
Confessions of a claims adjuster: What I wish policyholders knew
What your claims adjuster wishes you knew.
Our Expert Contributors are a select group of creators, experts and thought leaders who share first-person perspectives on finance and its intersections with our lives.
Meet our expertsChantal M. Roberts, CPCU, AIC, RPA, ITP, is an insurance expert, author, and educator with over 25 years in the insurance industry. She joined Bankrate in March 2025, bringing her extensive experience as a multi-lined claims adjuster, litigation consultant, and insurance trainer. Throughout her career, Chantal has specialized in complex claims, including business interruption, commercial property, cargo, and cannabis-related insurance.
Chantal is the principal and CEO of CMR Consulting Corporation, where she provides litigation support as an expert witness for claims handling, standards and practice. Her career also includes leadership roles at third-party administrators and insurers, where she managed claims departments, developed best practices, and trained adjusters on industry standards. A sought-after speaker and writer, Chantal has authored multiple books, including The Art of Adjusting: Writing Down the Unwritten Rules of Claims Handling and Once Upon a Claim: Fairy Tales to Protect Your Ass(ets), helping consumers and professionals alike understand insurance and claims handling.
Chantal holds multiple industry certifications, including the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Associate in Claims (AIC), Registered Professional Adjuster (RPA), and Insurance Training Professional (ITP). She also maintains active adjuster licenses in more than 25 states. Passionate about insurance education, she serves as an instructor for Borough of Manhattan Community College, where she teaches business law and risk management and insurance. Chantal is also a facilitator for The Institutes CPCU 530: Applying Legal Concepts to Insurance.
When she’s not analyzing policies or writing about claims, Chantal enjoys reading, traveling, and debating the finer points of insurance coverage.
Insurance claims are based on the contract—the policy—you have purchased. Insurance commercials do not adequately represent what is and is not covered. Remember you get what you pay for. If you’re looking for the lowest premium, you will have less risks covered. This means you will pay more out of pocket for your losses.
I can usually tie any subject to insurance, and nine times out of ten, I can make it interesting, understandable, and approachable.
— Chantal M. Roberts, CPCU, AIC, RPA, ITP
What your claims adjuster wishes you knew.