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
- A standard HO-3 form covers sudden, accidental discharge from plumbing, HVAC, sprinklers and appliances, but excludes constant or repeated seepage over a period of time. Read the exact wording in your own form.
- The broken pipe itself is usually not covered, but tearing out and replacing the wall or floor needed to reach it can be.
- Flood, storm surge and water that backs up through drains are excluded from a standard homeowners policy; flood needs a separate policy such as an NFIP policy.
- Notice is due within 1 year of the date of loss (s. 627.70132), but a water claim is usually won or lost on what you document in the first few days.
- Public adjuster fees on residential and condo unit owner claims are capped at 20% (10% after a declared emergency), with nothing charged on the deductible.
Water claims are some of the hardest to settle cleanly. A supply line bursts under the kitchen sink, a cast-iron drain cracks under the slab, an AC condensate line backs up into the ceiling: the damage looks the same whether it happened in an hour or over six months, but the policy treats those two stories very differently.
This list covers seven licensed Florida public adjusting firms that publish water, pipe or leak claim pages, from Miami-Dade to Jacksonville. After the list we quote the policy language that decides most water disputes, so you know what your adjuster will be trying to prove.
| Firm | Base | FL firm license | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusterman LLC | Oakland Park | W913130 | Pipe, slab and cast-iron leaks statewide |
| Capital Claims Group | Miramar | G240595 | Multifamily and larger residential water losses |
| Florida Public Adjusting | Hollywood | W805707 | South Florida; Spanish-speaking owners |
| Dolphin Claims | Fort Lauderdale | G043699 | Owners who want to read up before calling |
| Altieri Insurance Consultants | Tampa | W808324 | Burst pipes; Tampa Bay and beyond |
| Experienced Public Adjusters | Orlando | W807213 | Slab leaks and high-value homes |
| Gold Star Adjusters | Jacksonville | W806247 | Northeast Florida pipe leaks |
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 page on water damage, burst pipes, pipe leaks or slab leaks. We also looked for how the firm says it finds and documents moisture, where in Florida it works, and whether a policyholder can confirm its fee terms in writing.
Adjusterman LLC publishes this guide and is listed first. The other six firms are grouped by region (South Florida, then the Gulf coast, Central Florida and Northeast Florida) and are otherwise in no particular order. We used only facts from each firm’s website and its DFS record.
The rankings
1. Adjusterman LLC
Best for: Hidden leaks and pipe failures
- HQ
- Oakland Park, FL
- FL firm license
- W913130
- Licensed PA
- Michael Klavan, P151443
- Tools
- Thermal imaging, drones, 3D capture
Adjusterman handles water damage claims statewide, including broken pipe and cast-iron pipe losses, for homes, condo units, associations and commercial buildings.
Water claims are about where the water went and when it started. Thermal imaging maps moisture behind drywall and under flooring that a visual inspection misses, and 3D capture records the rooms before demolition removes the evidence. That record is what answers an insurer who calls a sudden discharge “long-term seepage.”
Claims get a 24/7 response and a free claim review, which tells you whether the loss looks covered before you sign. The fee is contingent: no fee unless there is a recovery.
Consider Adjusterman if the leak is hidden (under a slab, inside a wall) and the timeline will be disputed.
adjustermanllc.com2. Capital Claims Group
Best for: Multifamily and larger residential
- HQ
- Miramar, FL (per DFS record)
- FL firm license
- G240595
- Service area
- Cities statewide, Miami to Jacksonville
Capital Claims Group is licensed from Miramar and lists service cities from Miami to Jacksonville, Tampa and Tallahassee. Its site navigation includes water damage and freeze damage claim pages, and its homepage describes a “Large Loss Focus.”
Its client profile includes commercial property owners, property managers, multifamily and HOA leadership and high-net-worth homeowners, and it publishes pages for multifamily properties and large residential claims. Its firm license was issued in 2025 and starts with G, which is normal for newer Florida firm licenses.
