Reviewed by Michael Klavan, Licensed Public Adjuster, FL DFS Public Adjuster License #P151443, on November 8, 2026
Short answer
A recorded statement is usually an informal interview, often by phone early in the claim, where the adjuster records your account. An examination under oath is a formal, sworn questioning that the standard homeowners policy lets the insurer require as often as it reasonably needs, and you sign the transcript. Both are part of your duty to cooperate. Prepare from your documents, answer truthfully, and say so when you do not know.
Two ways your insurer asks about the loss
Your insurer has asked to “take your statement,” or a letter has arrived scheduling an examination under oath. Both can feel like an accusation. Usually they are not. Insurers investigate claims, and asking the people who were there what happened is a normal part of that.
The two requests are different in weight. A recorded statement is often requested early, by phone or in person, and the adjuster records your account of the loss. An examination under oath, or EUO, is more formal. You answer questions under oath, often asked by an attorney for the insurer, and a transcript is made.
Neither one is a sign that the claim is denied. Sometimes an EUO request arrives with a reservation of rights letter, which also is not a denial. See what a reservation of rights letter means.
What your policy requires
Most Florida homeowners policies are built on the standard Homeowners 3 form. Its duties after loss include cooperating with the insurer in the investigation of a claim. They also say that, as often as the insurer reasonably requires, you must:
- Show the damaged property.
- Provide the records and documents it requests and let it make copies.
- Submit to examination under oath, while not in the presence of another insured, and sign the same.
The form says the insurer has no duty to provide coverage if a failure to meet these duties is prejudicial to it. A separate condition removes coverage for all insureds if an insured intentionally concealed or misrepresented any material fact, or made false statements, relating to the insurance.
Your own policy may word these duties differently or add others. Read the duties-after-loss section and any EUO letter side by side, and note the date, place and documents requested.
| Recorded statement | Examination under oath | |
|---|---|---|
| When it usually happens | Often early in the claim | Usually later, by written notice |
| Sworn | Usually not | Yes, under oath |
| Policy basis | Your duty to cooperate in the investigation | A named duty: submit to examination under oath |
| Who asks the questions | Usually the claim adjuster | Often an attorney for the insurer |
| Other insureds in the room | Policy form does not say | Not in the presence of another insured |
| Afterward | Ask for a copy of the recording | You sign the transcript |
| If you do not take part | May be raised as non-cooperation | Coverage may be at risk if the failure is prejudicial |
Florida rules that shape the interview
Florida law adds a few ground rules around how the insurer’s people meet with you. The first three below come from s. 626.854, and s. 626.854(19) limits them to residential property policies and condominium unit owner policies.
- Notice before a meeting. Under Fla. Stat. s. 626.854(14), an adjuster, attorney, investigator or other person acting for the insurer must give at least 48 hours’ notice to you, your public adjuster or your legal representative before scheduling a meeting with you or an onsite inspection. You may waive that notice.
- The insurer may interview you directly. If you hire a public adjuster, s. 626.854(15) requires the adjuster to make sure the insurer has a chance to interview you directly about the loss and claim.
- Your public adjuster may attend. The same subsection says the insurer may not exclude your public adjuster from its in-person meetings with you.
- Names and license numbers. Under s. 627.70131(3), an insurer’s adjuster who inspects must give you his or her name and state adjuster license number, and later claim messages must include them.
- Information requests pause the clock. If you do not provide material claim information within 10 days after a request, the insurer’s claim deadlines are tolled until it arrives.
If the EUO notice does not say who may attend with you, ask the insurer in writing before the date.
Before a recorded statement
A recorded statement request often comes by phone, sometimes on the first call. You can ask to set a time when you will have your papers in front of you. If you do, keep the claim moving by answering the insurer’s information requests on time.
- Ask who will be on the call and what the statement will cover.
- Write down the adjuster’s name and license number. Florida requires the insurer’s adjusters to include them in claim communications.
- Describe what you saw, heard and did. Leave the cause of the damage to the inspection unless you know it firsthand.
- Ask whether you can get a copy of the recording or a transcript afterward.
A recorded statement is not sworn in most cases, but it still becomes part of the claim file. Treat it with the same care as anything you put in writing.
How to prepare honestly
The goal is not to perform well. It is to give accurate answers you can stand behind. Mistakes in a sworn statement are hard to undo, so preparation matters more than polish.
- Gather your policy, declarations page, claim letters, photos, receipts and repair invoices.
- Write a short timeline: when you noticed the damage, what you did, who you called and when.
- Bring the records the EUO letter lists, or tell the insurer in writing which ones you cannot find.
- Answer only what you know. “I don’t know” and “I don’t remember” are honest answers.
- Do not guess at dates, costs or causes. Offer to check your records instead.
- If you realize you got something wrong, correct it as soon as you can, in writing.
Good documentation does most of the work. If you have not built it yet, start with documenting storm damage before you clean up.
Who can help, and where an attorney fits
A licensed public adjuster works for you on the claim itself. Most public adjusters help clients organize the documents and timeline an EUO asks for, and can attend the insurer’s in-person meetings with you. A public adjuster may not give legal advice, under s. 626.854(3).
An EUO is sworn testimony, and some people choose to bring an attorney. If the EUO letter raises fraud, misrepresentation or a coverage defense, those are legal questions, and that is where a Florida attorney’s role starts. The difference between the two roles is on public adjuster vs. attorney.
If you have covered damage and an EUO or statement request in hand, Adjusterman offers a free claim review. See our process and our work on homeowners claims.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to give my insurance company a recorded statement?
Your policy likely requires you to cooperate with the insurer’s investigation, and a statement is one common way insurers gather facts. The standard homeowners form does not name recorded statements as a separate duty. Read your own policy’s duties-after-loss section. If you are unsure what a refusal would mean, that is a question for a Florida attorney.
What is an examination under oath in a Florida property claim?
It is formal, sworn questioning about the loss and the claim. The standard homeowners form lets the insurer require it as often as it reasonably needs, while you are not in the presence of another insured, and you must sign the transcript. Your policy may differ, so read its duties-after-loss section.
Can my public adjuster attend my examination under oath?
For residential and condo unit owner policies, Florida law says the insurer may not exclude your public adjuster from its in-person meetings with you, and the insurer must give 48 hours’ notice to you or your public adjuster before scheduling a meeting. Whether a specific EUO setting allows others in the room is worth confirming in writing with the insurer before the date.
What happens if I refuse an examination under oath?
Under the standard homeowners form, the insurer has no duty to provide coverage if your failure to perform a duty after loss, such as submitting to an EUO, is prejudicial to it. Your policy may word this differently. If you have concerns about an EUO request, raise them in writing, and talk to a Florida attorney about the legal side.
What Happens After You Hire a Public Adjuster
The steps that follow the signature, who handles each one, and the parts of the claim that stay with you.
Related guides
Sources
- Homeowners 3 Special Form, ISO form HO 00 03 10 00 (sample published by the Insurance Information Institute)
- Fla. Stat. s. 626.854, “Public adjuster” defined; prohibitions (2026)
- Fla. Stat. s. 627.70131, Insurer’s duty to acknowledge communications regarding claims; investigation (2026)
General information about Florida property claims, not legal advice; your policy and the current statutes control. Adjusterman is not affiliated with any government agency. Adjusterman LLC, FL DFS Public Adjusting Firm License #W913130 · Michael Klavan, FL DFS Public Adjuster License #P151443. Public adjusters do not provide legal advice.