Your Right to Appoint a Public Loss Assessor

by Martin McRandal | 1 min read    November 8th, 2018

If you don’t know what a loss adjuster is then count yourself fortunate. Loss adjusters are insurance professionals who, in the event of an insurance claim, assess the loss and the amount of compensation that should be paid.

Let’s look at home insurance. It is common for insurers to appoint loss adjusters to assess claims for loss or damage resulting from (for example) fire, storm, water damage, theft. Although the loss adjuster is appointed by the insurer and has his/her fee paid for by the insurer, it is their duty to assess the loss and advise on claim settlement in an even handed manner, i.e. claim settlement should be fair to both the policyholder and the insurer.

Did you know… where you suffer loss or damage to property that results in you making a claim to your insurer, you have the right to appoint a public loss assessor?

The role of a public loss assessor is similar to that of a loss adjuster, i.e. to assess the extent of loss and the amount of compensation that should be paid. The key difference in roles is that the public loss assessor, where appointed by you, acts in your interests. It is their sole responsibility to ensure that you get a fair settlement for your claim.

How do you find a public loss assessor? As their target customer group is the insurance buying public, they are not difficult to find. An internet search on “public loss assessors Ireland” will identify a list of companies. Take care when choosing one. You should satisfy yourself that they are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

A downside is that where you choose to appoint a public loss assessor to act in your interests then you pay for the service.

If you have reason to consider appointing a public loss assessor then my advice is to approach it like you would any other service. Before deciding whether or not to appoint the public loss assessor you should:

• be satisfied that you are dealing with a reputable firm who can deliver what they say they can,
• be satisfied that you are dealing with a reputable firm who can deliver what they say they can,know what the cost of the service is, and
• be satisfied that you are dealing with a reputable firm who can deliver what they say they can,consider the likely benefit.

Information correct as of date of publishing. This blog will not be updated or edited so the information may become outdated.