Consider Capital Claims Group if a leak has spread through several units of a multifamily building.
ccgclaims.com3. Florida Public Adjusting
Best for: South Florida, Spanish service
- Office
- 2206 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood
- FL firm license
- W805707
- Languages
- English, Spanish
Florida Public Adjusting works Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties from Hollywood and also publishes a Tallahassee, Panama City and Panhandle page. It publishes a water damage claim page, and advertises Spanish-language service (“Se habla Español”).
Its contact page says calls are answered 24/7, and it publishes condo and association, commercial and restaurant claim pages.
Consider Florida Public Adjusting if you are in Broward or Miami-Dade and prefer to work in Spanish.
flapublicadjusting.com4. Dolphin Claims
Best for: Self-education before the call
- Office
- 200 E Las Olas Blvd, 14th Floor, Fort Lauderdale
- FL firm license
- G043699
- Service area
- All of Florida
Dolphin Claims lists a Fort Lauderdale office (its DFS business address is in Boca Raton) and says it serves all of Florida. It publishes a water damage claim page, carrier-specific claim pages (for example Citizens and Universal) and training resources for homeowners.
It also publishes mold, fire, commercial and business interruption claim pages, so a water loss that grows into mold or closes a business can stay with one firm.
Consider Dolphin if you want to read carrier-specific material about your insurer before choosing an adjuster.
dolphinclaims.com5. Altieri Insurance Consultants
Best for: Burst pipes, Tampa Bay
- Corporate office
- 400 N. Tampa Street, Tampa
- FL firm license
- W808324
- Other offices
- Fort Lauderdale, Miramar Beach
Altieri works from a corporate office in Tampa with additional offices in Fort Lauderdale and Miramar Beach, and publishes service-area pages from Jacksonville and Ocala to Naples and Miami. Its site says its professionals have worked claims for Florida property owners since 1988.
It publishes a burst pipe claim page, plus condominium association, property management and commercial pages.
Consider Altieri if you are in the Tampa Bay area or manage several properties.
altieriinsuranceconsultants.com6. Experienced Public Adjusters
Best for: Slab leaks and high-value homes
- Office
- 4555 Hoffner Ave, Orlando
- FL firm license
- W807213
- Other offices
- Tampa, Daytona Beach, Naples
Experienced Public Adjusters works all of Florida from Orlando, with offices listed in Tampa, Daytona Beach and Naples. It publishes a page on whether a pipe or slab leak is covered, and its claim-type menu includes water damage, plumbing pipe leak and luxury water damage pages.
It says a live person answers the phone 24/7, and it publishes condo and HOA, large loss and business interruption pages.
Consider Experienced Public Adjusters if you suspect a slab leak in Central Florida.
experiencedpublicadjusters.com7. Gold Star Adjusters
Best for: Northeast Florida
- 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 publishes a pipe leak damage page. Its homepage says it has been holding insurance companies accountable since 2004.
It works residential, commercial and rental-property claims, which is useful if the leak is in a unit you rent out.
Consider Gold Star if the leak is in a Jacksonville-area home or rental.
goldstaradjusters.com
Sudden discharge versus repeated seepage
A standard HO-3 covers “accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or from within a household appliance.” The same peril then excludes loss “caused by constant or repeated seepage or leakage of water or steam, or the presence or condensation of humidity, moisture or vapor which occurs over a period of time, whether hidden or not.” That is the wording in the Tower Hill Florida HO-3 form we read. Wording varies between insurers and form editions, so get a full copy of your policy and endorsements and read that paragraph before you talk to the insurer.
In practice this means two things. First, date the leak: a plumber’s invoice naming the failed fitting, a photo of the burst line, a spike in the water bill, a leak detector alert. Second, measure the damage: moisture readings and thermal images show how far the water traveled, which helps separate one sudden event from a slow drip.
The pipe versus the damage it caused
The same form excludes loss “to the system or appliance from which the water or steam escaped,” so the cracked pipe or failed water heater is usually your cost. But it also says that when water damage is covered, the insurer covers “the cost of tearing out and replacing any part of a building” needed to repair the system or appliance. On a slab leak, that tear-out and replacement (the floor, the cabinets over it) is often the largest line in the estimate.
Water the homeowners policy will not cover
- Flood, surface water, storm surge and overflow of any body of water, “whether or not driven by wind,” are excluded under the form’s Water Damage exclusion. Your declarations page must say so in 18-point bold type (s. 627.7011(4)(b)).
