Table of Contents
Introduction: The Sound of a Thousand Hammers
It started as a low rumble, a distant percussion that felt out of place on a humid July afternoon in Minnesota.
Then came the sound.
It wasn’t rain.
It was a frantic, escalating clatter against the roof and siding, like a thousand tiny hammers wielded by an angry sky.
From the living room window, I watched as ice, first the size of peas and then growing alarmingly to the size of golf balls, bounced off the lawn and shattered on the driveway.
The noise was a physical presence, a violent symphony that vibrated through the walls of our home, the one place we were supposed to feel safe.
My heart pounded in sync with the storm’s chaotic rhythm.
In those few minutes, there was only the roar, the fear, and the helpless feeling of being under assault by nature itself.
And then, as quickly as it began, it stopped.
An eerie silence descended, broken only by the drip of water and the distant wail of a car alarm.
Stepping outside, the sweet, clean smell of rain-washed air was grotesquely contrasted by the scene of devastation.
Our siding was pockmarked with hundreds of craters, the gutters were dented and mangled, and the roof looked like it had been savaged.
The garden was shredded, leaves torn to confetti.
It was a scene of violation.
But through the shock, a single, comforting thought emerged, a mantra for the modern age: “Thank goodness we have insurance.
We’ll be fine.” For years, we had faithfully paid our premiums, believing we were buying more than just a policy; we were buying peace of mind, a guarantee that if the worst happened, a trusted partner would be there to help us put the pieces back together.
This belief, I would soon learn, was the first of many things the storm would shatter.
My experience is far from unique in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Minnesota’s climate subjects homeowners to a relentless barrage of risks.
The heavy snows of our harsh winters can lead to roof collapses and devastating ice dams, while extreme cold can freeze and burst pipes, causing catastrophic water damage.1
In the summer, it’s the severe thunderstorms, bringing with them the destructive power of high winds and hail, that pose the greatest threat.1
The damage to my home from that hailstorm—the battered roof, the cracked siding, the broken windows—was a textbook example of the claims that thousands of Minnesota homeowners file every year.3
What I didn’t know then was that the financial loss from the storm was only the beginning.
The real struggle was the emotional toll of the claims process, a high-stakes negotiation that begins when a policyholder is at their most vulnerable, their judgment clouded by stress and a desperate need for things to be made right.
I was about to enter a battle I wasn’t prepared for, against an opponent I mistakenly believed was on my side.
Part I: The Descent into the Claim
The days following the storm were a blur of activity and anxiety.
The initial hope that our insurance would be a straightforward safety net quickly began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of confusion, frustration, and ultimately, powerlessness.
This was the beginning of my descent into the bewildering world of the insurance claim, a journey that would test my patience and challenge my fundamental assumptions about fairness.
The “Independent” Adjuster and the Illusion of Help
Within a couple of days of my call, the insurance company dispatched an adjuster.
He arrived in a branded truck, armed with a clipboard and a friendly demeanor.
He introduced himself as an “independent adjuster,” a title that immediately put me at ease.
“Independent,” I thought.
That means he’s a neutral third party, here to make a fair assessment for everyone involved.
He was polite, he was professional, and he seemed genuinely sympathetic to our situation.
Following the guidance provided by the Minnesota Department of Commerce for homeowners after a disaster, I documented the damage with photos, kept a log of our conversations, and made sure to get his business Card.4
I walked him around the property, pointing out every dent, crack, and pockmark, feeling confident that he was seeing what I was seeing.
This feeling of confidence was a carefully constructed illusion.
The first and most critical lesson I learned was that the term “independent adjuster” is one of the most misleading phrases in the financial services lexicon.
An independent adjuster is not an impartial referee.
They are a contractor, hired and paid by the insurance company.6
Their professional allegiance, their legal and financial incentive, lies squarely with the insurer who writes their checks.
Their primary role is to represent the insurance company’s interests, which is to manage and often minimize the financial payout on a claim.8
The insurance industry’s choice of the word “independent” is a masterstroke of psychological framing.
