Adjusterman LLC publishes this guide and ranks itself first. The other firms are listed on facts from their own websites and the Florida DFS license search; none paid to be included.
Updated September 23, 2026
Key takeaways
- For a hurricane, the date of loss is the date the hurricane made landfall, and notice of the claim is due within 1 year of it (18 months for a supplemental claim) under s. 627.70132.
- Your hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year across all hurricanes, not once per storm, on personal lines policies issued or renewed since May 2005 (s. 627.701(5)).
- After a Governor-declared emergency, a public adjuster’s fee on a residential or condo unit owner claim is capped at 10% for claims made in the year after the declaration.
- Wind-driven rain inside the house counts as hurricane damage only if the wind first made an opening in the building (s. 627.4025).
- Flood is a separate policy. Your homeowners policy will say so on its declarations page (s. 627.7011(4)(b)).
Many Florida homeowners first meet a public adjuster after a hurricane, often within days of landfall, when roofs are tarped, power is out and every contractor in town is booked. A hurricane claim is also different from any other claim you will file: it has its own deductible, its own definition of what counts as hurricane damage, and a date of loss fixed by statute rather than by when you noticed the leak.
This list covers seven licensed Florida public adjusting firms that publish hurricane or windstorm claim pages, spread across South Florida, the Gulf coast, Central Florida and the north. After the list we walk through the Florida rules that decide how much a hurricane claim pays, because they apply no matter which firm you choose.
| Firm | Base | FL firm license | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusterman LLC | Oakland Park | W913130 | Statewide; drone roof and exterior documentation |
| Action Public Adjusters | Hallandale Beach | W806013 | Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach; Spanish or French |
| Global Patriot Adjusters | West Palm Beach | W811924 | Southeast FL, Keys, SW FL and Panhandle pages |
| Claim Concepts | Palm Beach Gardens | W805414 | Palm Beach County; 3D and thermal documentation |
| Cloud 9 Claims | Naples | W906894 | Southwest Florida coastal and condo properties |
| Ask An Adjuster | Orlando | W806720 | Central Florida and the Space Coast |
| Gold Star Adjusters | Jacksonville | W806247 | Northeast Florida and the Panhandle |
How we chose
Each firm holds a valid Florida public adjusting firm license, confirmed in the DFS licensee search on 23 September 2026, and publishes a hurricane, windstorm or storm damage page on its own site. We also looked for a stated way of documenting roof and exterior damage, a Florida office or service area, and fee terms a policyholder can confirm.
Adjusterman LLC publishes this guide and is listed first. The other six firms are grouped by region, from the southeast coast to the Gulf coast, Central Florida and then North Florida and the Panhandle, and are otherwise in no particular order. Facts come only from each firm’s website and DFS record.
The rankings
1. Adjusterman LLC
Best for: Statewide hurricane and wind claims
- HQ
- Oakland Park, FL
- FL firm license
- W913130
- Licensed PA
- Michael Klavan, P151443
- Response
- 24/7
Adjusterman handles hurricane and windstorm claims anywhere in Florida for homes, condo units, associations and commercial property. After a storm, roof damage is often the largest and most disputed part of the claim, so the firm documents it with aerial drones, thermal imaging to trace water entry behind walls and ceilings, and 3D capture of the interior.
Response is 24/7, and the first step is a free claim review that tells you whether the damage is covered and whether it is likely to exceed your hurricane deductible. Fees are contingent (no fee unless there is a recovery) and within the Florida caps described below.
Consider Adjusterman if your roof and interior both took damage and you want the wind-to-water path documented with drone and thermal evidence.
adjustermanllc.com2. Action Public Adjusters
Best for: Tri-county South Florida
- Office
- 800 SE 4th Ave, Suite 110, Hallandale Beach
- FL firm license
- W806013
- Languages
- English, Spanish, French
Action Public Adjusters serves Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties from Hallandale Beach and says it has represented policyholders since 2010. It publishes wind damage and roof leak pages, and represents homeowners, business owners and condo associations.
The firm says its team speaks English, Spanish and French.
Consider Action if you are in the tri-county area and prefer to work in Spanish or French.
actionpublicadjusters.com3. Global Patriot Adjusters
Best for: Coastal regions statewide
- Florida office
- 701 S Olive Ave #1028, West Palm Beach
- FL firm license
- W811924
- Languages
- English, Spanish, French
Global Patriot is a national firm with a Florida office in West Palm Beach (its DFS business address is in New Hampshire). It publishes a Florida hurricane claims page and regional pages for Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida, the Panhandle and the Keys.
