Searching for a Public Adjuster in Pembroke Pines? Read This First

If you searched for a public adjuster in Pembroke Pines, you probably have water, wind or other damage in your home and a restoration crew on the way. Whoever you hire, what you do over the next few days helps document your insurance claim. If the insurer later denies, delays or underpays the claim, a property insurance lawyer can review your rights under Florida law.

Before the crew touches anything

Document the damage before repairs or disposal when it is safe and feasible to do so. Once drywall, flooring or cabinets are torn out, that evidence is gone.

1. Walk through and record. Take photos and video of every affected room. Get wide shots and close-ups of ceilings, floors, baseboards, cabinets and walls. Show where the water came from or where the roof was opened.
2. Capture your belongings. Photograph damaged furniture, electronics, clothing and other contents before anything is moved or thrown away.
3. Save samples when practical. Keep a piece of wet drywall, a cut of carpet pad or a damaged shingle. Bag it, label it with the room and the date, and store it somewhere dry.
4. Write a short timeline. Note when you found the damage, what you saw and who you called.

The Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights in section 627.7142, Florida Statutes, advises policyholders to keep the damaged property, if feasible, and to take photographs or video of damage before and after any repairs to provide to the insurer.

While drying and tear-out are under way

Your duty to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage comes from your insurance policy. Read the section on your duties after a loss. The Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights does not create that duty. It advises you to make and document emergency repairs that are necessary to prevent further damage and to keep all receipts.

Start a claim folder, paper or digital, and save:

• Every invoice, estimate and change order from the restoration work
• Drying logs, moisture readings and equipment records the crew provides
• Receipts for anything you pay out of pocket
• Photos taken at each stage of the work, not only the start

Paperwork on the clipboard: read before you sign

A restoration crew may hand you a work authorization, a contract or a direct-pay form before starting. Read every page. If a document mentions your insurance benefits, your claim proceeds, payment directly from your insurer or a percentage of your claim, stop and ask a lawyer before you sign.

The Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights also advises you to:

• Contact your insurer before entering into any contract for repairs to confirm any managed repair policy provisions or optional preferred vendors.
• Carefully read any contract that requires you to pay out-of-pocket expenses or a fee based on a percentage of the insurance proceeds you will receive.
• Confirm the contractor is licensed to do business in Florida and require proof of insurance before repairs begin.

The same care applies to any contract with a public adjuster. Ask how the fee is calculated and get the answer in writing. For more on that decision, see is hiring a public adjuster in Florida a smart move.

Reporting the claim

Report the claim to your insurer promptly, in the way your policy requires. Under section 627.70132, Florida Statutes, a claim or reopened claim under a property insurance policy is barred unless notice was given under the policy terms within 1 year after the date of loss. A supplemental claim must be noticed within 18 months after the date of loss. These limits are tolled during a combat zone deployment or combat support posting that materially affects a named insured servicemember's ability to file. For hurricanes, windstorms, severe rain and other weather events, the date of loss is the date the hurricane made landfall or the event is verified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Signs it is time for a lawyer's review

Consider talking to a lawyer if:

• You receive a denial letter, or a partial denial you do not understand.
• The payment is less than the damage you documented.
• The insurer asks you to sign a release or settlement.

Section 627.7015, Florida Statutes, provides a mediation program through the Florida Department of Financial Services for claims under personal lines and commercial residential policies, and legal counsel may participate if the policyholder requests it. Except when the suit is a counterclaim, s. 627.70152(3), Fla. Stat., requires a claimant to provide the Florida Department of Financial Services, on its form, written notice of intent to initiate litigation at least 10 business days before filing suit and not before the insurer has made a coverage determination. The department provides the notice to the insurer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should the crew wait for the insurer's adjuster before starting?

The Bill of Rights advises making emergency repairs necessary to prevent further damage, and your policy may require reasonable mitigation. Before work begins, photograph and video everything, keep samples when practical, and save every receipt so the conditions are documented for your insurer.

What should the insurer's adjuster give me?

If the investigation includes a physical inspection, the licensed adjuster must give you a printed or electronic document with their name and state adjuster license number. Later communications about the claim must also include the adjuster's name and license number.

My claim was already denied. Is it too late?

Not necessarily. Florida law sets separate notice and lawsuit deadlines, and they depend on your facts. Gather the denial letter, your policy and your photos, then have a lawyer review them promptly.

Talk to Louis Law Group

If your Pembroke Pines home damage claim was denied, delayed or underpaid, Louis Law Group can review your policy and the insurer's written explanation. See if you qualify or call (833) 657-4812. Our office is at 12 SE 7th St Ste 805, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Louis Law Group is a law firm and does not do restoration, cleanup or repair work.

This article is general information, not legal advice.