If you’ve ever filed a homeowners insurance claim, you’ve likely discovered that your insurance company is not as helpful as they seemed when they were collecting your premium. The process is slow, frustrating, and often ends with an underpaid settlement—or worse, a denial. After nearly 20 years working as an insurance adjuster, I’ve seen firsthand how these companies operate. I’ve reviewed their training manuals, sat in their meetings, and followed their internal policies. They are not in the business of paying claims fairly; they are in the business of protecting their bottom line. Homeowners need to understand the game that’s being played against them. Here are five things your insurance company doesn’t want you to know.
1. They Are Not Your Friends
Insurance companies spend millions on advertising to make you believe they are your trusted partner when disaster strikes. But when you file a claim, you’ll quickly learn that their friendly image is just a marketing illusion. When it comes to paying out claims, it’s strictly business. The adjusters handling your claim work for the insurance company—not for you. Their job isn’t to help you recover; it’s to minimize what the company pays you. And as the old saying goes, “the worst kind of fight is the one you don’t even realize you’re in.”
2. Their Claims Departments Are Designed to Underpay and Deny Claims
The insurance industry is built on taking in more in premiums than they pay out in claims—it’s how they stay profitable. To achieve this, they create policies and procedures that make it difficult for policyholders to get fully compensated. They disguise these tactics as “best practices” and train their employees to follow scripts designed to delay, underpay, or deny claims. This isn’t accidental. Their system isn’t broken; it’s working exactly as intended.
3. Their Claims Employees Are Not Qualified to Repair Your Home
Most insurance claims representatives or adjusters—let’s call them what they are, employees—have never swung a hammer in their lives. They lack real-world experience in construction or repairs, yet they are given the authority to dictate how much your home repairs should cost. You’ve spent years working hard to buy and maintain your home, but these inexperienced adjusters are the ones making decisions about how it should be repaired. Many are fresh out of college with no real-life experience, following company guidelines instead of actual industry standards. Some act like Barney Fife on steroids, making snap judgments that cost homeowners thousands.
4. They Know You Won’t Sue Them
Insurance companies hear threats of lawsuits all day long. Their response? A polite smile and a goodbye. They know most attorneys won’t take on a bad-faith insurance case over a $20,000 roofing claim when they can make more money handling personal injury or medical malpractice cases. On top of that, state insurance departments—who are supposed to regulate the industry—often work too closely with insurers, making it even harder for homeowners to fight back. Laws are also written in a way that makes it difficult for homeowners to recover attorney fees, discouraging legal action altogether. Your insurance company is betting that you’ll just give up.
5. You Have Options When They Deny or Underpay Your Claim
Most homeowners assume they have no choice but to accept whatever settlement their insurance company offers. That’s exactly what the insurance industry wants you to believe. But here’s what they won’t tell you:- You can hire a public adjuster to represent you and fight for the full amount you’re owed.- You can demand an appraisal if you disagree with their valuation of your damages. Ever notice that insurance companies never mention public adjusters in their literature? Or that they bury the appraisal clause deep in your policy? That’s not an accident. Most people don’t even know these options exist, and insurers want to keep it that way.
Don’t Fight Your Insurance Company Alone
You are up against a billion-dollar industry that has perfected the art of underpaying and denying claims. Their policies, procedures, and adjuster training are all designed to work against you. You need an advocate who knows how to fight back. If your claim has been denied or underpaid, I can help. I spent years working for insurance companies, and now I use that knowledge to fight for homeowners like you.
Need Help With Your Claim? Contact Me Today!
Don’t let your insurance company underpay you. Book a free 15-minute consultation today, and I’ll tell you if they owe you more – No obligation.