Licensed Public Adjusters in Florida
Representing Florida policyholders when the insurance company underpays, delays, or denies a legitimate property damage claim. We know the Florida market, the carriers, and the claim process inside and out.
Based in Wellington, FL - Palm Beach County. We serve homeowners and businesses across Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.
Why Florida Policyholders Need a Public Adjuster in 2026
Florida has one of the most complex property insurance markets in the United States. Recent legislative changes (including SB 2-D and SB 2-A in 2022) have updated rules around Assignment of Benefits and other claims-related practices. The day-to-day reality for policyholders has not changed: carriers still routinely send their own adjusters first, and those adjusters work for the carrier. A licensed public adjuster represents the policyholder side of the claim under a regulated contract and a contingency fee - we are not attorneys, but we are insurance professionals who level the field on the valuation side of a claim.
NOAA hurricane return-period data places South Florida among the most hurricane-prone areas of the mainland United States. Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties sit directly in the path of Atlantic basin hurricanes. Hurricane Andrew (1992), Hurricane Wilma (2005), Hurricane Irma (2017), and Hurricane Ian (2022) all caused catastrophic damage across Florida, and South Florida sits squarely in the Atlantic hurricane path. The annual hurricane season from June 1 through November 30 brings renewed risk every year. Beyond hurricanes, South Florida homeowners face tropical storms, heavy rain events, hail, wind, tornadoes from outer bands, and significant roof damage from aging structures in coastal environments.
The insurance carrier sends their adjuster first. That adjuster works for the carrier and their job is to assess and value the loss within the carrier's internal guidelines. Whether through inexperience or an inadequate scope, the first offer is frequently well below what the policy actually owes. A Florida public adjuster - licensed by the Department of Financial Services and bound by statute to represent only the policyholder - levels the playing field.
Our Florida practice focuses on documentation and valuation: thorough damage scoping, defensible Xactimate estimates, careful tracking of carrier communications, and applying the right policy provisions to each loss. When a claim involves a question about matching (§626.9744), claim-handling timelines (§627.70131), or supplemental filings (§627.70132), we make sure the underlying documentation is in place. Legal questions about how those statutes apply to a specific claim are questions for a licensed attorney - and we work alongside your attorney when one is involved.
Florida Insurance Law - What Every Policyholder Should Know
Florida closely regulates public adjusting and the property claim process. Here is what policyholders most often need to know when working with a licensed public adjuster on a Florida claim.
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PA Fees Capped at 20% (10% for Emergencies)
Florida Statute §626.854 limits public adjuster fees to 20% of the insurance settlement under normal circumstances, and 10% for claims arising from a declared state of emergency (such as a declared hurricane) that are made within one year after the declaration of emergency. The statute also bars a fee based on your deductible or on amounts the insurer already paid for the same loss. Hiring a public adjuster is optional and entirely your choice.
Matching / Uniform Appearance (§626.9744)
Florida Statute §626.9744 addresses matching of materials in property insurance claims, and how it applies to a specific claim is a question for a licensed attorney. The statute is well known among public adjusters and is frequently relevant when a partial loss raises questions about whether replacement materials will visually match the undamaged portion of the property. We document matching issues thoroughly in every applicable claim.
DFS Licensing & Oversight
The Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) licenses and regulates every public adjuster in the state. DCS holds an active Florida public adjusting firm license (FL Firm #W820363) and operates in full compliance with DFS requirements, including continuing education and bond requirements.
Claim Notice Windows Are Short
Florida law sets short windows for giving notice of a new, reopened, or supplemental property claim, and which window applies depends on the date of loss. If damage was missed or underpaid, have the claim reviewed promptly; how a notice deadline applies to a specific claim is a question for a licensed attorney.
Assignment of Benefits (AOB) Changes
Florida’s legal landscape around Assignment of Benefits has changed in recent years. Hiring a licensed public adjuster is different from signing an AOB to a contractor: a PA represents YOU under a written contract regulated by the Florida Department of Financial Services, does not take ownership of your claim, and is paid on contingency only if you recover. We are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice on AOB questions.
