Professional and attentive 
- MRS K S - Hounslow About loss assessors
Working with a loss assessor
- Can you get me more money on my claim?
- How will you work to maximise my settlement?
- Who pays the loss assessor?
- Will my insurance company object to me using my own assessor?
- When in the claim should we engage a loss assessor?
About Truman Associates
- Who are you regulated by?
- How does an insurance claim work through Truman Associates?
- How much does it cost to engage Truman Associates?
- I’m already in the middle of a claim, is it too late for Truman Associates to help?
Business claim questions
- My business has suffered a disaster, should I get my team to help clear up?
- I’m a landlord and my managing agent says they’ll manage my claim, why should I call you?
- I’m a landlord and my tenants have damaged my property, can you help me?
About loss assessors
What is a loss adjuster?
A loss adjuster is paid by your insurance company to investigate the claim on their behalf and determine the outcome of your settlement – or if your claim should even be met at all.
In their investigation, the adjuster prepares a confidential report for your insurers that comments on: the circumstances of your incident; the cause, extent and scope of the damage; and your financial and claim history. They also state their opinions on potential underinsurance (i.e. if your insurance policy will not cover the full extent of the damage) and recommend how much your insurer should pay you.
They understand the small print of your policy and use it to make sure the insurer does not pay you more than they are obliged to.
What is a loss assessor?
A loss assessor is your representative when it comes to your insurance claim. They will work with you, on your side, to guide your claim through the process, helping you to choose the options best for you along the way and negotiating with the experts appointed by your insurer.
Like a loss adjuster, a loss assessor understands the complexities and nuances of a policy wording. However, a loss assessor is hired by you and answers to you alone. They will ensure that your best interests are represented at all times to secure the claim settlement that is right for you.
Do I need a loss assessor?
In our experience: yes.
During your claim, only you and your loss assessor will have your best interests at heart and your loss assessor will invariably secure a better outcome for you than if you were to manage your claim by yourself.
The more complex or costly your claim is, the more important it is that you engage a loss assessor to represent you. While this might be your first or one of a very few insurance claims you’ve made, your insurance company and their loss adjusters are practiced at dealing with claims effectively and to their own company’s advantage. It is easy to make mistakes when making an insurance claim if you don’t know all the rules.
At Truman Associates, we work as your professional representative to apply the rules to ensure that all of your costs are fully compensated, keeping your needs in mind rather than the insurance company’s. Our loss assessors are experts in domestic fire insurance claims, flood insurance claims and theft insurance claims as well as business claims for landlords and commercial losses.
Working with a loss assessor
Can you get me more money on my claim?
For sure. We know how insurance policies work. We understand what their terms, conditions and small print mean and we work with those terms to ensure that every penny of your entitlement is paid. We are not satisfied until we win for you all that your policy can provide.
When you contact us, our first consultation is free and we will work with you to fully understand your claim. In the unlikely event that we do not believe we can get you a better settlement, we will tell you so and give you our recommendations for how to progress. This would be at no cost and you will have no obligation to us.
How will you work to maximise my settlement?
Truman Associates’ loss assessors will ensure you receive every penny you are entitled to. We know how insurance policies work in minute detail and will be much more effective in negotiating your legal and contractual entitlement.
As well as handling the insurance investigation and administration for you, we will also give you advice to help you restore your home or business, making sure that you claim cover for everything you are entitled to. For example, your insurance may provide cover for professional cleaning services after a fire or flood; if you were to do this work yourself, you may waste your own time and energy that could be put to more effective use.
Besides the financial gains of working with us, our friendly team has seen all manner of fires, floods and more and you can benefit from our expertise. We know how emotionally upsetting these events can be and will be able to advise you while constantly negotiating the best outcome with your insurer.
Who pays the loss assessor?
You hire the loss assessor personally; this ensures that your assessor works for you and has no other interests.
Though insurers are happy for you to instruct a loss assessor, they will not pay for it and there is no allowance in any insurance policy to cover an assessor’s fees.
Will my insurance company object to me using my own assessor?
No. They employ loss adjusters to look after their own interests and it is perfectly acceptable to them if you choose to employ someone to act on your behalf. Hiring a loss assessor will never prejudice your claim or negatively impact how your insurer treats you.
However, your insurer will likely advise that they will not cover an assessor’s costs – this is standard and ensures that the assessor is completely focused on getting the best outcomes for you, the claimant. Your insurer may also specify that any loss assessor you engage is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Even if your insurer does not suggest it, we believe this is critical requirement of any loss assessor and are proud that Truman Associates is fully approved by the Financial Conduct Authority.
