Company adjuster
Employer: Insurance carrier (as employee) Represents: The carrier Licensing: Florida DFS adjuster license (various classes) Role: Handles claims on behalf of the carrier that employs them
Company adjusters are full-time carrier employees. They handle claims through the carrier's internal procedures, use the carrier's systems, and follow the carrier's claim-handling guidelines.
Independent adjuster
Employer: Independent adjusting firm or self-employed Represents: The carrier (when retained), not the policyholder Licensing: Florida DFS independent adjuster license Role: Retained by carriers to handle specific claims
Independent adjusters are contracted by carriers for overflow work, specialty work, or catastrophe response. They work for the retaining carrier on those specific claims.
Important: "Independent" means independent of any one carrier, not independent of the carrier-policyholder dynamic. They still represent the carrier's interests.
Catastrophe adjuster
Employer: Often an independent adjusting firm, deployed for specific events Represents: The carrier Licensing: Florida DFS license (often out-of-state adjusters licensed specifically for a catastrophe deployment) Role: Handles claims in mass during catastrophic events
Post-hurricane, thousands of catastrophe adjusters are deployed. Often less experienced in Florida-specific matters. Work is faster, documentation thinner.
Public adjuster
Employer: Independent firm or self-employed Represents: The policyholder Licensing: Florida DFS public adjuster license Role: Negotiates property insurance claims on behalf of the insured
Public adjusters are the only category of adjuster authorized to represent policyholders. Florida Statute 626.854 licenses them specifically for this purpose.
Legal distinctions that matter
Who can represent a Florida policyholder
- Attorney (any matter)
- Public adjuster (property insurance claims)
- No one else
Company, independent, and catastrophe adjusters cannot represent policyholders: they work for carriers.
Fee structures
- Company/independent/catastrophe: paid by carrier (salary, retainer, or per-claim)
- Public: contingency from policyholder recovery (capped by Fla. Stat. 626.854)
Scope of authority
- Carrier-side adjusters: bound by carrier's internal guidelines
- Public adjusters: bound by Florida statute, regulation, and ethics
Conflicts of interest
- Carrier-side: serving carrier's financial interest
- Public: serving policyholder's interest
Who shows up at your inspection
Typically a company adjuster or an independent/catastrophe adjuster. They:
- Work for the carrier
- Document the damage to support the carrier's claim decision
- Use the carrier's systems
- Report to the carrier
They are not representing you.
When you need a public adjuster
- Any significant claim
- Any denied or disputed claim
- Claims involving complex coverage issues
- Claims requiring appraisal or escalation
The public adjuster acts as counterparty to the company/independent/catastrophe adjuster.
How the adjusters interact
In a typical Florida claim:
- Policyholder files claim with carrier
- Carrier's company or independent adjuster inspects
- If policyholder is represented, public adjuster joins or reviews
- Carrier-side scope is documented
- Public adjuster provides counter-documentation
- Negotiation between public adjuster and carrier-side handling
How to verify any adjuster
Florida DFS maintains a public license lookup:
- MyFloridaCFO.com / Licensee Search
- Enter name or license number
- Verify class (adjuster, public adjuster)
- Verify active status