What Is Dependable Claims Specialists?
DCS is a Texas-based licensed public adjusting firm serving policyholders in Texas (home base) and Florida. This page explains what a public adjuster does, how the role differs from a loss consultant, an appraiser, and an umpire, and how DCS represents policyholder interests through every stage of a property insurance claim.
What Is a Public Adjuster?
A public adjuster (PA) is a state-licensed insurance professional who works exclusively for policyholders, never for insurance companies. PAs inspect damage, document the loss, prepare detailed estimates, review policies, and negotiate with the carrier on the policyholder behalf.
Licensed and Regulated
Public adjusters in Texas are licensed and regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance under Texas Insurance Code Chapter 4102. Public adjusters in Florida are licensed and regulated by the Florida Department of Financial Services under Florida Statute §626.854.
Policyholder Side Only
A public adjuster cannot represent both the carrier and the policyholder on the same claim. We work for you.
Read and Apply the Policy
A PA reads and applies the policy in the ordinary course of adjusting (coverage parts, exclusions, endorsements, scope). PAs are not attorneys and do not give legal advice. For legal questions, consult a licensed attorney.
Why Policyholders Need Their Own Expert
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.
Why DCS
Texas-based public adjusting firm serving Texas (home base) and Florida. Carrier-side adjusting experience, Xactimate Level 2 certified, decades of construction background.
Texas-Licensed Firm
Texas Department of Insurance Firm License #3134924. Florida Department of Financial Services Firm License #W820363.
Contingency Fee Structure
Public adjusting work is contingency-based and capped by statute (10% in TX under Ch. 4102; up to 20% in FL under §626.854, 10% during the first year of a declared emergency).
Both Sides of the Table
DCS personnel include former carrier field adjusters and team leads from 2010 to 2017. We know how the carrier estimate gets built and where it tends to under-scope.
Thousands of Claims Handled
Texas and Florida policyholders trust DCS with their claims, from residential to commercial, from straightforward water losses to complex catastrophe claims.
What We Do for You
DCS handles every aspect of a property insurance claim from policy review through final settlement.
Policy Review
Complete read of the declarations page and the full policy form, identifying every applicable coverage, endorsement, and condition that affects the claim.
On-Site Damage Inspection
Professional on-site inspection with detailed damage assessment, photographs, measurements, and written documentation.
Xactimate Estimating
Level 2 certified Xactimate estimates using the same software the carrier uses, with line-item documentation that holds up to scrutiny.
Claim Preparation and Submission
Sworn proof of loss, damage inventory, supporting evidence, and all required submissions handled professionally and on time.
Negotiation
Direct negotiation with the carrier adjuster on the policyholder behalf, with the documentation and policy expertise to support every line item.
Supplemental Claims
Supplemental claim handling for damage discovered after initial settlement, within applicable deadlines and policy conditions.
Appraisal Clause Strategy
When the dispute is about the amount of loss (not coverage), DCS reviews the appraisal clause and advises on whether and how to invoke it.
Claim Management Through Settlement
Complete handling of all paperwork, deadlines, and carrier communications. The policyholder always knows where the claim stands.
Attorney Coordination
For coverage disputes, statutory remedies, or pre-suit notices, DCS coordinates with policyholder counsel. Public adjusters do not provide legal advice.
Ready to Get the Settlement Your Policy Provides?
Texas-based licensed public adjusting firm serving Texas and Florida. Free claim review. Public adjusting fees are contingency-based and capped by state statute.
