By Jacob More · FL DFS #W740935 · Reviewed: · 1 min read
Short answer: Often, yes. Florida law allows reopened claims within one year of the date of loss and supplemental claims within 18 months under Florida Statute 627.70132. If you discovered additional damage, the carrier under-scoped the estimate, or coverages like matching or ALE went unclaimed, a public adjuster can pursue more recovery within those windows.
When you can still act
Under Fla. Stat. 627.70132:
- Reopened claim (1 year from date of loss): the original claim is revisited with additional documentation.
- Supplemental claim (18 months from date of loss): new damage discovered after initial settlement is claimed as a supplement to the original.
Situations that support post-settlement engagement
- You discover additional damage after the carrier closed the claim (hidden water damage behind walls, roof damage not visible at initial inspection, structural issues that emerged over time).
- The carrier's estimate was substantially under-scoped: you have documentation of the actual repair cost that exceeds the settlement.
- Code-upgrade or law-and-ordinance coverage wasn't claimed at initial settlement.
- Matching coverage wasn't applied where it should have been under Fla. Stat. 626.9744.
- ALE coverage wasn't fully claimed for the displacement period.
What to prepare
- Original settlement correspondence and payment documentation
- Current damage documentation (photos, contractor estimates, inspection reports)
- Policy declarations page and all endorsements
- Timeline of discovery of additional damage
Free review
Ocean Point reviews post-settlement scenarios at no charge. If the additional recovery potential justifies engagement, we take the claim. If not, we tell you so.