Florida CFO Gallagher’s Releases ‘Shock’ Miami Public Adjuster

Article

Dear Mr. Gallagher,

As a single mother and licensed public adjuster, I have been shocked by the apparent lack of clarity from your office.

In a July 11, 2005 article in Insurance Journal Southeast entitled, “DFS Agencies Launches Search and Rescue Effort in Fla. Panhandle” you provide a list of “tips and warnings.” Foremost in your list of suggestions is the following warning: “Beware of signing contracts with public adjusters.”

I have always understood that my license bears your name because you have recognized the public’s need for an advocate in the negotiation of their insurance claims. In years of helping both residential and commercial policy holders, I have become convinced that the playing field is not level for the average consumer and I am proud of the help that I have been able to provide.

Are there unscrupulous public adjusters? I am sure there are. Do their numbers exceed the number of unscrupulous company adjusters who arrive on the scene of a claim with the mindset of how to minimize or deny a claim? Does their influence exceed that of the lobbyists for the insurance industry who appeared en masse at the latest legislative session to push the agenda of big business? In any profession, whether that of a public adjuster or a public servant, there are people who are not to be trusted.

In recent weeks, Nationwide upped their rates between 20 percent and 34 percent. Allstate has circumvented the public process for rate increases and pushed an 8.9 percent increase now with a 19 percent increase coming by the end of the year.

And you believe that the public needs to “beware” of public insurance adjusters?

Shame on you, Mr. Gallagher, for sowing public doubts about public adjusters and making me out to be a danger, when there are much more obvious threats on the horizon. I am, have been and will continue to be an advocate for home and business owners who must negotiate the tumultuous waters of their insurance claims. I thought I had your support.

M. Elizabeth Zambrano

Freedom Adjusters

Miami, Fla.

Topics Florida A.J. Gallagher

Was this article valuable?