One word, two completely different roles. The loss adjuster works for the insurance company. The loss assessor works for the policyholder. They sit on opposite sides of the same claim. Here is how each role functions in an Irish insurance claim, what each one is paid to do, and how to decide which (if either) you need.
The loss adjuster’s job
The loss adjuster is appointed by the insurer once a claim is notified. Their role is to investigate the claim, assess the damage, and recommend a settlement to the insurer. They are paid by the insurer either through an internal salary or as an external contractor on a per-claim or panel basis.
Loss adjusters in Ireland are usually employed by independent firms (Crawford, Sedgwick, GAB Robins) or directly by an insurer. They are technically independent but their fees come from the insurance side; their job is to validate the claim and contain its cost from the insurer’s perspective.
The loss assessor’s job
The loss assessor is appointed by the policyholder, sometimes immediately after a loss, sometimes later in the claim if it stalls. Their role is to document the loss, prepare the claim, present it to the insurer, and negotiate the settlement on the policyholder’s behalf.
Loss assessors in Ireland are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and typically charge a percentage of the recovered settlement on a no-win-no-fee basis. The fee is often around 8% plus VAT. The settlement uplift typically more than covers the fee on any properly contested claim.
Side by side
- Who appoints them: insurer (loss adjuster) vs policyholder (loss assessor)
- Who pays them: insurer (loss adjuster) vs policyholder (loss assessor, percentage of recovered settlement)
- What they do: validate and contain the claim cost vs maximise the policyholder’s settlement
- When they appear: after the insurer is notified vs at the policyholder’s discretion, often before the loss adjuster
- Whose interests they serve: the insurer’s vs the policyholder’s
What this means in practice
The loss adjuster will write a report recommending a settlement. The insurer almost always accepts the loss adjuster’s recommendation. The policyholder is then offered that figure.
The policyholder’s choice at that point: accept, negotiate alone, or engage a loss assessor. Accepting the loss adjuster’s figure leaves any uplift on the table. Negotiating alone works when the policyholder has the time, technical knowledge, and confidence to push back on a professional. Engaging a loss assessor brings a professional with the same training as the loss adjuster, on the policyholder’s side.
Most contested claims see meaningful uplift when a loss assessor is involved, because the loss adjuster’s first figure is rarely the insurer’s final figure. Whether the uplift is worth the fee is the question; on properly contested claims the answer is usually yes.
When you do not need a loss assessor
For straightforward small claims (clear cause, obvious peril, modest settlement) the loss adjuster’s first offer is often acceptable. A loss assessor’s involvement on a 2,000 euro accidental damage claim is usually not cost-effective.
The threshold where loss assessor involvement starts paying for itself is typically around 5,000 to 10,000 euro of contested settlement. Above that, the uplift available usually justifies the fee comfortably.
When you do need a loss assessor
The clearest indicators:
- Major damage (fire, flood, large-scale water damage, subsidence)
- The insurer’s first offer feels low and you are not sure why
- The claim has been rejected outright
- You do not have the time or knowledge to negotiate the technical detail
- Business interruption is involved
When to call a loss assessor
For any claim above the threshold, a free initial review costs nothing and tells you whether engagement is worth it. We do this every week and we will tell you honestly if a claim is not worth our involvement.
The two-line summary
The loss adjuster works for the insurer. The loss assessor works for you. If the claim is significant, you want one of each.
Written by the team at N.J. Carroll & Associates, insurance loss assessors and quantity surveyors, established 1988.
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