitchen fire, wildfire smoke damage | Homeowners, businesses |
| Water Damage | Burst pipes, appliance leaks, roof leaks, plumbing failures | Homeowners, property managers |
| Storm / Wind / Hail Damage | Roof damage, siding damage, broken windows, and fallen trees | Homeowners, roofing contractors, and commercial property owners |
| Hurricane / Tornado Damage | Structural collapse, roof blow-off, flooding from storms | Property owners in storm-prone states |
| Flood Damage (if covered or via NFIP policy) | Basement flooding, storm surge | Homeowners, businesses |
| Theft & Vandalism | Burglary losses, stolen equipment, vandalized property | Homeowners, landlords, businesses |
| Business Interruption / Loss of Income | Revenue lost due to fire, storm, or other insured events | Small to mid-sized businesses |
| Collapse / Structural Damage | Building collapse from hidden decay, the weight of snow, and faulty construction | Commercial property owners |
| Mold Claims (if policy allows) | Mold from water damage or leaks | Homeowners, landlords |
Note: Public adjusters cannot file any health, auto, or life insurance claims. As a public adjuster, you can only work on property-related claims.
How Does a Public Adjuster Operate?
Public adjusters work solely based on contracts with insurance policyholders. A policyholder, for example, John, will contract a PA to file his insurance claim. You will meet with John and understand his situation.
After that, you will assess the damage to his property and make a cost estimate. You will check the client's insurance policy and the extent of coverage. When that is done, you will make an insurance settlement claim with the provider.
You will negotiate with both parties and maximize your client's claim. The claims process can take anywhere between a week to multiple months. When the settlement is paid, you will take a percentage of the claim and close your contract.
Demand Demographic for Public Adjusters
There are over 127,000 public adjusters across the US, with 54.9% of the professionals being men. Currently, the average age of a claim adjuster is 44 years old.
Based on demand:
- Los Angeles is the highest-paying area for public adjusters
- Phoenix, Arizona, has the highest demand for public adjusters
- New Jersey is the best state for claim adjusters
According to the Bureau of Labor, public adjuster jobs will experience a 5% contraction from 2024 to 3035. Despite this, there should be 21,600 new job openings every year because of retirement, labor force exits, and other problems.
Career Path of a Public Adjuster
The career of a public adjuster begins with licensing and a course. According to some state laws, you must be enrolled in a vetted pre-licensing course for 40 to 60 hours. Illinois doesn't have any requirements for a pre-licensing course.
Gaining a license is the next natural step. According to most state laws, you cannot become a public adjuster without a license. To get a license, you will need to pass an exam, acquire a surety bond, and pass a background check.
When that's done, you are ready to be hired by homeowners and business owners. However, the learning curve and growth never stop. You will have to learn about new laws, angles, and insurance policies to progress your career.
Branched Careers
When an adjuster is licensed, he is presented with three choices. You can go down the path of a commercial-specific adjuster, residential adjuster, or both. The third is the most ideal path, but it also means lower specialization capability.
FAQs on Public Adjusters
How long does it take to settle an insurance claim?
It can take anywhere between a few business days and over a year to settle an insurance claim. The period changes based on the insurance company, complexity of the case, and size of the settlement.
How Does a Public Adjuster Earn?
Public adjusters earn their income through commission fees, which are a percentage of the settlement. State laws cap the fee rate, with most staying between 10% and 20%, which is usually enough for a sizable income chunk. The client negotiates these fees while creating a contract with a public adjuster.
What types of adjusters make the most money?
Independent catastrophe adjusters make the most money because they work on large-scale natural disaster claims and earn fee-based payments per claim. Staff adjusters earn stable salaries but less overall, while public adjusters charge clients a percentage of settlements, which can be lucrative but less consistent than catastrophe work.
Bottom Line on Public Adjusters
A public insurance adjuster helps homeowners maximize their insurance claims. You need to get a license from the insurance department of your state to become a public adjuster.
As an adjuster, you assess the damage on properties, check insurance coverage, find local laws, and collect all the paperwork. You are responsible for filing all the applications and managing negotiations with the insurance company's representative.
Public adjusters are in demand across the US, especially in states like Illinois, California, Arizona, and New Jersey. If you want to start your career as a public adjuster, join our classes. Our PA exam prep course will prepare you for the license and everything that comes after.