Roof Claim Answers

What are the rules for public adjusters in Georgia?

Short answer. In Georgia, a public adjuster must hold a license from the Commissioner of Insurance and may only work under a written contract on a form the Commissioner has approved. The contract must spell out the fee and your right to rescind, and anything you paid must be returned if you rescind properly. Contractors cannot act as public adjusters, so a roofer offering to negotiate your claim for a cut is a red flag.

Before you sign

  1. Verify the license on the Commissioner's online license lookup, and make sure it is a public adjuster license, not an independent adjuster license.
  2. Read the contract form. It should be a Commissioner approved form, signed in duplicate so you keep a copy. Look for the fee percentage, what amounts it applies to, and the rescission clause with its deadline.
  3. Ask about ties to contractors. Be cautious if the public adjuster insists you use a particular roofer or has any financial interest in the repair work.
  4. Ask how checks will be issued and how quickly they release your share.

Fees

Georgia public adjusters are paid a percentage of the claim payment set in the contract. In a January 2023 consumer warning, the Commissioner's office said public adjusters may charge up to 33 percent of a settlement, so compare offers and negotiate. Ask whether the percentage applies to money your insurer offered before the public adjuster was hired.

Reporting problems

The Commissioner's office takes complaints about unlicensed activity, contracts not on approved forms, and prohibited conduct. The same office handles complaints about insurers; see how to file a complaint.

When you may not need one

Many Georgia roof claims settle with a reinspection and a contractor's supplement, with no fee taken from the settlement. Compare the roles in public adjusters and roofers before deciding. Public adjusters tend to add the most on large losses that include interior damage, contents and living expenses.

In depth

What counts as insurance bad faith on a Georgia roof claim?How O.C.G.A. 33-4-6 works: the 60 day demand, a penalty up to 50 percent or $5,000, attorney's fees, what courPublic adjuster or roofer: who should help with your Georgia roof claim?Georgia public adjuster rules: licensing, the 33.3 percent fee cap, contract and rescission terms, what a roofWhat is an assignment of benefits, and should you sign one for a Georgia roof claim?What a roof AOB transfers, Georgia's 2025 law limiting assignments after declared disasters, the trade-offs an

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