What is a public adjuster? After a fire, flood, or any other disaster, we represent you, not the insurance company. We level the playing field. We're there with you, every step of the way, so you can sleep at night. So the next time you ask yourself - should I hire a public adjuster - think of us. Adjusters international - We represent you, not your insurance company.

Brant Williams: My name is Brant Williams and I've been in the Scottsdale Fire Department for 21 years. I'm a fire engineer, Firehouse 611 in North Scottsdale. I got a call from my nephew saying, "I think your house is on fire." And so it was kind of surreal, I came here and witnessed the firemen on the roof, cutting a hole in the roof to get the smoke out. Those were guys I actually knew, so I'd say surreal is the term I would use.

Joshua Scott: I think 90 percent of his home was destroyed, all of the interior needed to be gutted. A lot of the framing was destroyed, which the insurance company was disputing. The insurance company just felt that they wanted to put a band aid on the framing of the home. By doing that, they just wanted to paint, or seal it, and the framing really needed to be replaced.

Brant Williams: I realized that I need some help here, because this is a little bit overwhelming; I don't know how I'm going to fight the insurance company and I shouldn't have to fight them but that's what it is. When I saw what they were going to give me, I knew what it would cost to replace the home, I knew that number probably wasn't right. And then, getting a hold of Josh and Dow, and talking to them, I definitely saw the point, I definitely needed a public adjuster.

Dow Brooks: A lot of people don't know what to do, including the fire personnel, so we've done a lot to educate them and increase the awareness. So The Greenspan Co. / Adjusters International has put together special programs, specifically for firefighters and their families, should they suffer a loss, by fire or flood or any other catastrophe at their home.

Joshua Scott: Now, first and foremost, I wouldn't work for any other company except for The Greenspan Co. / Adjusters International. We just have a stellar reputation, the best people in the business—people who are truly passionate about what we do.

Brant Williams: I would not have been able to do this on my own.

Hi my name is Dick Emerine. If you're watching this video, either your home or your business is burned down. I'm so sorry, you have my sincere condolences.

January the 18th, 2009 my home in Phoenix, Arizona burned to the ground. I'm a pretty bright guy, I've got a PhD in economics, I used to be a partner at a major accounting firm – I thought I could handle this situation myself. I quickly learned that I was wrong. (Pause) I know, from personal experience, everyone in the world is pestering you at this moment, so let me keep my comments to you short and sweet.

Dealing with this insurance company and filing the claim process is an incredibly complicated procedure. Your insurance company is not on your side to maximize the amount of money you can recover that you're entitled to recover from your claim.

If you're not familiar with a pubic adjuster – and Greenspan Adjusters International in particular – they take a percentage of the claim as their compensation. When I did a back of the envelope computation as to what I would have recovered in the absence of Greenspan's assistance versus the amount of money that I got with Greenspan, the fee was more than 3 times paid for by the increased amount of claim that I received that I would have done by doing it only by myself.

The entire process from beginning to end was done in a very professional, friendly manner. From my experience, the one big group of people that can help you are the public adjusters.

I chose Greenspan Adjusters International because they are the gold standard of the business. I think that you'll find that they more than pay for themselves, if you use their services...And once again...my sincere condolences on, on your loss.

Speaker 1: Why are you here today?

Speaker 2: To support Trinity River Lumber, and, their ah, success here in getting their mill back up.

Speaker 3 (Dee Sanders): Trinity Mill ran a successful two-shift operation, until that eventful day of September 12th, 2009 we lost the mill...due to the fire. With the help of Greenspan Company, we began a settlement with the insurance company. We want to thank Greenspan for their work, with dealing with the insurance company and settlement.

Speaker 4 (Kenny Taylor): By the time we got on scene...the damage was already done... and we came in to kinda pick up the pieces and help guide them through the process of filing a claim, and...you know, negotiating with the insurance company and bringing them up to speed with what – what is required.

