Updated · Written by Five Star Claims Adjusting’s licensed public adjusters
After a property loss you may hear from several people who all call themselves adjusters. They do the same kind of work — inspecting damage, reading the policy and putting a dollar figure on the claim — but they do not all work for the same side. Who hired the adjuster decides whose interest they are there to protect. There are three types.
The three types of insurance claims adjusters
1. Staff (company) adjusters
A staff adjuster is an employee of your insurance company. They handle claims under the insurer's guidelines, use the insurer's estimating software and pricing, and answer to the insurer's claims managers. Many are fair and experienced, but their job is to resolve the claim on terms their employer accepts.
2. Independent adjusters
An independent adjuster is a contractor the insurance company hires, usually through an adjusting firm, when it needs more people than it employs — after a hurricane, for example, when thousands of claims arrive at once. The word "independent" confuses many policyholders: it means independent of being on the insurer's payroll, not independent of the insurer. They are paid by the insurance company, follow its guidelines and report their findings to it.
3. Public adjusters
A public adjuster is the only adjuster who works for you. You hire them, they owe their duty to you, and their job is to document the full loss, interpret the policy in your favor where the language supports it, and negotiate the settlement with the insurer on your behalf. In Florida, public adjusters must be licensed by the Department of Financial Services, and you can check any adjuster's licence on the department's licensee search before you sign anything.
Side by side
- Who hires them — Staff: the insurance company (employee). Independent: the insurance company (contractor). Public: you, the policyholder.
- Who pays them — Staff and independent: the insurer. Public: you, usually as a percentage of the claim payment, only when money is recovered.
- Whose interest they represent — Staff and independent: the insurer's. Public: yours.
- Cost to you — Staff and independent: nothing directly. Public: a contingency fee, capped by Florida law.
How public adjusters are paid in Florida
Public adjusters in Florida typically work on contingency: there is no upfront fee, and the adjuster takes an agreed percentage of what the insurer pays on the claim. Florida law caps that percentage. The general cap is 20% of the claim payment. For claims arising from an event that is the subject of a declared state of emergency, the cap is 10% for the first year after the event. Your contract must state the fee, and Florida law gives you a short window to cancel a public adjuster contract without penalty, which the contract must also spell out.
When it makes sense to hire a public adjuster
- The loss is large or complicated — a fire, a hurricane, a roof replacement, a total loss, or damage that spans structure, contents and additional living expenses.
- The insurer's estimate looks low, leaves out rooms or line items, or applies more depreciation than you expected.
- The claim has been delayed, partially denied or denied outright, and you don't know why.
- The policy language is unclear about whether a cause of loss is covered — water damage and wind-driven rain are common examples.
- You simply don't have the time to document and negotiate a claim while also dealing with the damage.
For a small, straightforward claim that the insurer is handling promptly and fairly, you may not need anyone on your side. For anything else, the question is whether the difference a professional can make is larger than the fee. A free review answers that before you commit.
What a public adjuster does that the other two don't
A public adjuster builds the claim from your side: a room-by-room inspection, photo and video documentation, a detailed repair estimate, a contents inventory, and a reading of the policy's coverages, exclusions and endorsements. They then present that claim to the insurer, respond to the insurer's adjuster and engineers, and negotiate until the claim settles. If the insurer's position doesn't move, they can advise you on the options the policy and Florida law give you, such as appraisal.
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
- Is your Florida public adjuster licence active? (Verify it yourself on the Department of Financial Services site.)
- What is your fee, and is it within Florida's cap for this type of claim?
- Who will actually handle my claim, and how will you keep me updated?
- Have you handled claims like mine — this type of damage, this insurer, this area?
Five Star Claims Adjusting's licensed public adjusters review claims at no upfront cost, and we are paid a percentage of the settlement only if we recover money for you. If your claim has been underpaid, delayed or denied, ask us for a free claim review.