IL| The Illinois Department of Insurance’s Company Bulletin 2026-01 advises that many insurers are improperly naming Illinois public adjusters as co‑payees on claim checks or mailing checks directly to public adjusters when the public adjuster contract does not authorize this, which infringes on consumer rights under the current Illinois Public Adjusters Law (Article XLV). The bulletin clarifies that public adjuster contracts may, but do not have to, specify a public adjuster as co‑payee and that any compensation for public adjuster services is the insured’s obligation, not the insurer’s. Property and casualty insurers are directed to review claims practices and only add public adjusters as co‑payees or mail checks to them when the written public adjuster contract received by the insurer expressly contains such provisions, though insurers are not required to verify contract form approval and may report suspected public adjuster wrongdoing to the Department via email.