Speaker 5 (Gary Johnson): The sawmill was started in approximately 1800 after the California Gold Rush, in the area. The Trinity River Saw Mill is the staple of Weaverville. Without the Trinity River Saw Mill, the likelihood of Weaverville continuing is extremely doubtful. The coverage issues included not only the issue involving the per occurrence limit of liability, in relationship to the statement of values, but also the protective safeguard endorsement.

Speaker 1: How important is the mill to this community?

Speaker 2: It's extremely important to Weaverville, it's extremely important to all the communities around it too.

Speaker 6: Locals are pretty excited, and it helps give more business around here for most stores I've been going to– so they say– so, I think it's pretty important.

Voice-Over (Gary Johnson): With every client that we work for, I'm proud to say, that there is a connection, and there is a friendship forever.

Speaker 1 (Clay Gibson): Well, I think the most important thing to understand about public adjusters is we're advocates for the insured. So the most important thing is I'm looking out for the insured to make sure that his house is put back together... and his personal property is replaced. In a way, similar to what it was...and...and he's made whole. I'm not worried about whether it's going to cost the insurance company more money, I'm worried about whether it going to be right for the insured.

We're putting people's lives back together - I mean the best part of my job is...when I go out to the insured's house and it is has been put back together...

Speaker 2 (Interviewer): (Inaudible)

Speaker 1: ...that...that their house is rebuilt, they've moved back into their home, they've replaced their personal property... I mean, it's an amazing feeling when you can walk out there and say, "Hey my efforts... with the client's efforts, together we have...put their lives back together again."

Speaker 1: Good morning everybody... welcome to the first annual Glendale's Hope Golf Tournament.

(MUSIC)

Speaker 2: I'm Wayne Smith, I'm with the Glendale Fire Department, I'm a Deputy Chief of Resource Management. Glendale's Hope is, the, ah, Glendale's Firefighter's Charity. This is our first annual golf tournament, so we hope to be doing this every year. Um..it's the fundraiser to help supply resources for those activities. A lot of the things that the firefighters get involved in - whether it's Habitat for Humanity or Car Seat Programs, they cost a lot of money so, ah, we have to find ways to generate some money for those efforts.

Speaker 3 (Interviewer): How'd you guys do out there?

Speaker 4: Um...

Speaker 5: We're doing pretty well...

Speaker 4: I'd say...

Speaker 5: I'd say...you have to be...I'd say...I'd say, good thing we have a couple of firefighters with us... cause they're putting out the fires on our drives...

Speaker 3 (Interviewer): (Laughter)

Speaker 5: ... me and Cody...

Speaker 4: We are - we are hot...

Speaker 5: ...Burning...

Speaker 4: ...Flaming hot...

Speaker 5: ...On fuego....

Speaker 6: Um...going out there, everyone seems to be having a really good time, just having fun golfin' and buyin' raffle tickets...

(MUSIC)

Speaker 7: All rightie...like to take a minute to thank our sponsors, everybody that's, ah, supporting us in this event, and all of our volunteers... thank you very much this has been...a... a big success for the first time even though, ah, we've muddled our way through it. I want to thank you all.

(MUSIC)

Speaker 3 (Interviewer): Thanks...I....I... that's...that's all we needed for your...for your interview...

Speaker 2: Okay.

Speaker 3 (Interviewer): But thank you.

Speaker 2: Thank you.

Speaker 3 (Interviewer): See ya again, Wayne.

Speaker 2: I hope you, uh, can edit well...(laughter)

Speaker 3: Yes...yes, that's...that's all me...

Dick Emerine:
Honestly, the sooner you can hire a public adjuster, the better. It's most important, from my experience, that you hire, or you retain, a public adjuster, prior to talking to the insurance company adjuster, so that you don't say something which could be used against you subsequently, in the process.

