Seltser & Goldstein

What Seltser & Goldstein does

Seltser & Goldstein Public Adjusters, Inc. is a US-headquartered public insurance adjusting firm founded in 1935 in Peabody, Massachusetts, that exclusively represents policyholders — not insurance carriers — in the negotiation and settlement of property damage claims. The firm operates across both residential and commercial lines, handling losses from fire, water, flood, wind, smoke, hurricanes, lightning, theft, roof leaks, frozen pipes, and structural collapse, with stated capability on losses up to $25 million or more. Service delivery runs through 14 office locations across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, and Ontario (Canada), supported by a 20–35 person staff including senior public adjusters with prior carrier-side experience (Travelers, Hanover, State Farm) and licensed attorneys. Specialized verticals include educational institutions and golf courses. Customer acquisition combines direct outreach (24/7 toll-free consultation, website, social), a referral-based Partner Network of roofers, restoration contractors, plumbers, real estate agents, property managers, and insurance agents/brokers, and word-of-mouth driven by 80+ years of family-led brand reputation.

The firm's core service is professional claims advocacy: policy evaluation and coverage interpretation, emergency board-up coordination, on-site damage documentation, written claim presentation to the carrier, and final settlement negotiation. The revenue model is professional services, paid via contingency fees on settled claims (specific percentage terms are not publicly disclosed), with a free initial consultation offered 24/7. Underlying technology is not proprietary; the firm integrates third-party tools — DJI Mavic Pro drone imaging, Matterport 360-degree virtual imaging, DocuSketch 3D blueprints, HOVER 3D (AI-powered photo-to-measurement), Encircle contents inventory software, and the industry-standard Xactimate estimating platform — to substantiate damage valuations and expedite the documentation pipeline. The firm's "first formal HR manager" hire and post-acquisition professionalization indicate an organization being scaled beyond the traditional family-shop model.

In 2024, the firm was acquired by Sill Companies, ending four generations of independent family ownership that began with founder Louis Gilman in 1935 and continued through the Seltser and Goldstein families. Under Sill, the firm explicitly targets becoming "the largest and most respected public adjusting firm in the nation," with expansion evidenced by offices spanning 11 US states plus Canada and newly formalized education and golf course verticals. No public financials, funding events, or revenue figures are disclosed, and the firm remains privately held as a subsidiary within the Sill Companies portfolio.

Name

Seltser & Goldstein

Legal name

Seltser & Goldstein Public Adjusters, Inc.

Website

https://seltser.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Seltser & Goldstein is a US public insurance adjusting firm founded in 1935 that exclusively represents policyholders in negotiating residential and commercial property damage claims, serving homeowners, businesses, educational institutions, and golf courses across 14 offices in 11 states plus Ontario, Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Insurance Adjusting

NAICS

Claims Adjusting (524291)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAEADAH

Claims Advocacy & Loss Recovery Services

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Insurance Brokerage & Risk Advisory

Keywords

• Public insurance adjusting
• Property claims management
• Residential insurance claims
• Commercial insurance claims
• Policyholder advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Beverly

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Adjuster Services: Professional services as public insurance adjusters representing policyholders. Company evaluates insurance policies, documents damages, negotiates with insurance companies, and secures settlements for clients. Revenue derived from successful claim settlements on behalf of property owners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Seltser & Goldstein is a family-owned public insurance adjusting firm that evaluates insurance policies, documents property damage using drone and 3D imaging technology, negotiates with insurance carriers, and secures claim settlements exclusively on behalf of policyholders. Services span residential claims (fire, water, wind, storm, theft) and commercial claims for businesses, restaurants, real estate portfolios, property managers, condo associations, educational institutions, and golf courses, delivered through 14 office locations across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Southeast, and Canada.

