What this statute does
Fla. Stat. 626.854 is the foundational statute for the public adjusting profession in Florida. It defines who may call themselves a public adjuster, establishes the licensing requirements, sets rules for written contracts, and, critically, caps the fees a public adjuster may charge.
Fee caps
The statute caps public adjuster contingency fees:
- Declared-emergency claims (during the first year after declaration): a reduced statutory cap applies.
- All other claims: the standard statutory cap applies.
- Fee cannot be increased because of litigation.
- Written contract is required, with the specific fee disclosed in advance.
Right of cancellation
Under Fla. Stat. 626.854, policyholders have a 10-day right of cancellation after signing a public adjuster contract. Cancellation during this period is without penalty.
License verification
Every Florida public adjuster has a DFS license number. Verify any adjuster's license through MyFloridaCFO before signing a contract. Ocean Point's firm license is W829547 (searchable in the DFS public licensing database).
How this statute affects your claim
- Your PA contract must disclose the fee percentage clearly in advance.
- Your PA fee will fall within one of the two statutory caps.
- You have 10 days to cancel without penalty.
- Any attempt to circumvent the fee caps (including via related-party structures) is a statutory violation.