A Decade of Insight: 10 Critical Lessons From 10 Years of Adjusting Property Claims

Disclaimer: This article reflects our experience managing hundreds of Minnesota property claims and is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal or claims advice. Every claim is unique and requires individual evaluation.

Time really does fly. As we celebrate Parker Public Adjusting's 10th anniversary serving Minnesota property owners, I've been reflecting on the most important lessons we've learned. Not just about claims, but about the real challenges property owners face when disaster strikes.

1. The True Cost of Waiting

This might be the most heartbreaking (and claim-breaking) lesson to share.

So many property owners come to us too late, not realizing that their policy has an entire section dedicated to their duties as a policyholder, as well as deadlines. Sometimes, they are misguided by contractors that are misinformed about property claims and coverage, citing incorrect deadlines and claim information.

It's not just about repair deadlines – there are timelines, requirements, and documentation needs that most people never know about until it's too late.

We recently had a townhome HOA community who waited over three years to address what known hail damage, because their property manager and out-of-state attorney assured them they had six years to file a claim (this is grossly incorrect). By the time they called us, not only had every single one of their claim deadlines passed, but what started as a simple roof repair had turned into major interior damage from water infiltration.

The lesson?

The longer you "wait and see", the more expensive claim problems get to fix, and sometimes, waiting means losing coverage entirely.

2. Trust, But Verify: Vet The Sources of Your Claim Guidance

Here's something that still surprises me after ten years: people often take claim advice from professionals who only see one piece of the puzzle (and often, who have never read a policy).

I've seen the roofing contractor who expertly identifies storm damage to roofing and siding because it's what they focus on repairing, but miss $200,000 in window damage because it's not their specialty.

Or, the water mitigation contractor who's fantastic at drying out your property but doesn't know the first thing about business interruption (BI) or additional living expenses (ALE) coverages.

Even insurance agents, who are absolute experts at helping you choose coverage, often don't see how the claims department applies policy language differently than their understanding within their role in the policy sales department.

As public adjusters, we look at the entire claims and coverage puzzle for first-party property claims.

It's not about who's right or wrong – it's about understanding that property claims need a comprehensive approach from a trained claims professional, to work toward true indemnification (coverage).

3. Property Management and Claims Adjusting are Two Different Professions

This one's specifically for our townhome and HOA clients. A growing number of property management companies now include fees in their contracts for "claim management", charging associations a percentage of the insurance claim settlement, as high as 5% of the Replacement Cost Value of the claim.

Here's the thing – while property managers are essential for daily operations, and assist the HOA Board with completing repairs for claims, these new type of property management contract fees are not a replacement for a licensed claim professional managing your claim. We don't know what they are for, but it's not for claims adjusting and dispute resolution.

Don't confuse property or community association management, and restoration management, with experienced, professional claims adjusting from a licensed public adjuster.

4. The Commercial Property Timeline Trap

One of the most costly lessons some policyholders have learned is how commercial property policies operate on an entirely different timeline than residential ones. We've seen business owners lose hundreds of thousands in coverage simply because they treated their commercial claim like a homeowner's claim, and waited to escalate a claim issue.

It happens often: commercial property owners who have had residential homeowners claims, or are misguided by contractors that primarily handle residential claims, assume that commercial policy deadlines are similar. But, that's not always the case.

For some, by the time they reached out, they were already racing against a deadline they didn't know existed.

5. The Great Mystery of the Missing Coverage Forms

Here's something that still amazes me after ten years: we have never – and I mean never – received a correct or complete copy of a policy from an agent or broker. This isn't meant as criticism; it's simply our experience.

Every time we review a policy furnished from an agent, we find missing or incorrect coverage forms that need to be addressed, in order to receive a full and true copy of a policy.

And that automated renewal packet you get in the mail from your insurance company? It's often just your Declarations Page and a summary, and may not be your full policy.

This matters, as a policy is a contract and determines coverage for claims. If you're looking to get a full copy of your current or a past policy, it's important to independently verify that you've received a full and accurate copy of your policy.

6. Don't Expect Your Agent or Broker to Know How the Claims Department Applies Policy Language.

"I wish we knew" is a phrase I hear from some clients during the claims process when they find detrimental exclusions to coverage.

Many agents simply aren't aware of how policy language is applied differently in the claims department. They are technically in the sales department, and their agency agreements often bar them from being involved in the claims process.

The solution?

While working with your agent or broker of choice, think about also independently review your policy at every renewal. It sounds tedious, but it could spare you of some of the coverage pitfalls we see when it comes to claims. We only help with claims, and don't sell insurance, so we've created a resources page from trusted sources like nonprofits, academics, and regulatory bodies to help you become a more informed consumer.

7. The Silent Policy Change Surprise

This one very few people are prepared for. Property insurance policies can – and do – change at every renewal.

Let me tell you about a recent case: a prominent Minnesota insurer that offers Replacement Cost Value policies quietly introduced a metal window exclusion specifically for hail losses some years ago. I remember the year it changed. Neither the agent nor the client caught this change.

The result?

Over $120,000 in damaged windows weren't covered, all because of one policy renewal change that slipped by unnoticed. The client was devastated.

8. The Coverage Pitfall of Buying Insurance Based on Premium Pricing Only

After a decade in this business, one thing has become crystal clear: very few people know how to buy insurance.

The insurance industry has conditioned policyholders to focus solely on price, based on mass amounts of advertising, encouraging us to "save now by switching", or "save money by bundling". There's much more to insurance than price alone, such as your actual coverage!

That's like buying a car based only on the monthly payment, without considering appearance, car age, safety features, reliability, or maintenance costs.

We've seen how devastating the "buying on price only" approach can be when claims happen, often with exclusions or limitations that were unique to one insurer, or could have otherwise been avoided.

9. The Hidden Resource

Here's something most property owners don't know: there are state-run databases (and a national one) that shows the number and often nature of formal complaints lodged against insurance companies.

This information is public and free, and maintained by regulatory bodies, yet hardly anyone checks it before choosing an insurer.

10. The Ratings Reality Check

Insurance ratings agencies provide valuable information, but they don't tell the whole story. They typically focus on financial health and sales metrics of an insurer, but rarely cover claims experience.

Even those helpful affiliate websites comparing insurance products usually only look at premium prices and sales factors.

They don't – and can't – tell you about coverage quality or claims experience, which are essential when you actually need your insurance. As policyholders, the claims experience matters more to us than our sales experience. Our resources page has information from trusted nonprofits to give you additional insight that means more to you as a policyholder.

A Decade of Discovery

Looking back on ten years of advocating for Minnesota property owners, these lessons have shaped how we approach every claim. We've learned that the best time to contact a public adjuster isn't after problems arise – it's before they become expensive surprises.

Want to get the most out of your coverage safety net, with a decade of claim expertise behind you? Contact us for a complimentary claim review. We've spent ten years learning these lessons so you don't have to learn them the hard way.