HI Public Adjuster study guide
HI Public Adjuster · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Hawaii Public Adjuster credential is a professional license issued through Hawaii's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). Public adjusters represent policyholders - not insurers - when a property claim is prepared, documented, and negotiated, so the license signals that a candidate can work directly for consumers on first-party claims. The HI Public Adjuster study guide has 4 sections and about 1,800 words.
01Insurance Principles and Policy Coverage
Domain 1 - Insurance Principles and Policy Coverage tests whether you can read a homeowner or commercial property policy as an indemnity contract and apply its insuring agreement, exclusions, exceptions, conditions, and valuation rules to a Hawaii loss. Expect questions on insurable interest, actual cash value versus replacement cost, coinsurance, deductibles (including percentage hurricane deductibles), other insurance, duties after loss, and appraisal.
456 words, about 2 min02Claims Handling, Investigation, and Damage Evaluation
Domain 2 - Claims Handling, Investigation, and Damage Evaluation tests the claim from first notice to payment: acknowledging and investigating promptly, determining cause and origin, separating covered from uncovered damage, documenting the loss, and building a defensible repair estimate. Hawaii expects good-faith handling and a written basis for denial; the exam favors people who investigate before they conclude.
436 words, about 2 min03Public Adjusting Practices, Contracts, and Compensation
Domain 3 - Public Adjusting Practices, Contracts, and Compensation tests the business side of representing the insured: licensing, written contracts, disclosure, fee calculation, fiduciary duties, solicitation limits, and conflicts. The exam expects you to know that a public adjuster works only for the insured and that the contract is a regulated consumer document, not a private handshake.
471 words, about 2 min04Hawaii Insurance Laws, Rules, and Ethics
Domain 4 - Hawaii Insurance Laws, Rules, and Ethics tests the regulatory frame around public adjusting: licensing by the Hawaii Insurance Division under HRS Chapter 431, Article 9A, continuing education and reporting duties, unfair trade and claim practices under HRS §431:13-103, fraud, privacy, and the ethical limits on advocacy. Public adjusters must hold a Hawaii license and may not negotiate a claim without one.
437 words, about 2 min