The word itself suggests fairness, objectivity, and neutrality—all the things a distressed homeowner is desperately seeking in an expert guide.7
By labeling their representative as “independent,” the insurer subtly co-opts these virtues, positioning their agent as a trusted advisor.
This lulls the policyholder into a false sense of security, making them less likely to question the process or seek their own, truly independent representation.
It’s a strategic use of language that maintains the profound information asymmetry at the heart of the claims process.
The adjuster’s friendly demeanor wasn’t a sign of partnership; it was the professional face of an adversary.
I wasn’t talking to a neutral party; I was giving a guided tour of my damages to the person whose job it was to find reasons not to pay for them.
My epiphany was still weeks away, but the seeds of doubt were planted: I was playing a game without knowing the rules, or even who was on the other team.
A Game of Numbers and Denials
About a month after the adjuster’s visit—just within the 30-business-day window that Minnesota law allows insurers to accept or deny a claim—the report arrived.11
I opened the envelope with a mix of anticipation and dread.
The dread won.
The settlement offer was shockingly, insultingly low.
It was a fraction of the estimates I had already received from two local, reputable roofing contractors.
Reading through the adjuster’s report was an exercise in frustration.
The document was a masterclass in minimization.
Extensive hail damage to the siding was dismissed as “pre-existing cosmetic wear and tear.” The clear, concentric “bullseye” cracks in the shingles, a hallmark of significant hail impact, were categorized as “blistering due to manufacturer defect.” The dented gutters and downspouts were deemed “within acceptable tolerance.” It was a systematic dismantling of my reality.
According to the report, the storm that had sounded like an artillery barrage had caused only minor, superficial damage.
This experience, I would later learn, is a case study in the common tactics used to dispute, delay, and deny legitimate claims.
Insurers often reject claims by attributing damage to other causes, such as normal wear and tear or old, unrepaired issues.3
A primary strategy is to under-assess the damage to the point where the estimated cost of repairs falls below the policy’s deductible, leaving the homeowner with the entire bill.3
This is often the result of a perfunctory or incomplete inspection, a tactic that can be considered an act of bad faith when it leads to the wrongful denial of a valid claim.13
The insurance company had technically complied with Minnesota Statute 72A.201 by providing a decision within the legal timeframe, but it felt as though they had used that time not for a fair investigation, but to construct a meticulous, one-sided case against me.11
The settlement they offered wouldn’t even cover the cost of materials, let alone the labor to repair the very real damage to my home.
The safety net I believed in had been replaced by a web of technicalities and denials.
The fight had just begun.
Lost in the Fine Print
My initial shock quickly hardened into determination.
I would fight this.
I spent the next two weeks on a frustrating odyssey through the labyrinth of my insurance policy.
I sat at my kitchen table for hours, a highlighter in hand, trying to decipher the dense, jargon-laden document.
It was filled with hundreds of provisions, stipulations, endorsements, and exclusions, a complex legal text that seemed intentionally opaque.15
Every phone call to the insurance company was a new lesson in futility.
I was passed from one department to another, put on hold for what felt like an eternity, and spoke to representatives who offered scripted, unhelpful responses.
When I tried to challenge the adjuster’s findings, I was told that the “burden of proof” was on me to demonstrate that the damage was covered.15
How could I, a homeowner with no expertise in construction or insurance law, possibly counter the detailed report of their “independent” expert?
In one particularly galling conversation, a claims representative subtly suggested that things would only get more complicated and delayed if I were to hire an attorney or another adjuster.
This practice—advising a claimant not to obtain the services of an attorney or adjuster—is explicitly listed as a potential unfair claim settlement practice under Minnesota Statute 72A.201, a law designed to protect consumers like me.11
At the time, I didn’t know my rights; I only felt the pressure and the intimidation.
This entire system, I began to realize, is not just complicated; its complexity serves a purpose.
The dense policy language, the procedural hurdles, the endless phone trees, and the psychological exhaustion of it all create a powerful “friction.” This friction is not an accidental byproduct of a bureaucratic system; it is a feature, not a bug.
It is designed to wear down the policyholder, to make the process so arduous and dispiriting that accepting a lowball offer feels like a rational choice—a way to end the stress and move on.
