When a hurricane tears through Florida, the damage to your property is only the first problem. The second is the claim. Insurance carriers process tens of thousands of claims after a major storm, and their adjusters work for the carrier, not for you. Settlement offers routinely leave out hidden water intrusion, code-required upgrades, and the true cost of rebuilding at post-storm prices.
Updated for the 2026 hurricane season. If a storm damages your Florida property this year, your claim deadlines start on the date of loss, so document the damage early and know what your policy owes before you accept a carrier’s offer.
A Florida hurricane damage public adjuster works on the other side of that equation. AllCity Adjusting represents you, the policyholder, and our fee is based on what we recover. If we don’t recover more, you don’t pay.
What a Hurricane Damage Public Adjuster Does
Three kinds of adjusters can show up after a storm, and the difference matters:
- The company adjuster is employed by your insurance carrier. Their estimate protects the carrier’s bottom line.
- An independent adjuster is a contractor, but is hired and paid by the carrier. Same incentives, different badge.
- A public adjuster is licensed by the State of Florida to represent policyholders only. We document the full scope of damage, prepare our own estimate, and negotiate directly with the carrier on your behalf.
After a hurricane, that representation gap is where money is lost. A carrier adjuster handling hundreds of storm claims may spend less than an hour on your property. Our team inspects everything: roof systems, water intrusion paths behind walls, electrical, HVAC, contents, and detached structures. We then build a claim file the carrier has to answer line by line.
Florida Hurricane Claim Deadlines You Cannot Miss
Florida law sets hard deadlines for hurricane claims, and they are shorter than most property owners realize:
- 1 year from the date of loss to give your insurer notice of a new claim (Florida Statutes § 627.70132).
- 18 months from the date of loss to file a supplemental claim for damage discovered after the initial claim was paid or repairs began.
Miss the one-year window and the carrier can deny the claim outright, no matter how severe the damage. The supplemental deadline matters just as much: hurricane damage often reveals itself months later as stains spread, mold develops, or contractors open walls. If your claim was paid but the money ran out before the repairs were done, you may still have time to reopen it. We can tell you in a free review.
How Your Hurricane Deductible Works
Florida policies carry a separate hurricane deductible, typically 2%, 5%, or 10% of your dwelling coverage limit rather than a flat dollar amount (Florida Statutes § 627.701). On a $500,000 home with a 5% hurricane deductible, you absorb the first $25,000 of damage.
That math changes how you should think about your claim. With a deductible that large, every line item the carrier’s estimate leaves out comes directly out of your rebuilding budget. A claim that is underpaid by 30% on top of a five-figure deductible can leave a property owner unable to restore the home their premiums were supposed to protect. This is exactly the scenario where professional claim representation pays for itself.
One more distinction: hurricane wind damage falls under your homeowners or commercial property policy, but flood and storm-surge damage is covered only by a separate flood policy. After storms that bring both wind and water, carriers often attribute damage to the uncovered cause. Documenting which damage came from which peril is one of the most consequential fights in a Florida hurricane claim, and one we know how to win.
Where Hurricane Settlements Come Up Short
Across the large-loss hurricane claims we handle, the same items are missing from carrier estimates again and again:
- Hidden water intrusion: wind-driven rain inside wall cavities, insulation, and flooring that surface inspections miss.
- Roof systems paid as repairs: carriers price patch jobs where matching requirements, manufacturer specifications, or building code requires replacement.
- Ordinance and law coverage: the cost of bringing damaged portions of the building up to current Florida code, which many estimates simply omit.
- Contents and detached structures: fences, screens, pool enclosures, outbuildings, and personal property that never make it into the file.
- Business interruption: for commercial and industrial properties, lost income and continuing expenses during restoration are frequently undervalued or unclaimed.
None of these are exotic. They are policy benefits you paid for. They go unpaid because nobody on your side of the table itemized them.
What a Public Adjuster Costs in Florida
Florida caps public adjuster fees by statute (Florida Statutes § 626.854). For claims arising from a governor-declared state of emergency, fees are capped at 10% of the amounts paid on the claim for contracts signed in the first year after the declaration. Outside that window, the cap is 20%.
AllCity works on contingency within those caps. There is no upfront cost, no hourly billing, and no fee unless we recover for you. Our incentive is identical to yours: the full, fair value of the claim.
How AllCity Adjusting Handles Florida Hurricane Claims
AllCity Adjusting is a licensed Florida public adjusting firm (license W936752) specializing in large losses of $150,000 and up across residential, commercial, and industrial properties. Our team brings 120+ years of combined adjusting experience.
Every Florida hurricane claim follows the same process:
- Policy evaluation: we read your policy first, including endorsements most owners never know they have.
- Full damage inspection: our own documentation of every damaged system, not a drive-by review of the carrier’s photos.
- Independent estimate: a line-item claim file built at real Florida restoration prices.
- Negotiation: we handle every call, letter, and meeting with the carrier until the claim is settled.
We represent property owners across the state, with dedicated local pages for Tampa and Miami, and full statewide coverage through our Florida public adjuster team.
When to Call: Before You Accept, Not After
The best time to involve a public adjuster is before you accept the carrier’s offer, ideally before their adjuster even inspects. But it is not too late if:
- Your claim was denied and you believe the damage is covered.
- The settlement check will not cover the actual repairs.
- Your claim has dragged on for months without resolution.
- You found new damage after settling and are still inside the 18-month supplemental window.
Hurricane season peaks August through October. If your property took damage in a prior storm, the filing clock is already running, and if the season ahead puts a storm over your property, you will want your documentation in order from day one.
Florida Hurricane Claim FAQs
How long do I have to file an insurance claim after a hurricane in Florida?
You have one year from the date of loss to give notice of a new claim, and 18 months to file a supplemental claim, under Florida Statutes § 627.70132. Earlier is always better: documentation is strongest in the weeks right after the storm.
My hurricane claim was already paid. Can I reopen it?
Often, yes. If you discovered additional damage or the payment fell short of actual repair costs, a supplemental claim can be filed within 18 months of the date of loss. We review settled claims at no cost.
Is it worth hiring a public adjuster for hurricane damage?
For large losses, professional representation typically identifies covered damage the original estimate missed. Because Florida caps fees and AllCity works on contingency, the question is simply whether we can recover more than the carrier offered. The free claim review answers that before you commit to anything.
What if my damage is from both wind and flooding?
Wind damage falls under your property policy; flood damage requires separate flood coverage. Carriers often attribute damage to whichever peril is not covered. Independent documentation of causation is critical, and it is a core part of what we do.
Start With a Free Claim Review
Send us your policy and the carrier’s estimate, or just tell us what happened. A licensed Florida public adjuster will review your claim and tell you, honestly, whether there is more to recover. Request your free claim review or call 844.692.3587, available 24/7.
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