What a public adjuster does
- Policy review: coverages, endorsements, exclusions
- Loss documentation: scope, photos, measurements
- Xactimate estimate: Florida-current pricing
- Claim submission and management
- Carrier negotiation: line-by-line scope and pricing
- Escalation: appraisal, mediation, CRN
- Supplemental claim preparation
When PA value is highest
Large losses
- $50K+ claims typically benefit
- $250K+ almost always benefit
- Commercial claims essentially always
Disputed coverage
- Denied claims
- Exclusion-based disputes
- Causation disputes
- Policy interpretation issues
Multiple perils
- Fire + water + smoke
- Hurricane + flood
- Storm + ensuing-loss
Specialty coverage
- Business interruption
- Cast iron / legacy plumbing
- Sinkhole
- High-value contents
When PA value is lower
- Small, straightforward claims
- Coverage not in dispute
- Scope agreed by both parties
- Policyholder has time and expertise
Fee economics
- Contingency (no up-front)
- FL statutory caps under Fla. Stat. 626.854
- Typically more than offsets representation cost on complex claims
- No recovery, no fee