The system isn’t broken; from the insurer’s perspective of minimizing payouts, it is working exactly as intended.
I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and felt utterly alone.
I was on the verge of giving up, of accepting the paltry offer just to make it all stop.
Part II: The Epiphany
Just when I was at my lowest point, ready to concede defeat, a single conversation changed everything.
It was the moment the fog of confusion began to lift, revealing a clear path forward.
It was my epiphany, a sudden and profound realization that I had been asking the wrong questions and fighting the wrong battle all along.
“Who Do You Actually Work For?”
I was venting my frustrations to a friend, a contractor who had seen his share of post-storm insurance disputes.
He listened patiently as I recounted my saga—the friendly adjuster, the insulting offer, the endless phone calls, the feeling of being trapped.
When I finished, he didn’t offer sympathy.
He asked a simple, powerful question: “The adjuster who came to your house…
who do you think he actually works for?”
I repeated what I had been told.
“He’s an independent adjuster.”
My friend shook his head.
“That doesn’t matter.
Who pays him?”
The question hung in the air.
The answer was obvious, yet I had never truly considered its implication.
The insurance company paid him.
Therefore, he worked for the insurance company.
It was that simple.
My friend explained that in the world of insurance claims, there are three types of adjusters, and knowing the difference is the single most important piece of information a policyholder can have.
- Company Adjuster: An employee who works directly for a single insurance company. Their loyalty is, without question, to their employer.
- Independent Adjuster: A contractor hired by insurance companies to handle claims on their behalf, especially when the company’s staff adjusters are overwhelmed, such as after a major storm.6 While they are “independent” contractors, their client is the insurance company, and their goal is to serve that client’s interests.6
- Public Adjuster: A licensed professional hired exclusively by you, the policyholder, to represent your interests in the claim process.10 They work for you, are paid by you (typically as a percentage of the final settlement), and their sole objective is to ensure you receive a full and fair settlement according to the terms of your policy.
This simple breakdown was a revelation.
For weeks, I had been operating under the assumption that the claims process was a two-party negotiation: me versus the insurance company.
I now understood it was a three-party field, and I was the only one playing without a professional on my team.
The “independent” adjuster wasn’t a neutral referee; he was the other team’s star player.
The entire dynamic shifted in my mind.
The problem wasn’t just that the offer was low; it was that the entire process was structurally imbalanced against me.
To crystallize this newfound understanding, the difference can be seen in a simple scorecard:
| Feature | Public Adjuster | Company/Independent Adjuster |
| Hired By | The Policyholder (You) | The Insurance Company |
| Represents | The Policyholder’s Interests | The Insurance Company’s Interests |
| Paid By | The Policyholder (typically a % of the settlement) | The Insurance Company |
| Primary Goal | Maximize your fair settlement | Minimize the insurer’s payout |
Seeing it laid out so clearly was my “aha!” moment.
I wasn’t just fighting a low offer; I was fighting an entire system designed to produce one.
And the way to fight back wasn’t to argue harder, but to level the playing field.
I needed an expert of my own.
I needed a public adjuster.
An Advocate for Hire: The Minnesota Public Adjuster
Armed with this new term, “public adjuster,” I turned to the internet, this time with a specific, hopeful query: “public adjuster mn.” What I found was more reassuring than I could have imagined.
This wasn’t some unregulated, Wild West profession.
In Minnesota, public adjusting is a formally recognized and strictly regulated field.
I discovered that under Minnesota Statute 72B.03, no person can act as a public adjuster without first obtaining a license from the Minnesota Department of Commerce.16
The state legislature had enacted these licensing laws for a very specific reason: to protect consumers and to ensure that public adjusters adhere to high ethical and professional standards.16
The discovery of this regulatory framework was a critical turning point in my emotional journey.
After weeks of feeling powerless and distrustful, I found a source of external validation.
The state itself had created a system to ensure these professionals were qualified and accountable.
This wasn’t just hiring some random person; it was engaging a state-licensed advocate.
This system acted as a bridge of trust.
