What to Say (and Not Say) During Your First Insurance Adjuster Call

The adjuster calls within 24 to 72 hours of your claim being filed. You pick up the phone, you're still in shock from the disaster, and you're about to have a conversation that will set the terms for your entire claim.

Insurance adjusters — especially staff adjusters who work directly for the insurer — are not adversaries, but they are operating within a system where their company's interest is to pay the minimum amount their policy requires. They ask questions designed to establish facts. How those facts are characterized, in that first conversation, matters.

Here's what we tell every Bright Harbor client before their first adjuster call.

Before the Call: Get Your Policy and Notes Ready

Have your declarations page in front of you. Know your policy number, your coverage limits for dwelling (Coverage A), personal property (Coverage C), and other structures (Coverage B), and your deductible amount. These are the numbers the adjuster will be working from, and you should know them too.

Take written notes throughout the call: the adjuster's name, employee ID if they offer it, the call date and time, and every commitment or statement they make. Say out loud: "I'm taking notes on this call." In most states, you don't need consent to take notes on a call you're a party to. Having a contemporaneous record is valuable if disputes arise later.

Ask the adjuster's direct phone number and email. Most adjusters give a general claims line that routes to whoever is available. Having direct contact means you can reach the person who knows your file.

Phrases That Keep Your Claim Open

"I'm still assessing the full scope of the damage." This is the most important phrase in your first call vocabulary. When the adjuster asks how bad the damage is, this is the honest and strategically correct answer. You haven't had contractors assess every room. You don't know yet if the foundation was affected. You don't know what's inside the walls. Don't characterize your damage as "mostly the roof" or "just the kitchen" — those characterizations become the adjuster's starting framework.

"I'd like that in writing, please." Any commitment the adjuster makes — approval of temporary repairs, ALE authorization, agreement to a timeline extension — should be followed with this request. Verbal commitments in insurance claims are worth very little. Email confirmations are documentation.

"I'll need to consult before agreeing to anything." If the adjuster proposes a settlement amount, a repair timeline, or any other commitment on the call, this is the correct response. Never accept a settlement offer verbally on the same call it's made. You need time to review it against your policy and actual costs.

What Not to Say

Don't say "the damage is not that bad." It may feel honest and low-key, but it creates a characterization of the loss that will follow your claim through its entire lifecycle. Your job is to document fully and let the numbers speak, not to minimize upfront.

Don't guess at numbers. If the adjuster asks how much your personal property loss is, don't give an off-the-top-of-your-head estimate. "I'm working on my loss inventory and will submit it with supporting documentation" is the correct answer. A number you guess on day two becomes the anchor for negotiations.

Don't agree to an inspection schedule that doesn't work for you. You have the right to be present when the adjuster inspects your property. If the proposed time doesn't give you enough time to organize a contractor to accompany you, ask for a different time. An independent contractor present during the inspection can flag damage the adjuster might otherwise miss.

Don't sign any authorization or release on the call. Anything requiring a signature — any authorization document, any settlement acceptance — should be read fully before signing. Ask for all documents to be emailed to you first. No legitimate adjuster will insist on a same-call verbal commitment on significant financial decisions.

The Scope Letter: Your Most Important Follow-Up

Within 24 hours of the call, send the adjuster an email summarizing what was discussed: the damage categories you reported, any commitments they made, and the next scheduled step (inspection date, document submission deadline, etc.). Close with "please let me know if any of this is inconsistent with your notes."

This email serves two purposes. First, it creates a written record of the call before memories fade. Second, if the adjuster responds saying "that's not what I said," you want to find that out early — not months later when you're in a dispute.

Independent vs. Staff Adjusters: Does It Matter?

Your first call may be with a staff adjuster (employed by the insurer) or an independent adjuster (contracted by the insurer for major disaster response). Both are representing the insurer's interests. Independent adjusters are often used for catastrophic event claims because major disasters overwhelm staff adjuster capacity — your insurer may contract with a company like Crawford & Company or McLarens to handle the volume.

Know who you're talking to. Ask: "Are you a staff adjuster employed by [insurer name] or an independent adjuster contracted for this claim?" The answer affects how you track communication and who you escalate to if needed.

When to Consider a Public Adjuster

For claims over $50,000, or where the damage is complex (structural, fire, major flood), a licensed public adjuster working on your behalf is often worth the cost. Public adjusters typically charge 5-15% of the final settlement — but IIABA research suggests their clients receive settlements that are 19-47% higher than unrepresented claimants on comparable losses.

At Bright Harbor, we can tell you after reviewing your claim whether the complexity and size warrant a public adjuster, and we can connect you with licensed PAs in your state who specialize in your disaster type.