Free Calculator

Public Adjuster Fee Calculator

This calculator models the DCS fee structure - the way our written contract reads - not how every firm charges. The Texas and Florida statutory caps bind every licensed public adjuster; the structure beneath them is ours: never a fee on your deductible or non-recoverable depreciation, and never more than the cap on your settlement.

By Dependable Claims Specialists - Public Insurance Adjusters · Licensed in Texas & Florida

This calculator models the DCS fee structure - not every firm’s.

Two different things are on this page. The law, which binds every public adjuster: in Texas, no public adjuster may charge more than 10% of the insurance settlement (Tex. Ins. Code §4102.104); in Florida, no more than 20% of the claim payment, or 10% for declared-emergency claims made within one year of the declaration (Fla. Stat. §626.854(11)). Our contract, which is ours alone: the flat 25% on new money after a pre-contract payment, no fee on your deductible or non-recoverable depreciation, and the fee following each check as it is issued are terms of the written DCS contract. Other firms structure their fees differently within the same legal limits.

Your Claim

State of the loss
$

Everything the carrier agrees to pay on the claim, including any interest - before the deductible.

$

Removed before the fee is calculated - you never pay a fee on your deductible.

$

Depreciation your policy never pays back. The fee does not apply to it - or to your deductible.

$

Money the insurer holds back until repairs are done. The settlement does not include it until it is released - no fee on it until then.

Had the insurer PAID anything before the date of your public adjuster contract? (An unpaid offer does not count.)

Estimated Fee

Tex. Ins. Code §4102.104

$10,000

The 10% rate applies

The insurer paid nothing before your contract date, so the contract has one rate for this claim: a flat 10% of the settlement.

Fee base once the claim pays in full

After deductible & non-recoverable depreciation

$100,000
New money recovered after the contract date
$100,000
Fee on funds released so far
$10,000
You keep (once fully paid)
$90,000

Capped by statute and by the contract. In Texas your total fee never exceeds 10% of the entire settlement (§4102.104) - a limit that binds every public adjuster, not just DCS - and under our contract the fee is a percentage of each check as issued, never all out of the first check. In Florida, fees are not charged on payments you already received (§626.854(11)(a)).

Review These Numbers With a Licensed Adjuster - Free Or call 833-4UR-LOSS

Educational estimate based on the figures you entered. The claim review is free either way - no recovery, no fee.

5.0 on Google23 verified reviewsTX TDI #3134924Verify on TDIAmerican Policyholder Association Professional MemberAPA MemberAmerican Policyholder Assn.TAPIA + FAPIATX & FL PA associationsBBB Accredited Business - Dependable Claims Specialists, Webster TX

Educational estimate only. Your actual fee is set by the written, state-compliant public adjuster contract you sign. No recovery, no fee.

How the Fee Is Calculated

Texas - the DCS contract fee, under the 10% cap (Tex. Ins. Code §4102.104)

This calculator mirrors the fee clause of the written DCS public adjuster contract (TDI-approved form, 28 TAC §19.708). Texas law caps the total commission at 10% of the insurance settlement, and the contract works like this:

  • No carrier payment before the contract date: 10% of all settlements or payments recovered from the insurer, including any interest - through adjustment, mediation, appraisal, arbitration, or lawsuit.
  • Insurer PAID some amount before the contract date (payment is the trigger - an unpaid offer does not count): a flat 25% of any money agreed to after the contract date, until it reaches the statutory ceiling of 10% of the total settlement - then it is capped there. 25% until the cap, never a sliding percentage.
  • Never charged: your deductible and non-recoverable depreciation are excluded from the fee entirely.
  • Paid as you are paid: the fee is a percentage of each check the insurer issues - never collected entirely out of the first check.
  • 72-hour policy-limit rule: if the insurer pays or commits to policy limits within 72 hours of the loss report, no percentage commission is allowed - only reasonable compensation for time and expenses.
  • No recovery, no percentage fee - guaranteed in the contract.

Worked examples - straight from the contract

No pre-contract payment

Recovered
$10,000
10% of total
$1,000
Fee$1,000

Insurer paid $10,000 pre-contract

New money
$5,000
Total settlement
$15,000
25% of new money
$1,250
Statutory cap (10%)
$1,500
Fee$1,250

The 25% rate applies - it does not exceed the statutory cap.

Insurer paid $5,000 pre-contract

New money
$15,000
Total settlement
$20,000
25% of new money
$3,750
Statutory cap (10%)
$2,000
Fee$2,000

The 10% statutory cap applies - you pay the lesser of the two.