- Water that backs up through sewers or drains is also excluded in that form. Check your declarations page for any water backup endorsement you bought.
- Flood coverage comes from a separate policy. The NFIP covers water entering “from the ground up,” such as storm surge, flash flooding or overflow; NFIP policies generally take effect 30 days after purchase (FloodSmart).
Deadlines and what the insurer owes you
Notice of a claim is due within 1 year of the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months (s. 627.70132(2)). Once notified of a residential claim, the insurer must acknowledge communications within 7 days, inspect within 30 days after receiving proof-of-loss statements, and pay or deny within 60 days, unless factors beyond its control apply (s. 627.70131). Do not wait for any of those clocks to start drying out: most policies require you to protect the property from further damage.
Fees, licenses and what a public adjuster can do
On residential and condo unit owner policies, a public adjuster may charge no more than 20% of claim payments, or 10% on claims from a Governor-declared emergency during the year after the declaration; nothing on the deductible; and 0% on anything the insurer paid or agreed to pay before you signed (s. 626.854(11)). Those caps and the 10-day cancellation right apply by the statute’s terms (s. 626.854(19)) to residential and condo unit owner policies; commercial owners should set terms in the contract.
Check any adjuster and firm on the Florida DFS licensee search. A public adjuster can document and negotiate your claim but cannot give legal advice or handle a bodily injury claim (s. 626.854(3)); for a lawsuit you need an attorney. Before you sign, work through the 12 questions to ask before hiring a public adjuster.
Before the plumber and the dry-out crew leave
- Keep the failed part (the burst supply line, the cracked fitting) and photograph it in place.
- Get the plumber’s written description of what failed and where.
- Ask the mitigation company for its moisture readings and drying logs, not just its invoice.
- Photograph wet cabinets, flooring and drywall before they are removed, and keep a sample of flooring if you can.
Frequently asked questions
Does homeowners insurance cover a burst pipe in Florida?
A standard HO-3 covers sudden, accidental discharge of water from plumbing, HVAC, sprinkler systems and household appliances, and the cost of tearing out and replacing the part of the building needed to reach the pipe. It usually does not pay for the failed pipe itself, and it excludes constant or repeated seepage. Check your own form’s wording.
What is the difference between a sudden leak and seepage?
A sudden leak is a single accidental discharge, like a burst supply line. Seepage is water or moisture that escapes repeatedly over a period of time. Many forms exclude seepage, with wording that varies by insurer. The dispute is usually about timing, so documenting when the leak started matters.
Is flood damage covered by homeowners insurance in Florida?
No. Flood, surface water and storm surge are excluded from a standard homeowners policy, and the declarations page must say so. Flood coverage requires a separate policy, such as an NFIP policy.
How much can a public adjuster charge on a water claim?
On residential and condo unit owner policies, no more than 20% of claim payments, or 10% for claims from a Governor-declared emergency during the year after the declaration. No fee may be charged on the deductible.
How long do I have to report water damage?
Florida bars a claim unless notice reached the insurer within 1 year after the date of loss (18 months for a supplemental claim). Your policy may also require prompt notice, and waiting makes the leak harder to date.
Related guides
Sources
- Tower Hill Select, Homeowners 3 Special Form (TH HO-3 06 13)
- Fla. Stat. s. 627.70132 (2026), Notice of property insurance claim
- Fla. Stat. s. 627.70131 (2026), Insurer’s duty to acknowledge communications regarding claims; investigation
- 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
- FloodSmart (NFIP), start a claim
- FloodSmart (NFIP), what flood insurance covers
- Florida DFS licensee search
- Capital Claims Group
- Florida Public Adjusting, water damage claims
- Dolphin Claims, water damage
- Altieri Insurance Consultants, burst pipes
- Experienced Public Adjusters, is a pipe or slab leak covered
- Gold Star Adjusters, pipe leak damage
Adjusterman LLC, FL DFS Public Adjusting Firm License #W913130 · Michael Klavan, FL DFS Public Adjuster License #P151443. Public adjusters do not provide legal advice.