KY Public Adjuster study plan

Build a one-page map of the standard dwelling fire policy (DP-1/DP-2/DP-3) and homeowners forms (HO-3, HO-5, HO-8), listing which perils are open vs. named and where each form sits on the coverage spectrum.

Annotate a blank copy of a DP-3 and an HO-3 declarations page and coverage sections, marking Coverage A/B/C/D limits, deductibles, and endorsement slots, and explain in your own words how the loss-settlement clause (ACV vs. replacement cost) changes the payout math.

Compute three practice loss scenarios by hand: a partial roof loss under ACV, the same loss under replacement cost with a 20% depreciation holdback, and a total loss where the Coverage A limit caps recovery.

Recite the dwelling policy exclusions (ordinance or law, earth movement, water damage, neglect, intentional loss) and state one adjuster-facing consequence of each.

Draft a 200-word comparison of HO-3 vs. HO-5 open-peril coverage written as if explaining it to a homeowner client.

Walk through every HO-3 property section in order (Coverages A-F, additional coverages, conditions, exclusions) and write a plain-language summary of each Coverage C special limit (money, jewelry theft, firearms, business property).

Explain the mechanics of coinsurance in a dwelling policy and calculate the penalty on a sample underinsured loss.

Identify the loss-of-use coverages (additional living expense, fair rental value, prohibited use) and compute a 30-day ALE payment including a rent-free period offset.

List the endorsements most likely to appear on a Kentucky homeowners claim file (water backup, scheduled personal property, replacement cost on contents, ordinance or law) and state what each changes at claim time.

Self-quiz on 40 policy-provision flashcards (definitions, duties after loss, appraisal, subrogation) and log any item missed twice.

Distinguish the commercial property coverage forms (building and personal property, causes of loss basic/broad/special) and state which perils each named-peril form adds.

Explain coinsurance under the commercial property form and compute the coinsurance penalty for a building insured at 60% of value on an 80% coinsurance form, then redo the math with an agreed value endorsement.

Work through business income and extra expense: define the period of restoration, identify the 72-hour waiting period where applicable, and calculate a monthly business income loss from a supplied revenue and expense schedule.

Describe blanket vs. specific insurance, reporting forms, and the peak-season endorsement, and explain how each affects a commercial loss adjustment.

Summarize the key commercial property exclusions (ordinance or law, spoilage, utility services, faulty workmanship) and note which can be bought back.

Outline the Kentucky public adjuster licensing pathway: application, prelicensing hours, exam, fingerprinting, bonding or errors-and-omissions requirement, and renewal cycle, citing the statute or regulation number for each step.

List the statutory prohibitions on public adjuster conduct (fee caps, solicitation timing, contract rescission rights, compensation contingent on settlement) and write the practical do/don't for each.

Define the general insurance principles (indemnity, insurable interest, utmost good faith, adhesion, subrogation, proximate cause) and give a property-claim example of each.

Explain the difference in authority and duty among a public adjuster, a company staff adjuster, and an independent adjuster, and describe who may represent the insured.

Complete 30 regulation and licensing practice questions and record your score by subtopic.

Build a claim-handling timeline from first notice of loss through payment, naming each step (contact, inspection, documentation, estimate, negotiation, settlement, proof of loss) and the typical deadline attached to it.

Practice scoping a water-damage loss: produce a room-by-room quantity list with unit costs for drywall, baseboard, flooring, and contents, and total it.

Explain the difference between repair estimate, replacement cost, actual cash value, and depreciation, and apply each to the same damaged item.

Describe how to document a disputed cause-and-origin finding (wind vs. wear, long-term seepage vs. sudden discharge) and what evidence you would collect.

Review the standard fraud indicators in a property claim and state the adjuster's reporting obligation when fraud is suspected.

Complete two timed damage-evaluation drills (one dwelling, one commercial) using a scope sheet, and self-grade against an answer key for math and omission errors.

Summarize the liability coverages that intersect with property claims: personal liability (Coverage E), medical payments (Coverage F), and the commercial general liability Coverage A/B/C structure.

Explain the elements of negligence, the concept of comparative fault as applied in Kentucky, and how liability limits and defense costs are handled under a CGL policy.

Describe how a public adjuster's role changes when a claim involves third-party liability (e.g., a fire that spread to a neighbor) and what to refer out.

Draft a negotiation summary letter to a carrier that states the disputed items, your supporting figures, and the requested settlement amount.

Draft a compliant client representation agreement outline covering scope of authority, fee structure, cancellation rights, and disclosure of the public adjuster's role.

Identify the consumer-protection traps in solicitation: door-to-door timing, unsolicited contact after a catastrophe, fee disclosure, and handling of claim proceeds, and write a script that stays compliant.

Explain fiduciary duty, conflict of interest, and recordkeeping obligations, and describe how to handle an offer of a contractor referral fee.

Walk through an ethical dilemma scenario (insured asks you to inflate a contents list) and write the response you would give and the steps you would document.

Review Kentucky-specific requirements on contract form, fee caps, and notice to the insured, and check each against your draft agreement.

Take two full-length timed practice exams under test conditions and record scores by domain.

Re-study the two lowest-scoring domains using your week 1-7 notes, and rewrite the cheat sheets for those domains from memory.

Recite from memory the 20 highest-yield numbers: coinsurance formulas, ALE rules, special limits, deductible mechanics, and licensing deadlines.

Review all flagged missed questions from weeks 1-7 and confirm each is now answerable without notes.

Build a final-week exam-day plan covering scheduling, ID and licensing paperwork, and a one-hour pre-exam review list.