What is a public adjuster?
A plain-English guide to what a public adjuster does, how they're paid, when to hire one, and how they differ from the insurance company's adjuster.
A public adjuster is a state-licensed insurance professional who works only for the policyholder, not the insurance company, to document, file, and negotiate a property damage claim for the largest fair settlement the policy owes. Public adjusters are state-licensed and regulated: in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 626.854, and in South Carolina under the South Carolina Department of Insurance (S.C. Code Ann. Title 38, Chapter 92). They are paid on contingency.
What does a public adjuster do?
A public adjuster manages a property insurance claim on your behalf, end to end. Where the insurance company's adjuster scopes and values the loss for the carrier, a public adjuster does the same work for you, and then negotiates the difference.
In practice, that means inspecting the damage, reviewing your policy to confirm what's covered, building a detailed line-item estimate, filing or re-opening the claim, meeting the carrier's adjuster on site, and negotiating the settlement, invoking the policy's appraisal clause when the insurer won't pay fairly.
- Inspects and documents the full scope of the damage
- Reviews your policy to establish what's covered
- Prepares a detailed, line-item repair estimate
- Files, re-opens, or supplements the claim
- Negotiates directly with the insurer on your behalf
- Pursues appraisal or mediation when a dispute stalls
Public adjuster vs. company adjuster vs. independent adjuster
Not every "adjuster" is on your side. Three of the four roles below work for the insurance company; only the public adjuster works for you. Understanding the difference is the single most useful thing a policyholder can know.
| Public Adjuster | Company (Staff) Adjuster | Independent Adjuster | AOB Contractor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works for | You, the policyholder | The insurer | The insurer (contracted) | Themselves |
| Paid by | You, on contingency only | The insurer | The insurer | Keeps your claim proceeds |
| Whose interest | Yours | The insurer's | The insurer's | Theirs |
| You keep your claim rights? | Yes | N/A | N/A | No, assigned away |
| State license required? | Yes (state-licensed) | Yes (adjuster license) | Yes (adjuster license) | No |
Who each type of adjuster works for, who pays them, and whose interest they serve.
An independent adjuster is hired by the insurer to handle claims during busy periods. They are not "independent" of the carrier in the sense of representing you.
Is a public adjuster the same as an Assignment of Benefits (AOB)?
No. They're opposites. With an Assignment of Benefits, 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 the adjuster simply advocates for you.
In Florida, this distinction matters: AOB abuse led to reform, and post-loss AOBs are now prohibited on residential property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023 (Fla. Stat. § 627.7152). That ban does not affect your right to hire a licensed public adjuster. Hiring a public adjuster is not an assignment of benefits, and you never give up control of your claim.
How much does a public adjuster cost?
Nothing up front. Public adjusters work on contingency, so the fee comes out of what they actually recover for you, and only after the carrier pays. If there's no recovery, there's no fee.
Because the fee comes out of the recovery and only after the carrier pays, the adjuster's incentive is aligned with yours: a larger, fairer settlement is the only way the fee is earned. The fee for your claim is set out in the written contingency agreement you review before signing. You also have the right to cancel a public adjuster contract without penalty within a short window after signing: 10 days in Florida (30 days during a declared emergency) and five business days in South Carolina.
When should you hire a public adjuster?
A public adjuster adds the most value when the stakes or the complexity are high. Common situations where policyholders bring one in:
- A new, large, or complex loss you want documented and filed correctly the first time
- An offer that comes in below your contractor's repair estimate
- A claim that was denied, delayed, or underpaid
- Layered damage (roof plus water intrusion plus mold) that's easy to under-scope
- A claim that's stalled and you're out of time or energy to keep fighting it
Is it ever too late to hire a public adjuster?
Often not. You can bring in a public adjuster on a brand-new claim, a claim that was already paid but underpaid, or one that's been denied, as long as you're within your state's filing deadlines. Even a closed claim can sometimes be reopened with a supplemental claim.
In Florida, for policies effective on or after December 16, 2022, you generally have one year from the date of loss to report a claim and 18 months for a supplemental claim (Fla. Stat. § 627.70132). In South Carolina, you generally have three years to file suit (S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530), though your policy's own notice and proof-of-loss deadlines are usually shorter and control. The sooner the loss is documented, the stronger the claim.
What types of claims do public adjusters handle?
Public adjusters handle first-party property claims, meaning losses to your own home or business under your own policy. That covers most of what damages property along the Southeast coast:
- Hurricane, windstorm, and wind-driven rain
- Water damage from plumbing, appliances, and roof intrusion
- Roof damage and storm-related roof loss
- Fire and smoke damage
- Mold resulting from a covered water loss
- Theft, vandalism, and commercial and business-interruption losses
How does working with a public adjuster work, step by step?
From the first call to the final payment, a public adjuster follows a consistent process designed to put the strongest possible claim in front of the carrier, and to keep the pressure on until it's resolved fairly.
- Free inspection & policy reviewThe adjuster documents the damage and reads your policy so you know what you're actually owed, at no cost to you.
- Build the claimA detailed, photo-backed, line-item scope with accurate estimates, built to the standard the carrier demands.
- File or re-openThe adjuster files a new claim, re-opens a closed one, or prepares a supplement on an underpaid claim.
- Meet the carrier's adjusterYour adjuster meets the insurer's field adjuster on site so nothing on the scope gets quietly dropped.
- NegotiateThey push back on omissions, depreciation, and lowball line items, invoking the appraisal clause or mediation when the carrier won't move.
- Settle and recover depreciationOnce the settlement is fair, they confirm any withheld recoverable depreciation is released so you can fully repair.
How does an insurance settlement actually work?
Two terms decide how much you receive. Actual cash value (ACV) is replacement cost minus depreciation, or what the damaged property is worth today. Replacement cost value (RCV) is what it costs to replace it new.
On a replacement-cost policy, the insurer often pays the ACV first and withholds the depreciation, releasing that "recoverable depreciation" only after repairs are completed and documented. Many homeowners never claim that withheld money back. A public adjuster tracks it and makes sure it's released, so you receive the full replacement cost the policy owes.
This is general information about how property insurance claims work, not legal advice. Your policy's specific terms control.
What Is a Public Adjuster? FAQ
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