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Hire Dependable Claims Specialists

No obligation. No recovery, no fee. Complete the form below and we will contact you within 24 hours.

Your Rights Before Hiring a Public Adjuster. Hiring a public adjuster is optional. You are not required to enter into a contract with a public adjuster to make a claim for loss or damage under your insurance policy. Submitting this form does not create a contract - representation begins only when a written public adjuster contract is signed by both parties.

Fee Caps. Texas public adjuster fees are capped at 10% of the insurance settlement (Texas Insurance Code §4102.104). Florida public adjuster fees are capped at 10% on claims tied to a Governor-declared state of emergency (for one year after the declaration) and 20% on non-emergency claims (Florida Statute §626.854).

Right to Cancel. Florida policyholders have the right to cancel a public adjuster contract, without penalty or obligation, within 3 business days after signing (or within 10 business days after the date of loss for claims tied to a declared state of emergency) under Florida Statute §626.854(7). Texas policyholders may cancel in accordance with Texas Insurance Code Chapter 4102 and the written contract terms.

DCS is a licensed public adjusting firm - not a law firm - and does not provide legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Full Claim Intake and Review Form

This form is for clients who are ready to begin a full claim review. It collects everything we need to properly evaluate your policy, document your loss, and represent you with your insurance company. It typically takes 10 to 20 minutes to complete.

Not ready for a full intake? We have faster options:

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Step 1 of 6: Contact Information

Do not begin full repairs until your claim is fully settled. Damage is evidence. Altering or removing it before your insurer has properly documented it can eliminate coverage entirely. Insurance companies only pay for what can be proven. Only perform emergency repairs necessary to prevent further damage, and document everything with photos and video before touching anything.

Contact Information

The named insured is the person or entity listed on the insurance policy declarations page.

A co-insured is an additional person listed on the policy who also has coverage rights.

Mailing Address

What Happens After You Submit This Form

Submitting an intake form does not create representation. It starts a free, no-obligation review by a licensed public adjuster (Joshua Osteen: Texas PIA license #2237777 / Florida PA license #W045717; firm licensure: TX #3134924 / FL #W820363). Here is the exact sequence:

  1. 1

    Acknowledgment

    Forms submitted during business hours are answered by a licensed adjuster as promptly as practical, typically within 1 business day. For urgent matters (active leaks, structural compromise), call 833-4UR-LOSS directly.

  2. 2

    Free intake review

    A licensed adjuster reviews the loss type, the carrier, the policy form (if you can share the declarations page), and any prior carrier correspondence. There is no charge for the review and no obligation to engage. We provide an honest assessment of whether representation is appropriate or whether another path - direct negotiation, the Texas Department of Insurance complaint process, the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Consumer Services, or referral to a policyholder-side attorney - is a better fit.

  3. 3

    Written contract for e-signature

    If we agree representation makes sense, we send a written Public Adjuster Service Agreement that complies with Texas Insurance Code Chapter 4102 (Texas) and Florida Statute §626.854 and Florida Administrative Code Rule 69B-220.051 (Florida). Florida grants a written, three-business-day right of rescission. Fee, scope, and termination terms are disclosed in plain language.

  4. 4

    Notice of representation filed with carrier

    Once you sign, we file a written notice of representation directly with the carrier so all future communication routes through us. You do not have to keep talking to the carrier yourself.

  5. 5

    Inspection and re-documentation

    We schedule a property inspection promptly after engagement (sooner for active losses) and document damage to IICRC S500/S520 standards where applicable. Where relevant, we pull weather data (NCEI / NOAA Storm Events), review pre-loss imagery, and prepare an Xactimate estimate using the carrier's active region price list.

  6. 6

    Negotiation, supplement, or appraisal

    We submit the sworn proof of loss and supporting estimate, then negotiate. If the carrier and we cannot agree on the amount of loss (not coverage), we invoke the policy's appraisal clause. If coverage itself is disputed, we coordinate referral to policyholder-side counsel - public adjusters do not practice law.

What to Have Handy (Optional)

None of these are required to submit - call or fill out the form first and we'll request what we need. Having any of them speeds the review:

  • • Carrier name and policy number
  • • Declarations page (limits, deductibles, endorsements)
  • • Carrier claim number, if assigned
  • • Date and approximate cause of loss
  • • Photos or video of damage (any quality)
  • • Carrier denial or estimate, if received
  • • Mitigation invoices (water extraction, board-up, tarp)
  • • Prior claim history for the property, if any

Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring a Public Adjuster

How much does a public adjuster cost?

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Our fee is contingent on additional recovery and is set by written contract within statutory limits. Texas: capped at 10% of the amount of insurance settlement on a claim that arises from a Governor-declared catastrophe (Tex. Ins. Code §4102.104); non-catastrophe fees are negotiated by contract. Florida: capped at 10% during the first year following a declared state of emergency, and 20% otherwise (Fla. Stat. §626.854(11)). If we do not recover additional money for you, we charge nothing.

Does hiring a public adjuster slow down my claim?

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No. In most cases it accelerates resolution because the carrier now has a single competent point of contact, complete documentation, and a properly drafted proof of loss. Texas Insurance Code §542 prompt-pay deadlines continue to run while we represent you, and we file the deadline-triggering documents on the carrier's required schedule.

Can the carrier "blacklist" me for hiring a public adjuster?

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No. Hiring a public adjuster is a statutory right under Tex. Ins. Code Ch. 4102 and Fla. Stat. §626.854. Retaliation by the carrier - denying a claim, raising premiums, or non-renewing solely because you exercised the right to representation - is prohibited and would be reportable to TDI / OIR. In practice, carriers handle PA-represented claims as a routine part of the business.

What if I have already started talking to the carrier myself?

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No problem - many of our clients come to us mid-claim. We pick up the file at whatever stage you're in: pre-inspection, post-estimate, post-denial, or post-supplement. We request the existing claim file and policy documents from the carrier and re-document anything that needs re-documenting.

Can you take my case if I am already represented by an attorney?

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Generally yes, with the attorney's coordination. Attorneys handle the legal claims (bad-faith, §541, §542); we handle the underlying property-damage scope and amount. The two roles are complementary, not competing. We will not interfere with an existing attorney-client relationship.

Do you take small claims, or only catastrophic ones?

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We take claims of all sizes within our service area, but we are honest about whether representation will pay for itself. For a $3,000 minor water claim where the carrier is being reasonable, you likely don't need us. For a $30,000+ claim, a denied claim, or any commercial/BI claim, professional representation almost always justifies the contingent fee.

How long does the engagement last?

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Until the claim is resolved - settlement, appraisal award, or referral to counsel. The contract terminates automatically when the loss is closed. You can also cancel within Florida's two-business-day rescission window (no fee owed) or terminate later under the contract's termination clause.
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