Public Adjuster Solicitation Rules: A Compliance Primer
An overview of the solicitation rules public adjusters must follow when contacting fire-loss victims, waiting periods, disclosures, and conduct standards that protect your license.
Most states regulate how and when public adjusters may solicit loss victims. Common rules include waiting periods after a loss before initial contact, restrictions on contact during certain hours, mandatory contract disclosures and rescission windows, and outright bans on soliciting at a loss scene during declared emergencies. These rules vary significantly by state and must be verified with your licensing authority.
Public-adjusting rules vary dramatically by state and change over time. This primer is a starting point for the right questions, always verify current requirements with your state licensing authority and legal counsel.
For a public adjuster, solicitation compliance is the line between a growing practice and a suspended license. Here's the landscape of rules you need to understand.
- Many states impose waiting periods before contacting a loss victim.
- Contract disclosures and rescission windows are commonly mandatory.
- Scene solicitation during emergencies is frequently prohibited.
- Rules vary by state, verify with your licensing authority, always.
Waiting periods
Several states prohibit soliciting a loss victim for a defined period after the loss, and some restrict solicitation entirely during declared emergencies or disasters. The intent is to protect homeowners from high-pressure contact while they're most vulnerable. Know your state's window before you make any contact.
Contract disclosures
Most jurisdictions require PA contracts to clearly disclose:
- The fee structure and how compensation is calculated.
- The homeowner's right to cancel within a rescission window.
- The scope of authority the homeowner is granting.
Missing or noncompliant disclosures can void the contract and trigger disciplinary action.
Conduct standards
- No misrepresentation of your role, authority, or the claims process.
- No inducements prohibited by your state.
- No scene solicitation where it's restricted.
- Honor cancellation rights without friction.
How real-time data fits, compliantly
Knowing that a loss occurred is not the same as soliciting the homeowner. Real-time incident data gives a PA awareness, you learn a qualifying loss happened. When and how you may then contact the homeowner is governed entirely by your state's rules. Used correctly, real-time data lets you be prepared and prompt within those rules, not a way around them.
A simple compliance checklist
- Confirm your state's waiting period before any contact.
- Use compliant, disclosed contracts every time.
- Never solicit at a scene where it's restricted.
- Document consent and communication.
- When in doubt, wait and consult counsel.
Compliance and growth aren't opposites. The PAs who scale are the ones clients and regulators both trust.
Stop waiting for fire leads to come to you. Real-time incident data surfaces fire and water losses in your market the moment dispatch hits, so you can respond first while the homeowner is still deciding who to call.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a waiting period before a public adjuster can solicit a claim?+
What must a public adjuster contract disclose?+
Can a public adjuster approach a homeowner at a fire scene?+
Stop waiting for fire leads to come to you
Real-time incident data surfaces fire and water losses in your market the moment dispatch hits, so you can respond first while the homeowner is still deciding who to call.