After every big Hawaiʻi storm, new faces show up offering to “handle the insurance” for you. Some are licensed professionals. Some are not licensed in Hawaiʻi at all. A two-minute license check is the simplest way to protect your claim, your money and your home.
Who needs a license
A public adjuster works for you, the policyholder, and negotiates your claim with your insurance company for a fee. Hawaiʻi requires a public adjuster license to do that work. Your insurance company’s adjuster works for the insurer. A contractor fixes the damage. An attorney gives legal advice. Each role is different, and only a licensed public adjuster or an attorney should be negotiating your claim on your behalf for pay.
How to check a license in two minutes
- Ask for the person’s full name, the firm name and the Hawaiʻi license number, in writing
- Go to the Hawaiʻi Insurance Division website and open its Insurance License Search
- Search by the person’s name or license number and confirm the license is active and the type is public adjuster
- Make sure the name on the license matches the person you will sign with
- If anything does not match, call the Insurance Division before you sign
Red flags after a storm
- Pressure to sign today, at the door, before you have read the contract
- A promise of a specific payout or a “guaranteed” result
- Someone who will not give a license number, or gives one for another state
- Offers to waive your deductible or “take care of it” in ways that sound too easy
- A contractor who says they will negotiate your claim for you
- Anyone asking you to sign over your insurance check or your claim rights
Questions worth asking any adjuster
- Are you licensed in Hawaiʻi, and may I have your license number?
- Who will actually inspect my property and talk with my insurer?
- How will you keep me updated, and how often?
- How are you paid, and is it written in the agreement?
- Have you handled claims like mine on this island?
Common Questions
Where do I check a public adjuster license in Hawaiʻi?
Use the Insurance License Search linked from the Hawaiʻi Insurance Division website (cca.hawaii.gov/ins). Search the person’s name or license number and confirm an active public adjuster license.
Can a contractor negotiate my insurance claim?
A contractor’s job is the repair. Negotiating your claim for pay is public adjusting, which requires a Hawaiʻi public adjuster license. If a contractor offers to negotiate with your insurer, ask about their license and read anything carefully before you sign.
Do mainland adjusters work Hawaiʻi storms?
Some do. Whoever handles your claim should hold the license Hawaiʻi requires and understand local building costs, shipping and permitting.
What is Island Claims’ license number?
Island Claims operates under Hawaiʻi Public Adjuster License #11127106.
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