Who Does a NC Public Adjuster Work With?

Contractors provide repair estimates, document conditions, and execute the restoration — but under North Carolina law, they are not permitted to adjust or negotiate insurance claims on behalf of property owners (doing so constitutes unlicensed public adjusting). Mantis Claims Group works alongside contractors, using their scope documentation as evidence while maintaining independent professional responsibility for all claim negotiation. Our clients benefit from relationships with licensed commercial roofing contractors, general contractors, restoration companies, and specialty trades throughout Eastern NC.

Complex claims involving causation disputes — wind vs. flood, storm damage vs. pre-existing deterioration, fire cause and origin — require independent engineering analysis. Mantis Claims Group engages licensed forensic and structural engineers to establish wind-versus-flood causation, hail damage thresholds for commercial roofing, structural integrity of heat-affected steel and concrete, and below-grade damage after flood events. Independent engineering documentation forces carriers to respond substantively rather than simply asserting their adjuster's contrary opinion.

Mantis Claims Group is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. On complex claims where coverage disputes involve policy interpretation questions, bad faith carrier conduct, or potential litigation, we work alongside policyholders' coverage counsel. North Carolina has a robust body of insurance case law, and attorneys experienced in policyholder representation are valuable allies when carriers dig in on disputed claims. We also help clients evaluate whether NCDOI administrative remedies or legal action may be appropriate after a denial.

Business interruption and extra expense claims require financial documentation and analysis that goes beyond what most public adjusters prepare alone. Mantis Claims Group works with CPAs and forensic accountants to prepare BI claim packages that are analytically rigorous and defensible under carrier scrutiny. For large commercial and industrial losses, we recommend engaging a forensic accountant in the first week after the loss to begin the financial documentation process — not after the physical scope is settled.

Industrial facility claims may involve environmental contamination, hazardous materials exposure, or indoor air quality issues from smoke and soot. Mantis Claims Group engages certified industrial hygienists and environmental consultants to document these conditions and establish the remediation scope required by applicable regulations, ensuring these costs are properly integrated into the property damage claim.

For very large commercial losses where replacement cost or actual cash value is disputed at a fundamental level, independent commercial real estate appraisers provide defensible valuation opinions. On coverage disputes involving agreed value versus replacement cost provisions, an appraiser's analysis can be determinative in resolving the disagreement in the policyholder's favor.

Water damage remediation, smoke and soot cleanup, mold assessment and remediation, and biohazard cleaning require licensed specialists with IICRC certification. Mantis Claims Group works with restoration companies that document their scope of work in Xactimate-compatible formats, ensuring that remediation costs are properly captured and defensible within the insurance claim.

For public entities — counties, municipalities, school districts, utilities — that qualify for FEMA Public Assistance Program grants following declared disasters, Mantis Claims Group coordinates with FEMA grant specialists to maximize total recovery across both the insurance claim and the FEMA assistance program. Proper sequencing of these two funding sources can significantly affect the net recovery to the public entity while avoiding duplication of benefits.