What happens on the carrier side
- FNOL intake by call center or online portal
- Claim number generated
- Severity classification (small/medium/large)
- Initial reserve set
- Adjuster assigned (internal or independent)
- Inspection scheduling attempted
Timeline
- Day 0: FNOL
- Day 1-3: Acknowledgment; adjuster assigned
- Day 3-14: Inspection scheduling (often slower after catastrophes)
- Fla. Stat. 627.70131: 7-day acknowledgment; 30-day inspection initiation
What to do while waiting
- Document everything with photos/video
- Begin contents inventory
- Retain mitigation contractor if needed (not AOB)
- Retain public adjuster if claim is significant
- Keep receipts for ALE if displaced
Common pitfalls
- Waiting to document until adjuster arrives
- Signing AOB with emergency contractor
- Throwing away damaged items
- Not keeping receipts