How I Became a Public Adjuster
Early in my career as a real estate developer and project manager, I was building a new construction 10-unit townhome in Philadelphia that was vandalized. Thieves broke in and stripped out all the copper plumbing and electrical. I contacted my plumber and electrician and they estimated damages around $300,000. But when I called my real estate firm’s insurance company, they offered only $80,000 for the claim. Shocked at the huge discrepancy, I contacted the firm’s attorney who said, “You need to call a public adjuster.” At the time, I thought to myself, what the heck is a public adjuster? I had no idea.
When the adjusters assessed the damage, they pointed out that it was not only the missing copper pipes, but the damages to drywall and new flooring were also significant. The public adjuster was able to settle the claim and award the total loss of $300,000.
When the 2008 recession hit I was no longer working in real estate; and the public adjuster mentioned above ended up hiring me as a construction estimator. And the rest is history. It’s a story that started as an unfavorable situation where I was being taken advantage of by an insurance company to my learning about and seeing the true value in a public adjuster, to turning it into a successful business where I can help other people during a time of vulnerability and significant loss. My colleagues and I are passionate about getting each and every client the money they deserve.
After working for many years for a large firm in lower Bucks County, in 2011 I went out on my own to form Guardian Adjustment Group. Now, 11 years later, we have an office of six talented professionals in our Doylestown office serving Bucks and Montgomery Counties, and surrounding communities. Today, we handle loss consulting, appraisal and claims handling across the eastern coast. We’ve served large commercial clients, national hotel and fast-food franchises and independent clients, including work in CA, TN, VA, ME, VT, LA, AL, MS, and more.
Our offices are in the heart of historic Doylestown, PA, near the new courthouse, the Mercer Museum, the iconic County Theater, and steps away from the restaurants and shops that make Doylestown so special. We are proud to be a part of this community and we are ready to provide service to property owners whenever and wherever needed.
Jordan Truelove