MT Public Adjuster study plan

Map the four exam domains to their weightings and rank study hours accordingly, writing the weighting math out so the plan is defensible

Define the core insurance vocabulary (insurer, insured, premium, policy, binder, endorsement, deductible, coinsurance, indemnity, subrogation) and write a one-sentence original definition for each

Explain the difference between an adjuster acting for the insurer and a public adjuster acting for the insured, including who may contract with whom and who owes what duty to whom

List the Montana entities that touch adjuster licensing and consumer protection and state the function of each in your own words

Summarize Montana adjuster licensing requirements as you understand them, flagging every item you cannot verify so it can be confirmed against the current statute and department guidance

Describe the purpose of continuing education and license renewal cycles and explain what happens to an adjuster who lapses

Outline the Montana unfair trade practice prohibitions that most often arise in claims (misrepresentation, false advertising, unfair settlement practices, failure to act promptly) and give a plain-language example of each

Explain the role of the Montana insurance commissioner in examinations, market conduct reviews, and consumer complaints

Distinguish property coverage from casualty coverage and identify which policy forms (HO-3, HO-5, DP-1, DP-3, commercial property, CGL) sit in each bucket

Trace how a claim moves from first notice of loss to final payment, naming each step and the document produced at each step

Explain insurable interest, actual cash value versus replacement cost, and how depreciation is calculated in each method

Define coinsurance, deductible application, and policy limits, and work three arithmetic examples of a coinsurance penalty

Explain the difference between named perils and open perils (all risk) and list common exclusions found in both

Describe how deductibles interact with policy limits and how a total loss is settled when limits are exhausted

Identify the standard endorsements that change a property claim (replacement cost, ordinance or law, water backup, scheduled personal property) and state the effect of each

Explain how liability coverage responds to a third-party claim, including duty to defend versus duty to indemnify

Write the sequence of adjuster actions on a first-party property claim, from acknowledgment through inspection, documentation, estimate, and settlement offer

Describe how to investigate a claim: recorded statements, photographs, diagrams, receipts, and expert reports, and what each item is meant to prove

Explain how to prepare a scope of loss and a repair estimate, and how to negotiate a disputed line item without conceding coverage

Identify red flags of fraud or exaggeration in a property claim and describe the adjuster's obligation when fraud is suspected

Explain how a public adjuster's contract works: compensation basis, disclosure requirements, cancellation rights, and what must be in writing

Describe how to handle a claim where the insured disputes the insurer's offer, including appraisal, mediation, and the role of the adjuster in each

Distinguish the duties owed by a public adjuster to the insured from those owed by a company adjuster to the insurer, and identify conflicts of interest

Apply the unfair trade practice rules to three hypothetical claims scenarios and state whether a violation occurred and why

Explain the fiduciary responsibility a public adjuster has over claim funds and client records, and describe recordkeeping practices that satisfy it

Describe prohibited conduct for adjusters, including misrepresentation of authority, solicitation restrictions, and fee disclosure failures

Explain the complaint and disciplinary process in Montana, from consumer complaint to investigation to sanction, and the adjuster's rights in that process

Review your week 2 'verify' list and resolve every open item against current sources

Answer 200+ practice questions across all four domains, tracking accuracy per domain rather than overall

Re-study only the two lowest-accuracy domains, rewriting your own notes rather than rereading source material

Rehearse the arithmetic (ACV, depreciation, coinsurance, deductible application) until you can complete each type without reference notes

Simulate exam conditions with a timed full-length set and review every miss to identify the underlying concept, not just the right answer