With a background in engineering and architecture, Todd Moler is a public insurance adjuster who advocates for complete claims evaluations for his clients. Before Mr. Moler opened his own public insurance adjusting company, he worked for more than 16 years as a staff insurance adjuster. Through he worked as an adjuster for insurance companies, he was trained to adjust insurance claims. But in his final years as a company adjuster, Mr. Moler received failing claim reviews for his true and fair damage evaluations.
After graduating State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he completed his degree in architecture, Mr. Moler worked in the design and construction trade. After earning his adjuster license, he went to work for as an adjuster for Royal & Sun Alliance. At Royal & Sun Alliance, Mr. Moler was taught to evaluate claims in total and to allow for payment to restore a property to its pre- loss condition. He throughly enjoyed his job and liked working for Royal & Sun, but the company stopped writing policies in the U.S. After joining other well known insurance companies, Mr. Moler felt resistance from management teams who challenged his evaluations.
Before he changed directions and became a public insurance adjuster, Mr. Moler spent more than two years fighting for his job. “I would evaluate and properly adjust a claim, but I would receive a failing assessment of the claim file because I was told I was over paying claims when I was scoping the total damages.”
Mr. Moler provided an example of two of his assignments with flooring damage.
Both properties had damaged hard wood flooring that was tenting. On the first claim, he put in his evaluation for repair and his manager audited the claim file, faulting Mr. Moler for paying for the removal and the replacement of the baseboards. Mr. Moler was told the company policy did not include allocations for baseboards. Mr. Moler asked the carrier to send any flooring installer to view the damage as an expert and evaluate the damages, but the carrier refused. In Moler’s eyes, there was no way to properly replace the flooring without removing the baseboards.
Only a few short months later, Mr. Moler visited another property with tented hardwood floors. This time, following the instructions of the insurance company, he did not allocate any scope of work relating to baseboards. When the policyholders questioned the estimate, he had to tell them that the insurance company would not pay for the baseboards because they were not directly damaged by the loss. But when the homeowner asked how on earth he would do the repairs to the floors without affecting the baseboards, Mr. Moler could not lie to the insured. He could only say that the company would not pay for it. This claim file was also audited and Mr. Moler was given a failing score for poor customer service. The customer had complained to the insurance company about the evaluation.
This is just one small example of the pressure I was getting. As a result, I spent the last two years as a company adjuster fighting to present the homeowner’s position and arguments to the insurance company, while fighting to keep my job amongst my failing evaluations.
Mr. Moler came to the realization that the individuals filing the claim needed someone to look out for their interests and that he could serve the public and still use his skills. Todd Moler became licensed as a Connecticut public insurance adjuster and founded The Public’s Adjuster, LLC.
His business is expanding and has caught the attention of local news media. The Post-Chronicle contacted Mr. Moler for a story about his business and the work he does for policyholders.
As a public adjuster, Todd Moler uses his background and insurance experience for carriers and couples with his eye for architecture and passion for building designs. He explained that unlike some newer developments common in other residential areas nationwide, many of his clients own historic homes and buildings. These intricate and custom properties require sharp attention to detail when determining how to restore the structure. Mr. Moler found his niche, using his skill and passion for the people who need and deserve his services.
To learn more about Todd Moler check out his website,
To learn more about Connecticut public adjusters and their association, CAPIA, here is my prior post from January 1, 2011: Association of Public Adjusters in Connecticut Helps Shape Changes in the Law.