Product overview

Seltser & Goldstein is a family-owned public insurance adjusting firm founded in 1935, offering a unified suite of property insurance claims management and advocacy services. The core offering consists of residential and commercial property claims services, supplemented by specialized verticals for educational institutions and golf courses. Operationally, the firm deploys a set of technology tools — Mavic Pro Drone, Encircle Inventory Software, Matterport Virtual Imagery, DocuSketch, and HOVER 3D — to document and substantiate damages for claims presentations. Services are delivered through a staff of approximately 20 public adjusters across eight offices in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and six additional states. A Partner Network program connects clients with restoration contractors, plumbers, roofing contractors, property managers, real estate agents, and insurance brokers to support end-to-end recovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Property Insurance Claims Services Advocacy and claims management services for homeowners experiencing property damage from fire, water, flood, wind, smoke, hurricanes, lightning strikes, roof leaks, and broken or frozen pipes. The firm evaluates the insurance policy, documents damages, arranges board-up and emergency services, substantiates the value of the loss, presents the claim, and secures a final settlement on behalf of the homeowner.
• Commercial Property Insurance Claims Services Claims management and negotiation services for businesses, restaurants, real estate portfolios, property managers, and condo associations experiencing property damage and business interruption losses, handling losses up to $25 million or more.
• Educational Institution Claims Services Specialized claims handling for universities and educational centers, managing damage across buildings, equipment, and business interruption with documented experience at Endicott College and Fisher College.
• Golf Course Claims Services Specialized insurance claims services for golf courses, including clubhouse, landscape, and course infrastructure damages, with documented experience handling losses from over five golf courses.
• Business & Restaurant Claims Services Claims recovery services for businesses and restaurants covering building damage, machinery, equipment, inventory losses, lost income, and costs to resume operations.
• Real Estate Portfolio Claims Services Insurance claims services for real estate investors managing single-family properties, multi-family properties, condominiums, apartment complexes, commercial buildings, and construction projects.
• Property Management Claims Services Claims recovery for property managers handling condominiums, apartment buildings, office buildings, retail complexes, and other commercial buildings, with a team of 20 public adjusters across eight locations.
• Condo Association Claims Services Claims handling for condo associations covering common areas, building structures, and coordination between individual unit policies and master policies.
• Encircle Inventory Software Documentation Service Inventory software used by the firm to create full inventory lists of affected home contents, cataloging every item from personal belongings to antiques to support complete claims documentation.
• Partner Network Network of roofing contractors, real estate agents, plumbers, restoration contractors, property managers, and insurance agents/brokers for mutual client referrals and comprehensive disaster recovery assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15,000 insurance settlements negotiated
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Roofing ContractorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Network participants who refer clients experiencing property damage to Seltser & Goldstein. Benefits include gaining access to a steady stream of claims and expanding professional network.
• Real Estate AgentsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Network participants who refer clients experiencing property damage to Seltser & Goldstein for mutual benefit.
• PlumbersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Network participants who refer clients experiencing property damage to Seltser & Goldstein.
• Restoration ContractorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Network participants who refer clients experiencing property damage to Seltser & Goldstein and receive referrals in return.
• Property ManagersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Network participants managing properties who refer clients to Seltser & Goldstein for insurance claims assistance.
• Insurance Agents/BrokersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner Network participants who refer clients to Seltser & Goldstein when claims arise from policies they have sold.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Adjusters International / Disaster Recovery Group: National public adjusting firm representing policyholders on large commercial and residential losses nationwide. Competes head-to-head with S&G on commercial claims, business interruption, and catastrophe-driven losses, with similar technology-enabled documentation approach.
• Donovan Claims & Adjusting: Regional public adjusting firm representing policyholders on property claims. Directly comparable in service model, customer type, and claims advocacy positioning, with overlap in the Northeast market.
• Citizens Public Adjusting: Multi-state public adjusting firm that negotiates property insurance claims on behalf of homeowners and businesses. Same policyholder-only representation model, contingency fees, and broad peril coverage make it a direct competitor for residential and commercial engagements.
• Tutwiler & Associates Public Insurance Adjusters: One of the largest U.S. public adjusting firms, handling residential and commercial property claims across multiple states with similar policyholder advocacy focus and contingency-based fee model. Directly comparable business model, customer base, and service offering to Seltser & Goldstein.

Regional players

• E.A. Reny & Associates: New England-based independent insurance adjusting firm serving as a regional peer in the same geography. Comparable focus on commercial and residential property claims and overlap with S&G's core New England service territory.

Broad incumbents

• Travelers Insurance: Large national property-casualty carrier whose adjuster ranks (Ross Zuckerman spent 7 years there) often sit across the negotiating table from S&G. Not a direct competitor but the most consequential counterparty on every commercial claim the firm handles.
• State Farm: Largest U.S. personal lines carrier and frequent counterparty in homeowner claims. Team member Erin Spalding previously worked at State Farm. Not a direct competitor but a structural counterparty that defines the dispute dynamics S&G navigates.
• Hanover Insurance Group: Property-casualty carrier where team member Michael Malley spent 30 years. Represents the type of established carrier S&G negotiates against, providing insight into how carriers evaluate and contest claims.

Emerging players

• Paul Davis Restoration: National restoration franchise network active in the Partner Network channel (referring restoration clients). Adjacent rather than direct: handles mitigation and rebuild rather than claims advocacy, but competes for end-of-cycle recovery revenue and shares the same disaster-response customer.

Others

• SERVPRO: National restoration franchise network listed in S&G's Partner Network and one of whose franchisees was previously owned by team member Marc LeBlanc. Serves as a referral channel for property damage claims rather than competing directly, providing restoration services that complement S&G's advocacy work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seltser
• Facebookfacebook.com/SeltserAndGoldstein
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seltser-&-goldstein-public-adjusters
• Instagraminstagram.com/seltserandgoldstein

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seltser & Goldstein