For a homeowner reeling from a disaster and a subsequent bad-faith claims experience, the existence of these regulations transformed the idea of hiring a public adjuster from a risky gamble into a protected, state-sanctioned course of action.
The requirements for licensure were stringent and reassuring.
To become a public adjuster in Minnesota, an individual must be at least 18 years old, pass a state-administered exam for a specific line of authority (like property and casualty), and submit to a full criminal history record check, including fingerprints.19
Most importantly, I learned that every licensed public adjuster in Minnesota must purchase and maintain a $10,000 surety bond.16
This bond is not for the adjuster’s protection; it’s for mine.
It’s a form of insurance that guarantees funds are available to compensate a policyholder if the adjuster commits fraud or fails to pay them all the money they are owed.16
The bond is a tangible, financial guarantee against misconduct.
Furthermore, to maintain their license, adjusters must complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, with at least three of those hours dedicated specifically to ethics.16
The state wasn’t just vetting them at the start; it was ensuring they remained competent and ethically grounded throughout their careers.
This knowledge was empowering.
The path forward was no longer shrouded in doubt.
It was a clearly marked, state-regulated road to getting the help I so desperately needed.
Part III: Finding My Champion in the Land of 10,000 Lakes
The epiphany was one thing; acting on it was another.
The decision to hire a public adjuster felt like a significant step, and I wanted to do it right.
My journey now shifted from one of passive frustration to one of active, informed searching.
This became my new project: to find a qualified, trustworthy advocate who could champion my cause.
The process itself became a form of empowerment, as I took control of the situation for the first time since the storm hit.
The Search and the Vetting
My search began with a simple online search, but this time I knew what to look for.
I compiled a list of several public adjusting firms that served my area of Minnesota.
My next step, and the most crucial one, was to vet them.
I was determined not to make the same mistake of misplaced trust.
First, for each candidate, I went directly to the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s website.
Using their online License Lookup tool, powered by Sircon, I could verify that the individual and their firm were actively licensed to practice in the state.4
This simple check allowed me to immediately weed out anyone not in good standing.
The database also provides information on any past disciplinary actions, offering a transparent look into their professional history.4
Next, I scheduled phone calls with three different adjusters.
These weren’t just casual chats; they were interviews.
I had a list of questions ready, compiled from advice from consumer advocacy groups and the Department of Commerce itself.
My goal was to transform their sales pitch into an evidence-based evaluation.19
I asked each one:
- “Can you confirm you are individually licensed as a public adjuster in Minnesota, and can you provide your license number?” 23
- “How many years have you been practicing, and what is your specific experience with large residential hail damage claims like mine?” 22
- “Will you be the person personally handling my claim from start to finish, or will it be passed off to someone else in your firm?” 22
- “What is your current caseload? How can I be sure my claim will receive the attention it deserves?” 24
- “Can you provide me with at least three recent, local references from clients with similar claims whom I can speak with directly?” 22
- “What is your fee structure? Is it a straight percentage of the settlement? Is that percentage negotiable based on the size and complexity of my claim?” 22
- “Are you a member of any professional organizations, like the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA)?” 23
The responses were telling.
One adjuster was vague about who would handle my file.
Another seemed hesitant to provide references.
But the third, a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience, answered every question directly and confidently.
He encouraged me to check his license online and to call his references.
He explained his fee structure clearly and transparently.
During this process, I was also on high alert for the red flags the Department of Commerce warns consumers about.
I avoided anyone who used high-pressure sales tactics, insisted their services were mandatory, or was unwilling to put every detail of our potential agreement in writing.4
The process was methodical and empowering.
I wasn’t just a victim anymore; I was a discerning consumer hiring a professional service.
Decoding the Contract and Consumer Rights
After speaking with his references—who gave glowing reviews of his professionalism and results—I made my choice.
The public adjuster sent over his employment contract for my review.
As I read through it, I discovered another layer of consumer protection built into Minnesota law, which gave me a profound sense of security.
