Short answer: Underpaid Florida claims are usually fixable. Get a full Xactimate re-estimate, identify missing scope (code upgrades, matching, ALE, contents), invoke the appraisal clause if the dispute is about amount of loss, or file a Civil Remedy Notice if bad-faith conduct is documented. The statutory window is 18 months for a supplemental claim.
Where underpayment usually hides
- Scope reduction: Xactimate line items missing from the carrier's estimate (demo, haul, drying hours, protection, code upgrades)
- Depreciation: ACV paid but RCV holdback not released
- Matching: Fla. Stat. 626.9744 requires matching of like kind and quality; carriers often pay only partial replacement
- Code upgrades: law and ordinance coverage often not included when it should be
- Contents: personal property scheduled at depreciated, unclaimed, or under-valued
- ALE: additional living expense underclaimed or not documented
- BI: business interruption period of restoration understated
What to document
- Your full policy (declarations + form + endorsements)
- The carrier's estimate (ideally in Xactimate format)
- Any contractor estimates you've obtained independently
- Photographs of all damage
- Timeline of events
- Any prior communications with the carrier
Close the gap
- Get a full re-estimate in Xactimate (the carrier's own software): a Florida public adjuster prepares this
- Identify statutory tools that apply: matching, law and ordinance, ALE
- Submit a supplemental claim documenting the additional scope
- Invoke appraisal if the dispute is specifically about amount (not coverage)
- File a Civil Remedy Notice if bad-faith conduct is documented
- Escalate to counsel if litigation is warranted
Time limit
Under Fla. Stat. 627.70132, supplemental claims must be filed within 18 months of the date of loss. Act before the deadline.