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Public Adjuster Fee Calculator

Estimate a public adjuster’s contingency fee under the Texas and Florida statutory caps — calculated the honest way: after your deductible and withheld depreciation, and never more than the statutory cap on your settlement.

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

Your Claim

State of the loss
$

The full agreed claim value (replacement cost), before the deductible.

$

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

$

Money the insurer holds back until repairs are done. Removed from the fee base here.

Have you already received a payment on this claim?

Estimated Fee

Tex. Ins. Code §4102.104

$10,000

10% of the settlement

Net recoverable settlement

After deductible & withheld depreciation

$100,000
New money the fee applies to
$100,000
Estimated public adjuster fee
$10,000
You keep
$90,000
Effective rate on new money
10.0%

Capped by statute. In Texas your total fee never exceeds 10% of the entire settlement (§4102.104). In Florida, fees are not charged on payments you already received (§626.854(11)(a)).

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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 — 10% cap (Tex. Ins. Code §4102.104)

A Texas public adjuster’s total commission may not exceed 10% of the insurance settlement on the claim. DCS charges on contingency, so the fee comes out of what we recover:

  • Standard claim: 10% of the net settlement (after deductible and withheld depreciation).
  • You already received a payment: the lesser of 25% of the new money we recover or 10% of the total settlement. The fee can include up to 10% of the prior payment on top of 10% of the new money, but your total commission never exceeds the 10% statutory cap on the entire settlement.
  • 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.

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 deduct the deductible and withheld depreciation first? Your deductible is money you absorb, not money the insurer pays you, and withheld (recoverable) depreciation is held back until repairs are finished. Charging a fee on either would overstate the cost, so this calculator removes both before applying any percentage.

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Recoverable Depreciation

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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 if there is no recovery there is no fee. The fee is calculated on the net recoverable amount, after the deductible and any withheld (recoverable) depreciation are taken out.
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.
If I already received a payment, how is the fee calculated on the new money?
In Texas, when you have already collected a payment and we recover additional (new) money, our fee is the lesser of 25% of the new money or 10% of the total settlement. Because the cap is 10% of the entire settlement (prior payment + new money), part of the fee can be attributable to the prior payment — but your total public adjusting fee never exceeds the 10% statutory cap under Texas Insurance Code §4102.104. 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?
After. The deductible is your responsibility and is never something the insurer pays you, so it is removed before the fee is calculated. Withheld (recoverable) depreciation — money the insurer holds back until repairs are completed — is also removed from the fee base in this calculator. The percentage applies only to the net recoverable amount.
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). This calculator includes a toggle for that situation.
Is this calculator an exact quote?
No. It is an educational estimate based on the figures you enter and the statutory fee caps in Texas and Florida. Your actual fee is set by the written public adjuster contract you sign, which complies with the law in your state. For a precise figure on your specific claim, request a free review and we will walk you through it.

Statutes That Touch DCS Work

Texas (home base) and Florida statutes that govern public adjusting, appraisal, prompt-pay, and policyholder rights. DCS reviews and applies these statutes 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. Public adjusters. Caps PA fees at 10% of recovery for public adjusting work. Requires written contract on TDI-approved form. Three-business-day cancellation right.
  • TX Ins. Code Ch. 542. Prompt Payment of Claims Act. Acknowledge / decide / pay deadlines, 18% statutory interest plus attorney fees on violations.
  • TX Ins. Code Ch. 542A. Pre-suit notice for weather-related property claims. Attorney work; outside the public adjusting role.
  • TX Ins. Code Ch. 2210 (TWIA). Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. Statutory wind/hail insurer of last resort for 14 designated coastal counties and parts of Harris County.
  • TX Ins. Code Ch. 2211 (TFPA). Texas FAIR Plan Association. Statutory residential insurer of last resort, statewide availability for policyholders unable to obtain voluntary-market coverage.
  • TX Ins. Code §541. Unfair Settlement Practices. Statutory cause of action; attorney work.
  • License authority: Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).
  • Statute of limitations: Generally 2 years for property claims (varies by policy and loss type).

Florida

DCS Firm License #W820363

  • Fla. Stat. §626.854. Public adjusters. Caps PA fees at 20% of recovery for most claims, reduced to 10% during the first year following a state-declared emergency.
  • Fla. Stat. §626.9744. Matching uniform appearance. Carriers must match the rest of the line, side, room, or other continuous area when repairing or replacing damaged property.
  • Fla. Stat. §627.70131. Prompt-pay statute. Following 2022 reforms, the deadline to pay or deny most residential property claims was reduced to 60 days.
  • Fla. Stat. §627.70132. Supplemental and reopened claims. Three years from date of loss; longer for hurricane claims.
  • Fla. Stat. §627.7015. Mandatory mediation precondition for some residential property disputes.
  • Fla. Stat. §624.155. Civil Remedy Notice (CRN). Attorney work; outside the public adjusting role.
  • 2022 reforms (SB 2-D, SB 2-A). Eliminated one-way attorney fees for property claims; restricted Assignment of Benefits.
  • License authority: Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS).

Important. This summary is general educational information, not legal advice. The application of any statute to a specific claim, the determination of whether a denial supports a statutory cause of action, and any pre-suit or litigation strategy are legal questions for a licensed attorney in your state. DCS Public Insurance Adjusters read and apply policy language in the ordinary course of adjusting (coverage parts, exclusions, endorsements, scope), but do not provide legal advice or pursue statutory remedies.

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.

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