The most important of these protections is the “Right to Cancel.” Under Minnesota Statute 72B.135, any contract with a public adjuster must contain a statement in boldface type (of at least ten points) informing the client that they have the right to cancel the contract, for any reason, within 72 hours of signing it.27
This “cooling-off” period is a powerful consumer safeguard.
It meant I could sign the contract without feeling irrevocably trapped, giving me three days to reflect on my decision without pressure.
The law also mandates other crucial disclosures.
The public adjuster must immediately inform the client that they do not represent the insurance company, a direct countermeasure to the confusion I had initially experienced.27
They must also disclose their fee clearly in writing within the contract itself, eliminating any ambiguity about their compensation.27
Furthermore, reading up on the statutes, I felt reassured knowing the law explicitly prohibits a long list of unethical behaviors.
My public adjuster was legally barred from paying kickbacks for referrals, splitting fees with unlicensed individuals (like a contractor), having a financial interest in a construction firm that might work on my house, willfully misrepresenting facts, or even initiating contact with potential clients between 8 P.M. and 8 A.M..27
These rules created a clear ethical boundary, ensuring the adjuster’s focus remained solely on my best interests.
This entire vetting and contracting process can be distilled into a simple checklist, a tool that I wish I’d had from day one and that every Minnesota homeowner should have on hand when disaster strikes.
| Minnesota Homeowner’s Vetting Checklist for Public Adjusters | |
| Verification | |
| [ ] Verify their license on the MN Dept. of Commerce website (Sircon). | 4 |
| [ ] Check for any past disciplinary actions. | 4 |
| [ ] Ask for proof of their $10,000 surety bond. | 16 |
| Key Questions | |
| [ ] Are you licensed in Minnesota? May I see your license? | 23 |
| [ ] How many years of experience do you have with claims like mine (hail, ice dam, etc.)? | 24 |
| [ ] Will you be the one personally handling my claim? | 22 |
| [ ] Can you provide 3 recent, local references? | 23 |
| [ ] What is your fee? Is it a percentage of the final settlement? Is it negotiable? | 23 |
| [ ] Does your fee apply to money the insurer has already offered in writing? | 22 |
| Contract Review | |
| [ ] Does the contract clearly state the fee in writing? | 27 |
| [ ] Does it include the 72-hour cancellation notice required by MN law? | 27 |
| [ ] Is everything in writing? Avoid verbal agreements. | 4 |
I signed the contract, feeling a wave of relief.
I had done my due diligence.
I had found a qualified, ethical, and state-licensed professional.
I finally had a champion in my corner.
Part IV: The Counter-Offensive
The moment I signed the contract and handed over the mountain of paperwork—the insurer’s denial, my photos, the contractor estimates—the emotional tenor of my life shifted dramatically.
The constant, low-grade anxiety that had been my companion for weeks began to dissipate.
The burden was no longer solely on my shoulders.
The counter-offensive had begun, and I was no longer leading the charge alone.
The Expert Takes the Helm
The public adjuster’s first action was to send a formal Letter of Representation to my insurance company, notifying them that he was now the sole point of contact for the claim.
This simple act was incredibly liberating.
The endless, frustrating phone calls were over.
The responsibility of responding to requests and arguing points was now his.
His approach was a world away from my frantic, emotional efforts.
It was methodical, professional, and thorough.
He immediately scheduled a time to re-inspect the property, but this wasn’t the quick walk-around the company adjuster had performed.
He spent hours on the roof, meticulously marking each hail strike with chalk.
He used a moisture meter on the interior ceilings to detect water intrusion that was not yet visible to the naked eye.
He brought a trusted roofing contractor with him—not to provide an estimate, but to act as an expert consultant on the specific materials and labor required for a proper repair under Minnesota building codes.15
He then began to build a new claim from the ground up.
He took hundreds of high-resolution photos and videos.
He pored over my insurance policy, identifying clauses and endorsements that provided coverage I didn’t even know I had.
He created a detailed, line-item estimate using the same software that insurance companies use, but his was based on a complete and accurate assessment of the damage, not a minimized one.
He was assembling an undeniable case, built on a foundation of proof.
