Working with an adjuster and provider
Clarify who decides coverage, who assesses the property and who authorizes work.
Protect the record as you go.
- Link photos and notes to a room or item ID.
- Keep estimates, authorizations and invoices together.
- Ask your insurer about your actual policy and instructions.
Identify the role rather than only the title
Ask whom the person represents and what they are authorized to do. Alberta Insurance Council describes licensing for independent adjusters and an exemption for insurer employees. Verify the actual role and applicable requirements rather than assuming every person follows the same licensing route.
A contractor’s estimate, a specialist’s finding and an insurer’s coverage position can be separate documents. Ask which one is being provided and which decisions remain with someone else.
Compare scopes on the same items
Use room and item IDs to discuss a difference. Ask whether the disagreement concerns extent, material condition, method, price, coverage or missing information. That makes the next action more precise than a broad statement that two estimates differ.
Request the basis for the actual decision in writing. Keep supporting photographs, test reports, item lists and approved revisions connected to the disputed work item.
Keep authorizations explicit
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who approves work? | Prevents an estimate being mistaken for authority. |
| What has been approved? | Names the task, amount and conditions. |
| What changed? | Retains the reason for a revision. |
| What remains outstanding? | Keeps an unresolved question visible. |
| Which review route applies? | Uses the actual insurer/professional process. |
Use deadlines from the actual claim
Policy and legal timelines can matter, but this site does not calculate them. Ask the appropriate insurer or adviser to identify the applicable deadline and required action for the specific matter. Preserve that instruction and act through the appropriate process.
Take a useful brief
into the next conversation.
Organize your observations with a planning tool. Review the brief before choosing to share it.
References and scope
- Wildfires and property insurance — Government of Alberta.
Policy wording and limits vary. Coverage, valuation and payment decisions require the actual policy/claim. - Adjuster licensing and exemptions — Alberta Insurance Council.
Independent adjusting licensing; insurer employees have an exemption. Check the exact professional and role.
Source links checked September 30, 2026. General guidance and original planning questions do not establish the condition, exposure risk or clearance of a property.
Smoke damage?
Start with a clear next step.
Describe what is known, where the property is and what you need help deciding. The HAUSE team reviews the request and, with your consent, may connect you with a suitable provider if available.
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