Most roofers we license go on to do insurance work. Storm season, hail, wind, ice dams, the claim is where the job comes from. But the roofer usually has the least say in how that claim gets settled. The homeowner signs what the carrier sends, the scope gets cut, and you eat the difference or chase the homeowner for it. A public adjuster license fixes that. Four reasons, in the order roofers usually feel them.
You get named on the insurance check.
As the public adjuster on the claim, you are paid out of the settlement when the property owner is paid. No more finishing a roof and then chasing a homeowner for your money. A contingency agreement alone is hard to enforce. A PA contract on file with the carrier is not.
You negotiate directly with the carrier.
You work the claim line item by line item on the homeowner’s behalf, with the estimate you wrote. Most owners do not know how to do this and do not want to learn, which makes it one of the strongest things you can offer at the kitchen table. It also ends the game of hoping the carrier’s adjuster scopes it right. See handling the adjuster meeting for what that looks like without the license.
You are never locked out of a claim.
If the homeowner brings in their own public adjuster, you lose your seat at the table. That PA decides the scope, the contractor and the timing. Increasingly, carriers will only deal with the PA once one is signed. Hold the license yourself and the seat is always yours.
You get paid twice on the same job.
In Illinois you can be the public adjuster and the contractor on the same claim, and be paid for both. Most states do not allow that. One relationship, two ways to earn, and far more control over how the job turns out. Read the rules in Can a roofer be a public adjuster in Illinois?
What it takes to add the license
The path is the same one every Illinois public adjuster takes: pass the state exam at Pearson VUE (100 questions, 70% to pass), post a $50,000 surety bond, complete fingerprinting, and license through the Illinois Department of Insurance. For a roofer, the exam is the new part. You already know the damage and the estimate. The insurance law, policy language and coverage questions are what the three-day class is built around.
- Three days, Rosemont or Zoom. Roofing graduates get our returning-student rate.
- Pass or come back free. If you need another attempt, any future PA class is yours at no charge for up to one year.
- We handle the paperwork. Bond, fingerprinting, NIPR filing and the IDOI application through our White Glove Licensing Service, so you keep running your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to stop roofing to be a public adjuster?
No. In Illinois you can hold both licenses and work both sides of the same claim. Most of the roofers we license keep roofing and add the PA work on top.
How much does a public adjuster make on a claim?
A percentage of the settlement, capped at 10% on residential claims in Illinois. The math is in how much public adjusters make.
How long does it take to get licensed?
Three days of class, then you pick your exam date at Pearson VUE. After you pass, the bond, fingerprinting and state application typically run a few weeks. The step-by-step is in how to become a public adjuster in Illinois.
Do I need my roofing license first?
No, they are separate licenses. Most roofers get the roofing license first because it is where the work comes from, then add the PA license to own the claim side.
The Bottom Line
A roofing license gets you the job. A public adjuster license gets you the claim, the check, and the seat at the table. If you are already doing insurance work, you are already doing half of a public adjuster’s job for free. The three-day class is the fastest way to stop doing that.
Next: the Public Adjuster course, the rules for roofers, or how to become a public adjuster.
Add the PA License to Your Roofing Business
Three days in Rosemont or on Zoom. Returning roofing students get our graduate rate.