What does a loss adjuster do on a subsidence claim?

On a subsidence claim the loss adjuster is the person you deal with most, yet many homeowners are unsure whose side they are on. The sections below explain the role, the key distinction from a loss assessor, and how to work with an adjuster.

What the loss adjuster actually does

On a subsidence claim the loss adjuster runs the process from acceptance to sign-off. Their work spans the whole claim rather than a single visit:

• Confirms cover: checks the policy applies and the damage is insured subsidence rather than an excluded cause.
• Instructs specialists: appoints a structural engineer to investigate via trial pits, drain surveys and monitoring.
• Agrees the repair: approves the least-cost lasting scheme the engineer specifies, from drain repair to underpinning.
• Appoints contractors: arranges the approved firms who carry out works and reinstatement.
• Authorises payment: settles costs, applying your subsidence excess.

Because they act for the insurer, the adjuster balances putting the damage right with controlling the insurer's costs — which is why the scope of repair is sometimes a point of discussion.

Who appoints and pays the adjuster

On most domestic subsidence claims the insurer appoints the loss adjuster and pays their fee as part of handling the claim, so it costs you nothing directly. The adjuster may be an in-house employee of the insurer or, more often, work for an independent loss adjusting firm instructed by the insurer. Either way, their duty runs to the insurer. This is not something to be suspicious of in itself — a competent adjuster handles your claim professionally and fairly — but it is the reason you should understand that their job includes keeping the insurer's costs reasonable, not maximising what you receive.

That is also why the distinction from a loss assessor exists. If you want someone whose duty runs to you, you appoint and pay a loss assessor. For straightforward claims, many homeowners are content to deal with the adjuster directly while keeping their own careful records; for large, complex or disputed claims, the cost of a loss assessor can be worthwhile for the representation it provides.

Loss adjuster versus loss assessor

The two roles sound alike but sit on opposite sides of the claim.

Indicative roles for guidance only. Sources: Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters, Citizens Advice.

How the adjuster decides the repair

One of the adjuster's most important jobs is agreeing the scope of repair, and this is where homeowners most often have questions. The adjuster relies on the structural engineer's findings: what the trial pits, drain survey and monitoring show about the cause and whether movement is continuing. From that evidence they agree the least-cost lasting repair — which may be drain repair and tree management, partial underpinning, or, less often, full underpinning. The adjuster is balancing two duties: restoring the building to a sound condition, and doing so at a cost the policy properly bears.

That balance is legitimate, but it is also why scope disputes arise. If you believe the agreed repair is inadequate — for instance, that monitoring has not run long enough, or that underpinning is needed where the adjuster proposes only drain works — you can say so, ideally with support from your own engineer. The adjuster should be able to explain, in writing, why the chosen scheme follows from the engineering evidence. A clear, evidence-based explanation is reasonable; a decision the adjuster cannot justify on the reports is one you can challenge.

Working with the adjuster effectively

You cannot choose the adjuster, but you can make the relationship work. Keep their reference number and a dated log of every call and visit. Provide what they ask for promptly — access for inspections, photographs, and any history of the property. Put important points in writing so there is a clear record, particularly any disagreement about cause or scope. If you feel the adjuster is handling the claim unfairly or too slowly, you complain to the insurer, not the adjuster directly, and can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service if it is unresolved after eight weeks. A cooperative, well-documented approach is the most reliable way to keep a long subsidence claim on track.

Remember that the adjuster is one part of a wider team. The structural engineer determines the cause and specifies the works; the contractors carry them out; and the adjuster coordinates and funds the process on the insurer's behalf. Knowing who does what helps you direct questions to the right person — technical queries about the cause to the engineer, and questions about cover, cost and timescales to the adjuster — which keeps a long and multi-staged claim moving without confusion.

It also helps to set expectations about pace. A subsidence claim is not a quick transaction, and the adjuster is managing a sequence of dependent stages — investigation, then monitoring, then repair, then the Certificate of Structural Adequacy — that cannot be rushed without risking the wrong fix. A good adjuster will explain where your claim sits in that sequence and what the next step is, so a long timeline feels managed rather than stalled. If you cannot get that clarity, asking for it in writing is reasonable, and a persistent lack of a plan is itself something to raise through the insurer's complaints route.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & further reading

• Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters — about loss adjusting
• Citizens Advice — home insurance and making a claim

Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific property. They are guidance, not a quotation.