Sec. 1. (a) The term "public adjuster" shall include every individual or corporation who, or which, for compensation or reward, renders advice or assistance to the insured in the adjustment of a claim or claims for loss or damages under any policy of insurance covering real or personal property and any person or corporation who, or which, advertises, solicits business, or holds itself out to the public as an adjuster of such claims. However, no public adjuster shall:

(1) act in any manner in relation to claims for personal injury or automobile property damage; or

(2) bind the insured in the settlement of claims.

(b) This chapter does not apply to, and the following are not included in the term "public adjuster":

(1) An attorney at law admitted to practice in the state of Indiana who adjusts insurance losses in the course of the practice of the attorney's profession.

(2) An officer, regular salaried employee, or other representative of an insurer or of an attorney in fact of any reciprocal insurer of Lloyd's underwriter licensed to do business in Indiana who adjusts losses arising under an employer's or principal's own policies.

(3) An adjustment bureau or association owned and maintained by insurers to adjust or investigate losses of such insurers, or any regular salaried employee who devotes substantially all the employee's time to the business of such bureau or association.

(4) Any licensed insurance producer or an authorized insurer or officer or employee of the same who adjusts losses for such insurer, and any insurance producer or representative of a farm mutual insurance company operating under the farm mutual insurance laws of this state on behalf of an insurer.

(5) Any independent adjuster representing an insurer.

As added by P.L.257-1983, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.129-2003, SEC.6; P.L.178-2003, SEC.28.