When in the claim should we engage a loss assessor?
As soon as possible. There is no benefit to you in waiting for a further stage in the process. The sooner you call Truman Associates, the sooner we can advise you, take over the handling of your claim and secure you the best outcome.
The more work you handle by yourself, the more stress you put yourself under and the higher the risk of you reducing your settlement through inexperience.
About Truman Associates
Who are you regulated by?
We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, which gives you peace of mind that we are able to act as your authorised representative in these financial matters and will do so professionally and ethically at all times.
We are also accredited members of the following professional bodies and adhere to their latest standards at all times:
- The Institute of Public Loss Assessors
- National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters
- The Gemmological Association of Great Britain
How does an insurance claim work through Truman Associates?
Successful insurance claims are based on process. Following the right process increases your chance of making a successful claim dramatically – and the process starts as soon as you talk to your insurance company. A typical claims process would be:
- In cases involving criminal activity (such as theft or malicious damage), you should call the police to report the incident and obtain a Crime Reference Number.
- Call Truman Associates and instruct us to act on your behalf.
- We visit the scene of the loss with you.
- We go through your insurance policy thoroughly.
- We help you to prepare a schedule of the loss.
- We liaise with you to obtain estimates to repair or replace and reinstate the loss.
- We hold meetings with your insurance company’s loss adjuster and negotiate on your behalf.
- You get your settlement from your insurance company.
- You pay us a percentage of the settlement, which we would have agreed at the start.
At all stages, Truman Associates keep you informed on the progress of the claim, and you do not pay until you have received compensation from your insurers.
How much does it cost to engage Truman Associates?
Our fees are typically calculated as a percentage of the settlement we win on your behalf from your insurer and is paid on results. In our experience, the extra amount we win always far surpasses the cost of instructing us.
From the moment you hire us, we discuss and agree what we can do for you – transparently and professionally – so that there are no hidden surprises and you are left in no doubt that you are our first and ultimate priority.
Though some assessors offer their work on a “no win, no fee basis”, we do not believe this is a transparent practice. We are 100% confident in our results, even in the most complex cases, and are completely independent from insurers and any suppliers we recommend. Most importantly, we always partner our clients with a senior, highly experienced loss assessor – you will never have to call a call centre or deal with junior assessors still learning the ropes.
I’m already in the middle of a claim, is it too late for Truman Associates to help?
No. We are experienced in taking over claims that are in process and securing much better outcomes for our clients.
Some loss assessors may turn away complex claims that are already under way but we are confident in our team and track record. We will always listen to your case to see how we can help.
Our first consultation is always free and you are under no obligation to proceed with our services so, if you think a loss assessor could help or other assessors have turned you away, contact us.
Business claim questions
My business has suffered a disaster, should I get my team to help clear up?
Not necessarily. Depending on your insurance cover, tackling the clean-up yourself could save your insurers money while slowing down your business’ recovery.
After a disaster, you may think it would be best to pull in your entire workforce to help with the damage limitation or tidying up. However, this locks up your staff who would be better employed in updating customers or suppliers and trying to keep the business running.
While a damage-limitation company would cost you money upfront, you will gain an expert team that knows how to limit the physical damage while your team can stick to the work you know best. Moreover, it is often better to incur these costs if they are covered by your insurance — you are unlikely to recover lost income from putting your staff on clean-up duty.
If you’ve experienced a loss and aren’t sure how to go forward, call us now and let us help you get the most from your insurance policy so you can get back to business.
I’m a landlord and my managing agent says they’ll manage my claim, why should I call you?
There are a number of reasons why a loss assessor is best suited to manage your claim.
During an insurance investigation, it is important that anyone representing your interests is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. This ensures the standards by which they have to serve you. Your managing agent may not be authorised, but our loss assessors are.
Your managing agent can provide valuable information and local, trusted contacts for repairs your property may need. However, it is highly unlikely that they will have the expertise and experience in claims investigation and negotiation that we have. Though there is a cost associated, we are experts at securing the maximum possible settlement to help you fully restore your property.
I’m a landlord and my tenants have damaged my property, can you help me?
We appreciate that your property is crucial for your income and that damage caused by previous tenants can limit your earnings. Sadly, many insurance policies will have exclusions around such damage, pinning the responsibility on the landlord for the selection of the tenants.
However, an insurance policy is a simply a contract, and contracts can be negotiated – so there may be any number of ways to pursue a settlement from your insurer. Contact our loss assessors for a free consultation and we will look at the specific terms of your contract to see how we can help.