July 13, 2026 · ACI Adjustment Group
When your Pennsylvania home or business is damaged, the word 'adjuster' can mean several different things — and the difference matters, because only one of them works for you. Understanding who represents whom is the first step to a fair claim.
The insurance company's adjuster
When you file a claim, the insurer assigns a company (or 'staff') adjuster to it. This person is an employee of the insurance company. Their job is to evaluate your loss on the company's behalf and determine what the company will pay. They may be professional and courteous, but they are paid by, and accountable to, the insurer — not to you.
The independent adjuster
Insurers also hire independent adjusters — contractors who handle claims on the company's behalf, often during busy periods or for out-of-area losses. Despite the name 'independent,' they are still working for the insurance company that hired them, not for the policyholder.
The public adjuster — your representative
A public adjuster is a licensed professional who represents the policyholder, and only the policyholder. A public adjuster inspects the damage, reviews your policy, documents the full loss with photographs and a detailed estimate, and negotiates directly with your insurer from first notice through settlement. In Pennsylvania, public adjusters are licensed and regulated by the Commonwealth.
The value is straightforward: the insurance company has professionals working to evaluate your loss on its terms; a public adjuster puts a licensed professional on your side of the table so the claim is documented fully and paid the way your policy requires.
Working with ACI
ACI Adjustment Group is a licensed public adjusting firm headquartered in Newtown that represents Pennsylvania policyholders — never insurance companies. We work across the Commonwealth; you can start with our Pennsylvania public adjuster page or, if you're in the city, our Philadelphia public adjuster page, and browse the full range of claims we handle on our services page. Our free Pennsylvania claim guides explain how the process works before you file.