News and Education

Why It’s Relevant: AB 597 would force public adjusters to base compensation only on payouts received after the contract is signed, rather than including earlier insurer-advances. That may lead to higher contingency fees and discourage people from hiring adjusters. Many big industry stakeholders support this bill, which raises concern as public adjusters provide necessary advocacy when insurers drag their feet or underpay. For us, this underscores the importance of being transparent, ethical, and clear in our contracts and of advocating for laws that preserve, not restrict, policyholder access to expert claims help.

Why It’s Relevant: This case touches on some core issues: Homeowners are forced to dig into State Farm’s internal practices (estimators’ training, payout timelines, rebuild cost assessments) exactly the areas where public adjusters add value. There’s concern that rate increases are being pushed through before claims-handling practices are thoroughly reviewed so policyholders could pay more without getting fair treatment. Survivors aren’t just fighting for dollars; they’re fighting for transparency and accountability. That’s what public adjusters stand for.

Why It’s Relevant: This article is relevant to us because it highlights exactly why public adjusters matter: insurers like State Farm are under investigation for mishandling claims, while lawmakers are considering limits on survivors’ access to independent help. Our role is to stand solely with policyholders, ensuring they get the fair treatment and recovery support they deserve.

Rental property insurance is crucial for landlords, offering protection for your real estate and your income, and covering your liability in the face of natural disasters.

California’s newly passed AB 597 amends the Public Insurance Adjusters Act by adding new regulations for how public adjusters contract and more. Here’s how it significantly changes the insurance claim process for homeowners and businesses.

Why It’s Relevant: This bill matters because it could limit how and when public adjusters are paid, making it harder for wildfire survivors to hire the expert help they need. While we support transparency, AB 597 risks tipping the balance toward insurers, exactly when policyholders deserve strong, independent advocacy.