Questions, answered.
What a public adjuster does, what it costs, and how the claims process works in Florida and South Carolina, grouped so you can jump to what applies to you.
General questions
General questions
How public adjusting works: what we do, what it costs, and how a claim is handled.
Carrier-employed adjusters represent the insurance company. We're state-licensed professionals who represent only you. The result is consistently more accurate scopes, more complete documentation, and stronger settlements.
Nothing up front. We work on contingency, so the fee comes out of what we actually recover for you, and only after the carrier pays. If we don't recover, you don't pay. The fee for your claim is set out in the written contingency agreement you review before you sign.
Often, yes. Much of our work involves denied, delayed, or underpaid claims. We re-inspect the loss, rebuild the documentation the carrier said was missing, and pursue a supplement, the policy's appraisal clause, or mediation. A denial is rarely the end.
Residential and commercial property losses: wind, hurricane, water, roof, fire, smoke, mold, theft and vandalism, plumbing, A/C leaks, and business-interruption claims.
A public adjuster is a state-licensed insurance professional who works only for the policyholder, never the insurance company, to document, file, and negotiate a property damage claim for the largest fair settlement the policy owes. Public adjusters are licensed and regulated by each state's insurance department and are paid on contingency.
The company (staff) adjuster and the independent adjuster both work for, and are paid by, the insurer; their job is to settle the claim in the carrier's interest. A public adjuster works only for you and is paid on contingency from what we recover. You're never required to accept the carrier's adjuster's figure.
It depends on the claim, and we'll tell you honestly. A public adjuster tends to add the most value on larger, complex, denied, or underpaid losses, where a complete scope and proper documentation move the settlement well beyond a first offer. Because we work on contingency, there's no upfront cost to find out whether we can help. Results vary by claim.
No. A public adjuster is not a lawyer and does not file a lawsuit. We document and negotiate your claim, and can pursue the policy's appraisal clause or state mediation to resolve a dispute, all without litigation. If a claim ever needs legal action, that's a separate decision involving an attorney.
No. There are no upfront fees and no out-of-pocket cost to start. Our fee is contingency-based and only earned after the carrier pays. If there's no recovery, there's no fee. The fee for your claim is set out in the written contingency agreement before you sign.
No. They're opposites. With an AOB you sign your claim rights and insurance proceeds over to a contractor, who then deals with the insurer and keeps the proceeds. A public adjuster is the reverse: you keep all your rights, your claim, and your money, and we simply advocate for you. (AOB rules differ by state; see the Florida and South Carolina sections below.)
Actual cash value (ACV) is replacement cost minus depreciation, which is what your damaged property is worth today. Replacement cost value (RCV) is what it costs to replace it new. On a replacement-cost policy, the carrier often pays ACV first and holds back 'recoverable depreciation,' releasing it after repairs are completed. Many homeowners never claim that withheld amount back; we make sure it's recovered.
On a replacement-cost policy, the insurer may first pay the depreciated value and withhold the depreciation, releasing it only after the work is actually done and documented. That 'recoverable depreciation' is money you're owed. We track it and make sure it's released so you receive the full replacement cost.
No. You're free to choose your own licensed contractor, and a public adjuster works independently of any contractor; we represent you, not a repair company. Our role is to scope and value the loss accurately and negotiate the settlement, separate from who does the repairs.
Usually the opposite. By delivering a complete, well-documented claim up front and handling the back-and-forth with the carrier, we cut down on the repeated requests and re-inspections that stall claims. Complex and disputed claims can still take time, but the goal is a faster path to a fair, fully documented settlement.
Most inspections are scheduled within a couple of days. For active losses, we move quickly across our Florida and South Carolina service area and aim for a same-day callback.
Yes. We handle commercial property losses and business-interruption claims alongside residential work, documenting structural damage, contents, code upgrades, and lost income so the claim reflects the full cost of getting your business back to operating.
How hurricane damage claims work Fire, smoke & soot damage claims
Florida claims & deadlines
Florida claims & deadlines
Florida-specific rules: licensing, the 10-day cancellation right, claim and supplemental deadlines, and the 25% roof rule.
Nothing up front. We work on contingency, paid only from what we recover and only after the carrier pays. Florida public adjusters are licensed and regulated under Fla. Stat. § 626.854. The fee for your claim is set out in the written contingency agreement you review before signing.