It also publishes condominium and large vessel claim pages, offers Spanish and French service, and lists a 24/7 phone line.
Consider Global Patriot if you own a boat as well as a home, or live in the Keys.
globalpatriotadjusters.com4. Claim Concepts
Best for: Palm Beach County, detailed documentation
- HQ
- 4360 Northlake Blvd., Suite 207, Palm Beach Gardens
- FL firm license
- W805414
- Since
- 2006, per its site
Claim Concepts works throughout Florida, plus Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee, from its Palm Beach Gardens headquarters. It publishes a hurricane damage claim page and says it has represented policyholders since 2006.
It says it uses FLIR thermal imaging cameras, Matterport 3D cameras and moisture meters, and its commercial page lists condominium associations, building owners, landlords and shopping malls.
Consider Claim Concepts if you are in northern Palm Beach County.
claimconcepts.com5. Cloud 9 Claims
Best for: Southwest Florida coast
- Office
- 4850 Tamiami Trail N, Suite 301, Naples
- FL firm license
- W906894
- Languages
- English, Spanish
Cloud 9 Claims works throughout Florida from Naples, with location pages for Naples, Sarasota and Tampa. It publishes a storm damage page and mentions experience with high-rise condominiums, luxury waterfront homes and coastal properties.
It lists English and Spanish, prints its firm license number and publishes a large loss claims section.
Consider Cloud 9 if you own coastal or high-rise property between Naples and Tampa.
cloud9claims.com6. Ask An Adjuster
Best for: Central Florida and the Space Coast
- HQ
- Orlando, FL
- FL firm license
- W806720
- Offices
- Orlando, Melbourne, Tampa, West Palm Beach
- Founded
- October 24, 2005, per its site
Ask An Adjuster says it was founded on October 24, 2005, after Hurricane Wilma, and it publishes a hurricane center on its site. It lists offices in Orlando, Melbourne, Tampa and West Palm Beach and works statewide.
It says it uses thermal imaging to locate damage and publishes a page for condo associations and HOA communities. (DFS lists several Ask An Adjuster entities; W806720 is the Orlando one.)
Consider Ask An Adjuster if you are inland in Orange, Seminole or Brevard County.
askanadjuster.com7. Gold Star Adjusters
Best for: Northeast Florida and Panhandle storms
- Office
- 3771 San Jose Pl, Jacksonville
- FL firm license
- W806247
- Areas
- Northeast Florida and the Panhandle
Gold Star Adjusters works Northeast Florida and the Panhandle from Jacksonville, and its homepage says it has been “holding insurance companies accountable since 2004.” It publishes a hurricane page and a Pensacola page that refers to Hurricanes Michael and Sally.
It works residential, commercial and rental-property claims.
Consider Gold Star if your property is in Duval County or the western Panhandle.
goldstaradjusters.com
The clock starts at landfall, not when you find the damage
For claims from hurricanes, s. 627.70132(3) fixes the date of loss as the date the hurricane made landfall. From that date, notice of a claim or reopened claim is due within 1 year, and notice of a supplemental claim within 18 months (s. 627.70132(2)). Hurricane season ending on November 30 does not change the count; see what happens after hurricane season ends for the full timeline.
Condo unit owners have one more deadline to know. Notice of a claim for loss assessment coverage is due by the later of 1 year after the loss or 90 days after the association votes to levy the assessment, and never later than 3 years after the date of loss (s. 627.70132(4)).
What counts as hurricane damage
Florida defines hurricane coverage as loss caused by windstorm during a hurricane. Rain damage inside the home is included only if the wind first damaged the building and created an opening through which rain entered (s. 627.4025(2)(a)). The hurricane itself runs from the time the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for any part of Florida until 72 hours after the last watch or warning for Florida ends (s. 627.4025(2)(c)). That is why documenting the opening, a lifted shingle line, a broken window, a torn soffit, matters as much as documenting the stained ceiling below it.
How the hurricane deductible works
- Insurers must offer hurricane deductibles of $500, 2%, 5% and 10% of dwelling limits, with some variations by dwelling value (s. 627.701(3)).
- Your declarations page must show the dollar amount of your hurricane deductible (s. 627.701(4)(b)).