This meticulous record-keeping wasn’t just good practice; it was in line with Minnesota law, which requires public adjusters to maintain all records related to a client’s claim for at least five years, making them available for inspection by the Department of Commerce.27
The contrast between his expert process and my fumbling attempts was stark.
He was a professional in his element, and for the first time, I felt like I had a real chance to win.
The Negotiation and the Power of Proof
With the comprehensive claim package assembled, my public adjuster took the fight to the insurance company.
I was no longer on the front lines; I was a general receiving field reports from my commander.
He kept me updated at every step, explaining the strategy and managing my expectations.28
The negotiation was not a single phone call but a series of exchanges, a professional dialogue between two experts.
The insurer’s adjuster, who had been so dismissive with me, was now dealing with a peer who spoke his language, understood the policy intricacies, and had irrefutable evidence to back up every line item of the claim.
The climax came about six weeks later.
My public adjuster called me.
“We have a final offer,” he said.
He read the number.
I had to ask him to repeat it.
The new settlement was more than ten times the insurance company’s original, insulting offer.
It was enough to replace the entire roof, replace all the damaged siding, install new gutters, and cover the cost of repainting.
It was enough to make my home whole again.
My story, as dramatic as it felt, is not an anomaly.
It is, in fact, a perfect illustration of a well-documented pattern.
While there are no guarantees, the impact of hiring a professional advocate is statistically significant.
A landmark, independent study conducted by the Florida Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA), a state research arm, analyzed tens of thousands of insurance claims.29
Their findings were staggering.
For catastrophic claims, like those from a hurricane, policyholders who hired a public adjuster received settlements that were, on average,
747% higher than those who handled the claims themselves.29
For daily, non-catastrophic claims like mine, the difference was still a massive
574%.29
This data provides the ultimate answer to the most common hesitation homeowners have: the fee.
Yes, the public adjuster is paid a percentage of the settlement.15
My adjuster’s fee was 10%.
But 90% of a fair and complete settlement was vastly more than 100% of the lowball offer I was about to accept out of desperation.
The fee should not be viewed as an expense or a loss; it is an investment.
It is the cost of unlocking the true value of the insurance policy you’ve been paying for.
The real “cost” is the time, the stress, and the thousands of dollars in uncovered damages that policyholders lose when they try to navigate this complex, adversarial system alone.
My public adjuster didn’t cost me money; he recovered the money that was rightfully mine.
Conclusion: From Aftermath to Advocacy
Today, the sound of hammers on my roof is not a sound of destruction, but one of restoration.
The new siding is going up, and the house is starting to look like itself again.
But the repairs are only part of the story.
The more profound restoration has been internal.
The journey that began in the fear and chaos of a hailstorm has ended with a hard-won sense of justice and control.
I have been transformed from a passive victim of circumstance into an informed, empowered consumer who understands the system and knows how to navigate it.
My story is a testament to three fundamental truths about the property insurance claims process.
First, the system is inherently imbalanced.
It pits a distressed, inexperienced homeowner against a financially motivated, highly experienced corporate entity.
Second, the public adjuster exists as a professional advocate whose sole purpose is to correct that imbalance, to level the playing field by bringing equal expertise and resources to the policyholder’s side of the table.
And third, in Minnesota, our state laws and the Department of Commerce provide a robust framework of licensing, regulation, and consumer protection that gives homeowners a safe and reliable path to securing that advocacy.
The peace of mind we think we are buying with our insurance premiums is not automatic.
Sometimes, it must be fought for.
The policy is not a promise of help; it is a contract that must be enforced.
And enforcing a complex contract against a powerful institution is not a task anyone should have to undertake alone, especially not in the vulnerable days following a disaster.
If you find yourself standing in the aftermath, listening to the silence after the storm, know this: you are not alone, and you do not have to fight the next battle by yourself.
The confusion, the frustration, and the feeling of being overwhelmed are not signs of weakness; they are the predictable outcomes of an unequal fight.
Getting help isn’t giving up; it’s gearing up.
It’s the first and most important step toward claiming what is rightfully yours.
Appendix: The Minnesota Public Adjuster Rulebook
This appendix provides a quick-reference summary of the key regulations, statutes, and resources governing public adjusters in the state of Minnesota.
