What’s the difference between a loss adjuster and a loss assessor?

Making an insurance claim can be a frustrating experience and the last thing you want to do is try and figure out the difference between a loss adjuster and a loss assessor. The easiest way to explain the difference is to understand their respective roles.

• A loss adjuster works for the insurance company.
• A loss assessor works for you (the policy holder).

It’s important not to get these two roles mixed up. If you need to make an insurance claim for damage to your property, you definitely want to employ a loss assessor to work for you. Once your claim is submitted a loss adjuster will be appointed by your insurance company to investigate the value of your claim. It’s always in the best interests of the policy holder (you) to make sure you have a professional loss assessor working on your behalf.

Responsibilities of a Loss Adjuster

To understand why you should appoint a loss assessor, let’s find out what a loss adjuster will do for the insurance company. 

1. Loss adjusters work for your insurance company. 
2. They review your insurance policy and determine the level of insurance cover you have.  
3. The loss adjuster will visit your property to assess the damage themselves. They are responsible for finding the cause of the damage and determining whether your policy covers this. However, they might not be able to check the full extent of the damage or they may miss something.
4. A loss adjuster is required to provide your insurance company with a report detailing the damage to your property and an estimate of the cost of repairs. This report may adjust the value of any claim you make.
5. They are expert claims negotiators – remember, they work for the insurance company.

As you can see, it’s really important to have an experienced loss assessor working for you.

Why Do Insurers Appoint Loss Adjusters?

To put it simply, insurance companies appoint loss adjusters to adjust a claim made by the policyholder. Since loss adjusters work for the insurance company, their job is to evaluate your claim from the perspective of the insurance company. In other words, a loss adjuster will try to find ways to reduce your payment. However, a good loss assessor will be able to negotiate your claim and make sure everything is taken into consideration.

Responsibilities of a Loss Assessor

It’s important to remember that a loss assessor represents you, the policyholder – they work on your behalf. What can a PCLA loss assessor do for you?

1. We offer free advice and support for all claims.
2. We will speak to the insurance company on your behalf.
3. Our loss assessors will manage the insurance claim process for you, and compile the necessary paperwork.
4. PCLA are Building Surveyors and certified insurance practitioners who will assess the damage to your property and draw up a schedule of loss.
5. We will meet with the loss adjuster and talk to the insurance company representative. 
6. PCLA will also handle any disputes or issues that may arise with the claim.
7. We will use our specialist insurance claims knowledge to get you the best possible settlement figure. As an independent company with over 20 years experience, we know how to make sure our clients get their full entitlement.

How do you appoint a loss assessor?

Anyone who needs to make an insurance claim is entitled to appoint a loss assessor. We recommend that you speak to us before you contact your insurance company. We offer free, impartial and practical advice. Our initial survey is free and we work on a ‘no win no fee’ basis. Call PCLA today on 028 9581 5318 to find out how we can help with your insurance claim. 

How much does a loss assessor charge?

At PCLA we believe in being upfront about our costs. Our initial survey is free. Even if our survey finds that it’s not actually a claim, there’s still no charge to you. If you appoint PCLA to manage your claim, we work on a ‘no win no fee’ basis. Once your claim is settled our professional fee of 10% plus VAT will be included in your settlement cheque.

Why you should appoint PCLA

Ideally, you want a qualified independent claims assessor to work on your behalf. They will review your insurance policy and compile a claim that supports your best interest. In our case, we do all the paperwork, we liaise with the insurance company and meet with the loss adjuster. PCLA will take the stress out of your insurance claim.

Property Claims Loss Assessors (PCLA) are a team of claims assessors dedicated to helping people who have suffered accidental loss or damage to their home or business. With over 20 years of industry experience, we are able to negotiate the best possible settlement for our clients. Our promise is to get you your full entitlement under the terms of your policy.