The insurance companies are for profit business. Once you've had a fire, that's when their expenses occur. If you're just paying premiums to them without having a fire or an accident, it's all income or revenue to them – but the moment you've had a fire, you're an "expense," or a "cost item" to them. What they are attempting to do is - keep as much of the profits as they possibly can. Their business is to try and minimize the amount of money that you receive from your claim.

The only way you can avoid that happening to you, and get it – what you're entitled to – is to have someone who understands the insides and outsides of the process, advocating on your behalf.

Dick Emerine:
The most important thing that you learn in this process, is trust.

My personal recovery specialist, was spectacular. Always anticipated what my questions would be, and forewarned me, about what was going to happen, when a delay was going to occur, when he thought something would go smooth, the best part is – there were no surprises.

I mean, sometimes the news he had to deliver was bad news, don't get me wrong – there's nothing in this process that is peaches and cream - but at least I knew, that I knew what was happening. And that I had the best possible people negotiating my position, and getting me through this process, without drowning.

Dick Emerine:
The best of all worlds – or the world that makes the most sense - is to have a public adjuster do it... you've been living with your personal possessions for as – all the years that you've lived with them. It's so easy to forget, what you have, and trying to recreate it.

Second of all, I can honestly say, from my personal experience – the most devastating part of the entire process, is when you see the list, of everything that you've lost in a fire.

For example, the inventory claims person, woman by the name of Heather – she went through my fire and clipped the labels off of ties...took photos of shoes that were destroyed...towels...went into my pantry, counted the numbers of rolls of toilet paper...half burnt pencils...cologne in the thing – and put together a list, that I swear must have been fifteen, sixteen thousand items long...things that were destroyed in my house.

One, I never could have done that myself. Two, if I would have tried it myself, I would have ended up in tears, just realizing everything that I lost – and they did that within thirty days.

The entire process - from beginning to end – was done in a very professional, friendly manner.

Just save yourself a lot of grief by letting someone else do that and put it together. Trying to do that yourself, is just – it's possible, but God, it could be the most painful thing that you've ever attempted to do - and the reward isn't that great.

Dick Emerine:
Basically, your policy says, that you should – during this temporary period of time – whatever the length of that period of time – be entitled to have the same living style that you experienced, to the day prior to the fire.

So, in my case, for example, I have 300 pounds of dogs, I needed a yard big enough to handle two dogs – that together, they weigh about 300 pounds, and look like polar bears – what the insurance company had selected, no way shape or form came anywhere close to meeting those requirements.

My personal recovery expert – I called him my guardian angel – took me around the community – in the neighborhood of where my home had been destroyed – to find a home, that allowed me, to sort of live temporarily, in almost a lifestyle that I would have had, if my home hadn't been destroyed by fire.

Dick Emerine:
It's similar to asking the IRS to fill out your tax return. I mean what do you think the chances are that the IRS is going to look for every possible deduction you can find, to minimize the amount of tax you owe to the government.

The insurance company adjuster has no incentive to maximize and give you every dollar that you are entitled to, under your policy.

You need someone that advocates on your behalf.

Dick Emerine:
Ever since my book was published, you know, "Gone in 20 Minutes" – I probably talked with a couple of thousand people about their situation, and what they've gone through.

I would say the largest complaint, that all of them have – about dealing with their insurance company - are the delays associated with it. The fact that the insurance company adjuster doesn't return the telephone call, the fact that the insurance company doesn't pay, when they said they were going to pay – even when it's relatively minimum amounts of money.

I mean in my own case, for example, my dog stayed at my – my dog's were boarded for 20 days, I was going to pick them up to take them to the temporary living location – gave the insurance company adjuster a week's notice, as to when I was going to move, so that the check could be there to pay for the boarding – and I got the check two weeks after I picked up the dogs... I, you know... they made me wait two weeks – I mean delay, is in the insurance company's best interest. They hope that you forget. They hope that maybe you die before they have to pay the claim. Any delay works to their particular advantage.