Licensing Requirements (MN Stat. § 72B.041)
To obtain a public adjuster license in Minnesota, an applicant must meet several criteria established by the Department of Commerce:
- Age: Be at least 18 years of age.20
- Examination: Pass a written state examination for the specific line of authority (e.g., Property and Casualty, Workers’ Compensation, Crop). The exam tests knowledge of insurance laws, adjuster duties, and the lines of authority.16
- Criminal History Check: Consent to and pass a criminal history record check, which requires the submission of a fingerprint card.19
- Application: Complete the official application online via Sircon and pay the $50 application fee.16
- Surety Bond: Purchase and maintain a $10,000 surety bond. This bond is a financial protection for the public, ensuring funds are available to compensate a client in case of fraud or other misconduct by the adjuster.16
License Renewal
A Minnesota Public Adjuster license is not permanent and must be maintained:
- Term: Licenses are valid for two years (biennially) and expire on the last day of the adjuster’s birth month.16
- Renewal Fee: A $50 renewal fee must be paid for each renewal period.16
- Continuing Education (CE): Adjusters must complete 24 hours of CE each renewal period. Critically, at least three of these hours must be dedicated to ethics.16
Key Consumer Protections (MN Stat. § 72B.135)
Minnesota law provides several powerful protections for consumers who hire public adjusters:
- 72-Hour Right to Cancel: A client has the right to cancel their contract with a public adjuster for any reason within 72 hours of signing. This must be clearly stated in the contract in bold, 10-point type.27
- Mandatory Disclosures: A public adjuster must disclose their fee in writing and immediately inform the client that they do not work for the insurance company.27
- Prohibited Practices: Public adjusters are legally prohibited from a range of unethical behaviors, including:
- Paying for referrals (kickbacks).27
- Splitting fees with anyone who is not also a licensed public adjuster.27
- Having a financial interest in any construction, salvage, or appraisal firm.27
- Misrepresenting facts or advising on legal questions.27
- Making false statements about an insurance company.27
- Soliciting clients between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m..27
Finding and Verifying a Public Adjuster
Homeowners can and should take steps to verify any public adjuster they consider hiring:
- License Lookup: Use the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s online License Lookup tool, available through Sircon, to confirm an individual’s license status and check for any disciplinary history.4
- Consumer Services Center: For questions or to file a complaint, consumers can contact the Department of Commerce Consumer Services Center by phone at 651-539-1600 or 800-657-3602.4
Works cited
- Important Home Insurance Tips Unique to Minnesota Truax Insurance, accessed August 14, 2025, https://truaxinsurance.net/important-home-insurance-tips-unique-to-minnesota/
- Minnesota Home Insurance – Amica, accessed August 14, 2025, https://www.amica.com/en/resources/states/mn/home-insurance.html
- Hail Damage Lawyer | Property Damage Insurance Claims, accessed August 14, 2025, https://www.wallaceinsurancelaw.com/damages/hail-damage/
- Public Adjusters / Minnesota.gov, accessed August 14, 2025, https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/home/dic/public-adjusters/index.jsp
- Tips for Residential Property Owners and Renters on Filing an Insurance Claim – Minnesota.gov, accessed August 14, 2025, https://mn.gov/commerce/insurance/home/residential-claim/index.jsp
- Public Adjusters Vs Independent Adjusters: Know The Difference …, accessed August 14, 2025, https://gavnat.com/public-adjusters-vs-independent-adjusters-know-the-difference/
- Public Adjusters vs. Independent Adjusters – Globe Midwest™ Adjusters International, accessed August 14, 2025, https://www.globemw-ai.com/news/public-adjusters-vs-independent-adjusters/
- Comparing Public Adjusters to Insurance Adjuster, accessed August 14, 2025, https://twincitypublicadjusting.com/comparing-public-adjusters-to-insurance-adjuster
- Public Insurance Adjusters VS. Independent Insurance Adjusters – Gavnat, accessed August 14, 2025, https://gavnat.com/public-insurance-adjusters-vs-independent-insurance-adjusters/
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