After property damage, two types of adjusters may be involved in your claim. One works for your insurance company. The other works for you. Understanding the difference is one of the most important things a Michigan homeowner can know before filing a claim.
The insurance company's adjuster
When you file a claim, your insurer assigns an adjuster to inspect the damage and determine what they'll pay. This person is either a staff adjuster employed directly by the carrier or an independent adjuster hired by the carrier on a contract basis.
Either way, they are working for the insurance company. Their job is to evaluate the claim accurately within the framework the company sets, which typically means keeping payouts within policy limits and company guidelines.
That's not a conspiracy. It's just how the system works. But it does mean their interests and your interests are not the same.
The public adjuster
A public adjuster is a licensed professional who represents the homeowner. In Michigan, that requires a Series 16-70 license from the Department of Insurance and Financial Services.
A public adjuster inspects your property independently, reviews your policy line by line and builds their own scope of loss based on what it actually costs to restore your home. They then negotiate directly with the carrier to close the gap between what was offered and what you're owed.
They are paid on contingency, meaning a percentage of the final settlement. They only get paid when you do.
The key differences side by side
Who they work for Insurance adjuster: the insurance company Public adjuster: you, the homeowner
Primary goal Insurance adjuster: evaluate the claim within company guidelines Public adjuster: maximize your settlement
How they're paid Insurance adjuster: salary or contract fee paid by the insurer Public adjuster: contingency fee paid from your settlement
Damage assessment approach Insurance adjuster: documents damage according to their process and timeline Public adjuster: independent inspection covering all affected areas, inside and out
Policy expertise used for Insurance adjuster: identifying exclusions and limiting scope Public adjuster: finding every provision and coverage that benefits your claim
Upfront cost to you Insurance adjuster: none, but they're not on your side Public adjuster: none, free review with contingency fee only if they recover more
Why this matters for Michigan homeowners
The information gap
Insurance company adjusters handle hundreds of claims. They know the process, the language and the pressure points. Most homeowners file one or two claims in a lifetime and have no idea what their policy actually covers.
That information gap is where settlements get minimized. Not always through bad faith, but through a process that was never designed with the homeowner's maximum recovery in mind.
A public adjuster levels that playing field. Research from the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters shows that homeowners represented by a public adjuster receive 30 to 74 percent higher settlements on average compared to those who file alone.
Michigan-specific considerations
The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services requires insurers to acknowledge claims within 10 days and make a coverage decision within 30 days. If your carrier isn't meeting those timelines, that's not acceptable and you don't have to manage it alone.
Southeast Michigan homeowners also deal with specific risk factors that affect how claims are valued: aging housing