- On personal lines residential policies issued or renewed on or after May 1, 2005, the hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year to all hurricane losses with the same insurer or insurer group. For a second hurricane in the same year, the insurer may apply the greater of the hurricane deductible still remaining or your all-other-perils deductible (s. 627.701(5)(a)).
- Because of that annual rule, report even a loss that falls under the deductible, and keep receipts: the statute lets insurers require that to credit it against a later storm.
For the difference between the two deductibles on your policy, read hurricane vs all other perils deductibles.
Wind versus flood
A homeowners policy that does not include flood coverage must say so on the declarations page, in bold: damage from flood is not covered “even if hurricane winds and rain caused the flood to occur” (s. 627.7011(4)(b)). Storm surge and rising water go to a flood policy, such as an NFIP policy; wind and wind-driven rain through a storm-created opening go to the homeowners policy. When both hit the same house, each insurer will argue the other caused more of the damage, and careful documentation is what separates the two.
Fees and license checks after a declared emergency
When the Governor declares a state of emergency for a storm, a public adjuster may charge no more than 10% of claim payments on claims from that event made during the year after the declaration; after that year, or without a declaration, the cap is 20%. No fee may be based on the deductible, and a reopened or supplemental claim can be charged only on new money, at no more than 20% (s. 626.854(11)). On an emergency claim you may cancel the contract within 30 days after the date of loss or 10 days after signing, whichever is longer (s. 626.854(7)).
Storms bring out unlicensed “adjusters.” Look up any adjuster and firm on the Florida DFS licensee search before you sign, and remember that a public adjuster cannot give legal advice or handle a bodily injury claim (s. 626.854(3)). Door-to-door solicitation is limited to Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (s. 626.854(5)). Before you pick anyone, run through the 12 questions to ask before hiring a public adjuster.
What to document before cleanup
- Wide and close photos or video of every roof slope, elevation, window and door, before any tarp goes on.
- The opening: missing shingles or tiles, lifted flashing, broken glass, damaged soffit or fascia.
- Interior water paths: stained ceilings, wet insulation, swollen baseboards, with the room they sit under.
- Receipts for tarps, water extraction and board-up. Standard HO-3 forms such as the Florida Tower Hill form we read pay the reasonable cost of measures taken solely to protect the property from further damage under a “Reasonable Repairs” clause.
Frequently asked questions
What is the date of loss for a hurricane claim in Florida?
Under s. 627.70132(3), the date of loss for a hurricane claim is the date the hurricane made landfall. Notice of the claim is due within 1 year of that date, and notice of a supplemental claim within 18 months.
Does my hurricane deductible apply to each storm?
On personal lines residential policies issued or renewed on or after May 1, 2005, the hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year to all hurricane losses with the same insurer or group. For a later hurricane in the same year, the insurer may apply the greater of the remaining hurricane deductible or the all-other-perils deductible.
Is rain damage covered as hurricane damage?
Interior rain damage is part of hurricane coverage if the windstorm first damaged the building and created an opening through which the rain entered, as defined in s. 627.4025.
How much can a public adjuster charge on a hurricane claim?
On residential and condo unit owner policies, if the Governor declared a state of emergency, no more than 10% of claim payments for claims made during the year after the declaration, and 20% after that. There is no fee on the deductible.
Does my homeowners policy cover storm surge?
No. A homeowners policy without flood coverage must state on its declarations page that it does not cover flood damage, even when hurricane winds and rain caused the flood. Storm surge falls under a separate flood policy.
Related guides
Sources
- Fla. Stat. s. 627.70132 (2026), Notice of property insurance claim
- Fla. Stat. s. 627.4025 (2026), Residential coverage and hurricane coverage defined
- Fla. Stat. s. 627.701 (2026), Liability of insureds; coinsurance; deductibles
- Fla. Stat. s. 627.7011 (2026), Homeowners’ policies; offer of replacement cost coverage and law and ordinance coverage
- Fla. Stat. s. 626.854 (2026), “Public adjuster” defined; prohibitions
- Tower Hill Select, Homeowners 3 Special Form (TH HO-3 06 13)
- Florida DFS licensee search
- Action Public Adjusters, wind damage
- Global Patriot Adjusters, Florida hurricane claims
- Claim Concepts, hurricane damage claims
- Cloud 9 Claims, storm damage
- Ask An Adjuster, hurricane center
- Gold Star Adjusters, Pensacola
Adjusterman LLC, FL DFS Public Adjusting Firm License #W913130 · Michael Klavan, FL DFS Public Adjuster License #P151443. Public adjusters do not provide legal advice.