We Know How Insurance Companies Think.
We Use That Knowledge for You.
DCS was founded by a former insurance carrier field adjuster and team lead with seven years of carrier-side claims handling experience (2010 to 2017). We built this firm to give policyholders the same expertise that insurance companies rely on internally.
Our Story
Dependable Claims Specialists was built on a simple truth: many policyholders face their insurance company alone, without anyone in their corner who truly understands how the claims process works from the inside.
Our founder grew up working in construction and remodeling, starting at age 14. That background provides something most adjusters never have: a hands-on understanding of how buildings are put together and what it actually costs to repair them correctly.
In 2010, our founder joined the insurance industry as a field adjuster for carriers, eventually rising to team lead. Those years inside the carrier side teach exactly how insurance companies evaluate claims, which parts of a file draw the most scrutiny, and what documentation it takes to build a claim that holds up. In 2017, our founder became a licensed public adjuster and built DCS to put all of that carrier-side knowledge to work for policyholders instead.
Texas is our home base. Dependable Claims Specialists holds an active Texas Department of Insurance public adjusting firm license (TX Firm #3134924) and is also licensed in Florida (FL Firm #W820363). As public adjusters, we have recovered additional payments for homeowners and business owners whose initial offers came in below the documented cost of repair, including the documented results shown in our case studies.
We are not here to fight with your insurance company. We are here to make sure your claim is documented completely, presented professionally, and pursued for what your policy provides. We take the stress off your plate so you can focus on what matters most: your family, your home, and your recovery.
Our Commitment to You
- We work exclusively for policyholders. We never represent insurance companies.
- Public adjusting work is contingency-based: no recovery means no fee.
- We handle every aspect of your claim from inspection to final settlement.
- We help you understand and fulfill every obligation under your policy.
- We are fully licensed in Texas (home base) and Florida.
- We respond quickly and keep you informed throughout the entire process.
Why We Built DCS
After years of watching policyholders accept settlements that did not come close to covering their actual losses, our founder built DCS to give every property owner access to the same level of expertise and advocacy that insurance companies rely on internally. You paid for your policy. Our job is to document your loss completely and present it so the claim is evaluated on the full record.
Six Roles. Different Sides. Different Fee Structures.
Most policyholders never learn that there are six distinct roles in property insurance claim handling, and they do not all work for the same side. Knowing which is which is the foundation of understanding what your options are when a loss happens.
Staff Adjuster
An employee of the insurance carrier. Salaried by the carrier. Investigates and values claims under the carrier internal guidelines. Cannot represent policyholders.
Works for: Insurance company
Fee: Salary (carrier employee)
Independent Adjuster (IA)
A contractor hired by the insurance carrier, often during catastrophe deployments. Paid per file by the carrier. Works under the carrier guidelines. Cannot represent policyholders on the same loss.
Works for: Insurance company
Fee: Per-file (paid by carrier)
Public Adjuster (PA)
A state-licensed adjuster hired by the policyholder. Inspects damage, documents the loss, prepares the claim, and negotiates with the carrier on the policyholder behalf.
Works for: You (the policyholder)
Fee: No recovery, no fee. Paid from the money recovered, within state fee limits.
Loss Consultant
Advisory engagement. Provides policy review, coverage analysis, settlement-offer review, expert testimony, or attorney-litigation support without taking on the formal PA representation. Does not negotiate the claim with the carrier as agent of the policyholder.
Works for: You or your attorney
Fee: Quoted by engagement; work constituting public adjusting remains subject to PA requirements
Party-Appointed Appraiser
Named under the appraisal clause by one party. Required to be "competent and disinterested" or "competent and impartial" under the policy. Inspects, scopes, prices, and reaches a defensible loss-amount opinion. Not an advocate. Does not address coverage.
Works for: Impartial, named by one party
Fee: Separate written agreement; a flat fee on most residential claims, with added time and expenses on complex claims; never a percentage of the claim.
Umpire
Neutral tiebreaker selected jointly by the two party-appointed appraisers (or appointed by a court if they cannot agree). Reviews both estimates and the supporting record, may inspect, and issues a written award. Any 2 of 3 must agree for the award to bind.
Works for: Neutral third party
Fee: Flat fee on most residential matters, plus time and expenses on complex claims; split 50/50 by the parties on standard policies. Never contingency.
Key distinctions that matter most
- Public adjusting and appraiser engagements are different roles with different fee rules. Appraiser and umpire work uses a separate written agreement and is never billed as a percentage of the claim. Most residential matters are a flat fee, and additional time and expenses can apply depending on the complexity of the claim. Those charges are separate from the DCS public-adjusting contingency fee. Public-adjusting work remains subject to its state fee limits; panel eligibility depends on the policy and any prior involvement in the claim.
- Public adjusters are not attorneys. PAs read and apply policy language in the ordinary course of adjusting (coverage parts, exclusions, endorsements, scope). They do not provide legal advice, draft demand letters in the legal sense, file Texas Ch. 542A pre-suit notices, or pursue litigation. Those are attorney work.
- Appraisers and umpires do not decide coverage. Appraisal determines the amount of loss under the policy and may require evaluating which damage relates to the claimed event. It does not finally decide legal coverage questions, and eligibility, timing, and the effect of an award depend on the policy and the law. Disputed legal questions belong to a licensed attorney.
Licenses and Credentials
Texas Licensed (Home Base)
Firm License #3134924
Texas Department of Insurance. Public adjusting governed by Texas Insurance Code Chapter 4102.
Florida Licensed
Firm License #W820363
Florida Department of Financial Services. Public adjusting governed by Florida Statute §626.854.
Construction Background
Hands-on construction and remodeling experience reaching back decades, informing every estimate and inspection DCS performs.
Licensed personnel: Joshua Osteen, founder and licensed public adjuster (Texas #2237777 / Florida #W045717), who spent 2010 to 2017 on the carrier side as a field adjuster and team lead; and Hillary Baker, licensed public adjuster (Texas #3448858), handling residential property, water and mold, and storm and hail claims. Every license is verifiable through the Texas Department of Insurance and Florida Department of Financial Services lookup tools.
Frequently Asked Questions About DCS
Who is Dependable Claims Specialists (DCS PIA)?
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Where is Dependable Claims Specialists - Public Insurance Adjusters based?
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What does a public adjuster cost?
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What kinds of claims does DCS handle?
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Who founded DCS and what is their background?
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Is DCS a law firm?
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What Our Policyholders Say
Steve Saxenian
5 months ago
“Josh did the best job possible on my Beryl claim. Very professional and very very meticulous. He negotiated a settlement several times the amount the insurance company initially came up with due to his perseverance and knowledge of construction. Really the best decision I've made in years.”
John Brau
5 months ago
“Dependable Claims Specialist (DCS) saved us! We have had State Farm Ins. for more than Fifty (50) years, and State Farm was denying major parts of our claim. We were totally frustrated until Josh Osteen at Dependable Claims Specialist came to our rescue. Josh has some of the most sophisticated equipment I have ever seen; he used this to document the damage and calculate the proper amount for the claim. With his help, we were able to get a new roof, new A/C unit and fair payments for the serious damage done by Hurricane BERYL.”
Maria Deras
6 months ago
“When Hurricane Beryl hit and a tree fell on our house in Spring, we were completely overwhelmed. Josh stepped in and took all the stress off of us. He explained everything clearly and made sure our home, ALE, and personal property were covered, over $240,000 in total. It was such a relief knowing we were taken care of. I would recommend him to any family dealing with insurance.”
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Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a licensed public adjuster today. Public adjusting work is contingency-based: no recovery, no fee, no upfront cost.
