Hawaii Authorizes Adjusters to Assist with Storm Claims

Hawaii’s Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Insurance Division has issued an order to authorize additional nonresident independent adjusters to help homeowners and businesses with their insurance claims, following the recent storms that battered the state and caused extensive damage.

Commissioner J. P. Schmidt said, “Property damage on all islands is so extensive that insurers can not evaluate the claims in a reasonable time with their in-state resources.”

The Hawai’i Revised Statutes (HRS) allow the Commissioner to authorize use of adjusters from the mainland so that the claims can be processed efficiently.

“Homeowners and businesses need a speedy resolution of their claims, so they can repair their homes and businesses and move ahead,” Schmidt said. “If there are not enough adjusters to evaluate claims, the process hits a bottleneck that slows everything down, resulting in frustration and detriment for all.”

The nonresident adjusters must provide a certified copy of their license in another state and may only adjust losses that were a result of the recent catastrophe. Some additional nonresident adjusters have already applied and been approved under this authorization, according to Schmidt.

Source: DCCA