FAQ / Plain answers
A plain-English guide to public adjusters.
The questions people ask us most, answered in full. Don’t see yours? Call 914-309-6271 and ask.
About public adjusters
A public adjuster represents you, the policyholder, on a property insurance claim. We document the damage, read your policy, build the claim and negotiate the settlement with your insurance company.
Talk to an adjuster about this →Your insurance company’s adjuster is hired and paid by the insurer to assess the loss on its behalf. A public adjuster is hired by you and works only for you: we document the full loss, read your policy for everything it covers, and negotiate the settlement. Many people hire us after the insurer’s adjuster has already visited.
Talk to an adjuster about this →Yes. Citadel Claims Group is a licensed public adjuster in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland and South Carolina. You can verify any public adjuster’s license with your state’s insurance department before you sign anything.
Talk to an adjuster about this →Cost and timing
We’re paid a percentage of your settlement, agreed in writing before we start. There are no upfront costs. If we don’t recover anything for you, you don’t owe us anything.
Talk to an adjuster about this →Yes. We look at your loss, your policy and any offer you’ve received, then tell you honestly whether hiring us makes sense. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Talk to an adjuster about this →It depends on the size of the loss and how the insurer responds. Smaller claims often settle in a few weeks. Large or complex losses, like a major fire or a commercial claim, can take several months. We keep you updated at every step.
Talk to an adjuster about this →No. We submit a complete, well-documented claim and answer the insurer’s requests quickly, which cuts down on the back-and-forth that often stalls claims. Our goal is the right settlement, not a long one. If a claim takes longer, it’s usually because there’s more money on the table worth fighting for.
Talk to an adjuster about this →Working with us
Only if you want to. Once you hire us, we handle the calls, emails and meetings with the insurer and keep you updated at every step.
Talk to an adjuster about this →Yes. We handle the insurance claim, and a licensed contractor handles the repairs. We work alongside your contractor, share our documentation and estimates, and make sure the scope of repairs matches what the insurer agrees to pay. We don’t do repairs ourselves.
Talk to an adjuster about this →Yes. We handle claims for shops, offices, restaurants, multifamily and mixed-use buildings, and co-op and condo boards, including business interruption and large losses with several stakeholders.
Talk to an adjuster about this →Where your claim stands
No. Call us before or after you report the loss. If you haven’t reported it yet, we’ll help you do it the right way.
Talk to an adjuster about this →No. You can hire us any time before you accept a final offer. We review what’s been filed and paid so far, then take over the conversation with your insurer.
Talk to an adjuster about this →In many cases, yes. Insurers deny claims for many reasons, and some are worth challenging. Send us the denial letter. We’ll review it against your policy and tell you honestly whether there’s a case to reopen or dispute it. Don’t wait: policies set deadlines for disputes.
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