Every Claim Timeline Documented
Florida law sets timeframes for carriers to acknowledge, investigate, and pay or deny a property insurance claim. We document the timeline of every claim we handle so the policyholder has a complete written record of dates, communications, and carrier responses. Specific legal questions about claim timing should be discussed with a licensed attorney.
South Florida Counties We Serve
We represent policyholders across the three largest counties in South Florida, covering the entire I-95 corridor from Jupiter to Homestead.
Florida Cities We Serve
We work with policyholders across every major city in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.
Florida Claim Types We Handle
From hurricanes and tropical storms to water damage, fire, and denied claims - we represent Florida policyholders across every major peril.
Florida Public Adjuster FAQ
The questions Florida policyholders ask most about working with a licensed public adjuster.
What is a Florida public adjuster and what do they do?
How much does a Florida public adjuster cost?
Are private adjusters and personal adjusters the same as Florida public adjusters?
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: Contingency, capped by statute (10% in TX under Ch. 4102; up to 20% in FL under §626.854, 10% during a declared emergency for the first year)
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: Flat fee or time-and-expense (not contingency)
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: Neutral fact-finder
Fee: Flat-minimum-plus-time-and-expense. Never contingency. PA fee caps do NOT apply.
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-minimum-plus-time-and-expense, 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. The PA fee caps under TX Ins. Code Ch. 4102 and FL Stat. §626.854 govern public adjusting work. They do not apply to appraiser or umpire engagements, which are time-and-expense based.
- 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. The appraisal process is strictly limited to the dollar amount of the loss. Coverage questions belong to the carrier, the courts, or a licensed attorney.
The Rules DCS Works Under
Public adjusters are licensed and regulated in both states we serve. These are the rules that govern how we may contract with you and what we may charge - the framework we are held to. We read and apply your policy in the ordinary course of adjusting; legal questions belong to a licensed attorney in your state.
Texas (Home Base)
DCS Firm License #3134924
- TX Ins. Code Ch. 4102. The public adjuster statute. Caps the public adjusting commission on any claim at 10% of the insurance settlement on that claim (§4102.104).
- Written contract, on an approved form. The agreement must be in writing on a TDI-approved form (§4102.103; TDI form FIN535).
- Your 72-hour right to cancel. You may rescind the contract by written notice within 72 hours of signing (§4102.103).
- No percentage fee in one case. A percentage commission is not allowed if the insurer pays, or commits in writing to pay, policy limits within 72 hours of the loss report (§4102.104).
- We do not practise law. A public adjuster handles the claim; legal advice and legal remedies are attorney work (§4102.156).
- License authority: Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).
Florida
DCS Firm License #W820363
- Fla. Stat. §626.854. The public adjuster statute. Caps public adjuster compensation at 20% of the claim payment, reduced to 10% for claims arising from a declared state of emergency and made within one year after the declaration.
- Your right to cancel. You may cancel the contract without penalty within 10 days after signing - and for a claim arising from a Governor-declared state of emergency, 30 days after the date of loss or 10 days after signing, whichever is longer (§626.854(7)).
- Working for the policyholder. A public adjuster represents the insured, not the insurance company.
- License authority: Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS).
Important. This is general educational information about how public adjusters are licensed and paid, not legal advice. Dependable Claims Specialists - Public Insurance Adjusters read and apply policy language in the ordinary course of adjusting (coverage parts, exclusions, endorsements, scope). We do not provide legal advice, and we do not pursue legal remedies. For any legal question, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Educational Information - Not Legal Advice
The information on this page is for general educational purposes only. Dependable Claims Specialists is a licensed public adjusting firm - not a law firm. Public adjusters help policyholders inspect, document, evaluate, and negotiate property insurance claims, which includes reading and applying your policy in the ordinary course of adjusting (coverage parts, exclusions, endorsements, scope). We do not practice law and we do not provide legal advice. For legal opinions, demand letters, Chapter 542A pre-suit notices, statutory remedies under the Insurance Code, or litigation, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Texas public adjusters operate under TX Ins. Code Chapter 4102; Florida public adjusters operate under FL Statute §626.854.
Florida Insurance Claim? Let's Get You Paid.
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