Yes. Florida law gives you the right to cancel a public adjuster contract within 10 days without penalty (30 days during a declared state of emergency) under Fla. Stat. § 626.854. We want clients who want us there; there's no pressure.
For policies effective on or after December 16, 2022, you generally have one year from the date of loss to report a new or reopened claim and 18 months to file a supplemental claim (Fla. Stat. § 627.70132). Policies effective before that date may have longer windows. Either way, the sooner you document and report, the stronger the claim.
Often not. You can bring in a public adjuster on a new claim, one that's already been paid but underpaid, or one that's been denied, as long as you're within Florida's filing deadlines (as little as one year from the date of loss on newer policies). Even a closed claim can sometimes be reopened with a supplement.
Under Fla. Stat. § 627.70131, your insurer generally must acknowledge your claim within 7 days, begin its investigation promptly, and pay or deny the claim within 60 days of notice (subject to certain conditions). Late payments can accrue statutory interest. This is general information, not legal advice.
A denial is rarely final. Depending on your policy and the facts, the paths include re-inspecting and submitting a supplemental claim with the documentation the carrier said was missing, invoking the policy's appraisal clause to resolve a dispute over the amount of loss, or state-sponsored mediation. We help you pursue whichever fits your claim.
No. With an Assignment of Benefits you sign your claim and proceeds over to a contractor; a public adjuster is the opposite: you keep all your rights and we advocate for you. Post-loss AOBs are now prohibited on residential property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023 under Fla. Stat. § 627.7152. That ban does not affect your right to hire a licensed public adjuster.
Florida's building code has historically required that when more than 25% of a roof section is repaired or replaced within a 12-month period, that section be brought up to current code. A 2022 law (SB 4-D) added an exception for roofs already built or repaired to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later, which may only need the damaged portion brought to code. How it applies depends on your specific roof and policy, so we review it against your claim. General information, not legal advice.
Florida insurance claim deadlines, explained Hurricane damage claims in Florida
South Carolina claims & deadlines
South Carolina claims & deadlines
South Carolina-specific rules: the written-contract and 5-business-day cancellation requirement, the 3-year suit limit, and how claim timing works.
Nothing up front. We work on contingency, paid only from what we recover and only after the carrier pays. South Carolina's public adjuster law (S.C. Code Ann. Title 38, Chapter 92) requires a written contract before any work begins, and the fee for your claim is set out in that agreement, which we review with you before you sign. If we don't recover, you don't pay.
Yes. South Carolina's public adjuster law (S.C. Code Ann. Title 38, Chapter 92) requires a written contract before any work begins and gives you the right to cancel that contract within five business days of signing. There's no pressure and no upfront fee.
In South Carolina you generally have three years to file suit on a property insurance policy (S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530), but your policy's own notice and proof-of-loss deadlines are usually much shorter and control how quickly you must act. Because the deadline that matters is most often the one written into your policy, report and document your loss as early as you can. This is general information, not legal advice.
South Carolina requires insurers to handle claims with reasonable promptness rather than by fixed day-counts (S.C. Code Ann. § 38-59-20). If an insurer must furnish proof-of-loss forms, it has 20 days to do so (§ 38-59-10), and if it refuses to pay without reasonable cause or in bad faith, you may be able to recover your attorney's fees (§ 38-59-40). This is general information, not legal advice.
No. South Carolina has no statutory "25% roof rule" and no statutory matching requirement. What your policy owes on a roof or a repair depends on the policy's own terms, including actual cash value versus replacement cost. We review your policy against the loss so nothing you're owed is overlooked.
No. Hiring a public adjuster is not an assignment of benefits: you keep all your rights, your claim, and your proceeds, and we advocate for you. Whether claim benefits can be assigned at all is governed by your policy's own terms; South Carolina law allows property policies to limit assignment (S.C. Code Ann. § 38-65-30). General information, not legal advice.
We represent policyholders across South Carolina, including Charleston and the Lowcountry, Columbia and the Midlands, Greenville and the Upstate, and Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand, plus surrounding communities. Call for a free inspection and claim review anywhere in the state.
The South Carolina property insurance claims guide Public adjusters in Columbia & Richland County
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