Uncovering Public Adjusting's Hidden History: A Call for Contributions
Public insurance adjusting remains one of the most understudied and undocumented aspects of insurance history. Let's change that together.
The history of public insurance adjusting remains one of the most understudied and undocumented aspects of American insurance history. While insurance carriers, public adjuster associations, and legacy firms maintain extensive historical archives, the evolution of public adjusting—a profession dedicated to representing policyholders—still sits largely in the shadows.
Much of this profession's historical record remains sealed in private association archives or scattered across countless local newspapers, advertisements, and municipal records.
Where is the data?
As someone dedicated to uncovering this history (and an insurance history enthusiast in general), I've found fragments of fascinating stories: early Jewish and Italian public adjusters helping their communities navigate complex claims in the 1920s, African American adjusters establishing trusted practices in urban centers during the civil rights era, and the evolving terminology of our profession having included "independent adjustors" at some point, to today's "public adjusters."
There's so much more, and I can't wait to share it with you. However... These scattered pieces suggest a rich history of public service, diversity, and advocacy that deserves to be documented and shared.
This is where you come in.
If you have:
- Old advertisements or business cards from public adjusting firms
- Historical documents or correspondence
- Family stories of early public adjusters
- Photographs of public adjusters or their offices
- Old license records or certificates
- Association newsletters or meeting minutes
- Newspaper clippings or articles
- Court cases involving public adjusters
- Any other historical materials related to public adjusting
Please reach out. Every piece helps complete this puzzle.
Our profession's history is more than just interesting stories - it's a crucial part of understanding how policyholder advocacy evolved in the Americas. By documenting this history, we can better understand our role today and shape our profession's future.
Contact me at thesarahparker.com, or on LinkedIn, to share your pieces of public adjusting history. All contributors will be credited in our historical archive unless anonymity is requested.
Let's share this history together.
