TITLE 33 INSURANCE

Section 23. Licensing, 33-23-1 through 33-23-205.

ARTICLE 1 AGENTS, AGENCIES, SUBAGENTS, COUNSELORS, AND ADJUSTERS

33-23-43.1. Requirements for public adjuster contracts.

1. Public adjusters shall ensure that all contracts for their services are in writing, prominently captioned and titled "Public Adjuster Contract," and contain the following:
   1. Legible full name of the public adjuster signing the contract, as specified on the license issued by the Department of Insurance, and attestation language that the public adjuster is fully bonded pursuant to state law;
   2. Permanent home state business address and contact information of the public adjuster, including e-mail address;
   3. The public adjuster's Department of Insurance license number and a statement that the license is valid and in full force and effect as of the date the contract is signed;
   4. The insured's full name and street address;
   5. A description of the loss and its location, if applicable;
   6. A description of services to be provided to the insured;
   7. Signatures of the public adjuster and the insured;
   8. The date the contract was signed by the public adjuster, and the date the contract was signed by the insured;
   9. A statement of the fee, compensation, or other considerations that the public adjuster is to receive for services, including a listing of typical costs and expenses for which the public adjuster is to be reimbursed; and
   10. A statement prominently captioned in a minimum 12 point font that contains the following:
       1. Any direct or indirect interest in or compensation by any construction firm, salvage firm, building appraisal firm, storage company, or any other firm or business entity that performs any work in conjunction with damages incident to any loss which the adjuster has been contracted to adjust;
       2. Any direct or indirect participation in the reconstruction, repair, or restoration of damaged property that is the subject of a claim adjusted by the adjuster or disclosure of any other activities that may be reasonably construed as a conflict of interest, including a financial interest in any salvage, repair, construction, or restoration of any business entity that obtains business in connection with any claims that the public adjuster has a contract or agreement to adjust; and
       3. Any direct or indirect compensation of value in connection with an insured's specific loss other than compensation from the insured for service as a public adjuster.
2. Public adjuster contracts may not contain a contract term that:
   1. Restricts an insured's right to initiate and maintain direct communications with his or her attorney, the insurer, the insurer's adjuster, the insurer's attorney, or any other person regarding settlement of the insured's claim;
   2. Vests the public adjuster with the right to initiate direct communications with the insured's insurer, the insurer's adjuster, or the insurer's attorney regarding settlement of the insured's claim without specific written authorization from the insured;
   3. Allows the public adjuster's percentage fee to be collected when money is due from an insurance company but not paid or that allows a public adjuster to collect the entire fee from the first check issued by an insurance company rather than as a percentage of each check issued by an insurance company;
   4. Requires the insured to authorize an insurance company to issue a check only in the name of the public adjuster; or
   5. Precludes or restricts an insured from pursuing any civil remedies relating to his or her claim.
3. All public adjuster contracts shall be construed to contain, by operation of law:
   1. A provision granting the insured a right to rescind the contract within three business days after the date the contract was signed, so long as the rescission is in writing and mailed or delivered to the public adjuster at the address stated in the contract within three business days. For purposes of this subsection, rescission of the contract shall be considered delivered or mailed if it is delivered by electronic transmittal to the e-mail address or facsimile specified in the contract for such communications;
   2. A provision that if the insured exercises the right to rescind the contract, anything of value given by the insured under the contract will be returned to the insured within 15 business days following the receipt by the public adjuster of the cancellation notice; and
   3. A provision requiring that, prior to initiating any contact with the insured's insurer, the insurer's adjuster, or the insurer's attorney regarding settlement of the insured's claim, a public adjuster must provide the insurer a notification letter signed by the insured confirming that the insured has authorized the public adjuster to communicate directly with the insurer, the insurer's adjuster, or the insurer's attorney on behalf of the insured.
4. All public adjuster contracts shall be executed in duplicate to provide an original contract to the public adjuster and an original contract to the insured. The public adjuster's original contract shall be available at all times for inspection without notice by the Commissioner of Insurance.

(Code 1981, §33-23-43.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2014, p. 181, § 5/HB 610; Ga. L. 2015, p. 5, § 33/HB 90.)