Florida - 20% / 10% (Fla. Stat. §626.854(11))

  • Standard claim: up to 20% of the claim payment - §626.854(11)(b)(2).
  • Declared emergency: 10% for claims based on a declared state of emergency, made within one year of the declaration; after that year it returns to 20% - §626.854(11)(b)(1).
  • No fee on prior payments: the fee cannot be based on a previous settlement or payments the insurer already made for the same loss - §626.854(11)(a).
  • Deductible excluded: insurance claim payments do not include the policy deductible - §626.854(11)(c).

Why no fee on the deductible or non-recoverable depreciation? Your deductible is money you absorb, not money the insurer pays you, and non-recoverable depreciation is never paid under the policy - so the contract excludes both from the fee. Withheld recoverable depreciation is different: it IS part of the settlement, and the fee on it is simply due as the insurer releases those funds, because the fee is charged as a percentage of each check as it is issued.

More Free Calculators

Recoverable Depreciation

See your ACV check now vs. the depreciation released after repairs.

Hurricane Deductible

Percentage windstorm/hurricane deductibles applied to your dwelling limit.

Underpayment Estimator

Compare the carrier’s offer against an estimate of your claim’s value.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a public adjuster cost in Texas?
In Texas, a public adjuster’s fee is capped at 10% of the insurance settlement on the claim under Texas Insurance Code §4102.104. DCS charges on a contingency basis - a percentage of what we recover - so there is no upfront cost, and the written contract guarantees there is no percentage fee unless money is recovered. Under the DCS contract the fee never applies to your deductible or to non-recoverable depreciation.
How much does a public adjuster cost in Florida?
Florida caps public adjuster fees under Fla. Stat. §626.854(11): 20% of the claim payment for a standard claim, reduced to 10% for claims based on a declared state of emergency that are made within one year of the declaration. Florida law also says the fee cannot be charged on the policy deductible, and cannot be based on payments the insurer already made for the same loss before the public adjuster was hired.
The insurance company already paid me something before I signed. How is the fee calculated?
The dividing line in the DCS contract is the contract date, and the trigger is payment: an offer that was never paid does not count - it is either paid or it is not. If the insurer PAID some amount before the date of the contract, the rate is a flat 25% of any money the insurer agrees to after the contract date. That 25% runs until it reaches the statutory ceiling - 10% of the total settlement under Texas Insurance Code §4102.104 - and the fee is capped there. It is 25% until the cap, never a sliding or blended percentage. Example from the contract: the insurer had paid $10,000 before the contract and we recover $5,000 more ($15,000 total) - 25% of the new $5,000 is $1,250, under the $1,500 cap, so the fee is $1,250. If instead $5,000 had been paid pre-contract and we recover $15,000 more ($20,000 total) - 25% of the new money would be $3,750, but the cap is 10% of the $20,000 total, so the fee is capped at $2,000. In Florida, the law (§626.854(11)(a)) prohibits charging any fee based on payments the insurer already made for the same loss, so the Florida fee applies only to the new recovery.
Is the fee calculated before or after the deductible? And when is it due?
The DCS contract excludes two things from the fee entirely: your deductible (money you absorb, never paid to you by the insurer) and non-recoverable depreciation (money the policy never pays back). Recoverable depreciation IS part of the settlement - the fee on it is simply due as the insurer releases those funds, because the fee is charged as a percentage of each check the insurance company issues. It is never collected entirely out of the first check.
Are there any situations where a Texas public adjuster cannot charge a percentage fee?
Yes. Under Texas Insurance Code §4102.104, a public adjuster may not take a percentage commission on a claim where the insurer pays - or commits in writing to pay - the policy limit within 72 hours of the loss being reported (in accordance with §862.053). In that situation the adjuster is entitled only to reasonable compensation for time and expenses already provided. This calculator includes a toggle for that situation.
Do all public adjusters charge fees the way this calculator shows?
No - and that distinction matters. What binds EVERY licensed public adjuster is the statutory cap: in Texas, no public adjuster may charge more than 10% of the insurance settlement (Texas Insurance Code §4102.104); in Florida, no more than 20% of the claim payment, or 10% for declared-emergency claims made within one year of the declaration (Fla. Stat. §626.854(11)). Everything else this calculator shows is the DCS fee structure specifically - the flat 25% on new money after a pre-contract payment, no fee on your deductible or non-recoverable depreciation, and the fee following each check as it is issued are terms of the written DCS contract, not industry rules. Other firms structure their fees differently within the same legal limits, so compare contracts, not just percentages.
Is this calculator an exact quote?
It is an educational estimate based on the figures you enter, and for Texas it mirrors the fee clause of the written DCS public adjuster contract (TDI-approved form) under the statutory caps. Your actual fee is always set by the contract you sign - that document governs. For a precise figure on your specific claim, request a free review and we will walk you through it.

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.

See What Your Claim Is Really Worth

A licensed public adjuster will review your policy and your loss for free. No upfront cost - no recovery, no fee.

Free Claim Review 833-4UR-LOSS
Accessibility settings reset, font size 100 percent