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Immediately report property damage to
your agent and insurance company. Your agent should provide
claim forms if required, and report your loss to the
insurance company. The company will arrange for an insurance
adjuster to visit your property and assess the damage.
Take precautions if the damages require
you to leave your home. Secure your property. Remove
valuable items. Lock windows and doors. Contact your agent
or insurance company and leave a phone number and address
where you can be reached.
Take these same precautions if you must
evacuate before a storm, wildfire or other natural disaster.
Make emergency repairs and document them
- keeping a file with all of your receipts. Your policy
requires such repairs to prevent further weather-related
damage to your home and its contents.
Keep all receipts and take photographs of
the damages - before and after temporary repairs - to submit
with your claim. Your insurer will reimburse these costs
later.
Don't make extensive repairs before the
claims adjuster arrives or throw out damaged furniture and
other expensive items; the adjuster will want to see them.
Make a list of everything you want to
show the adjuster when he or she arrives.
Adjusters
An adjuster is a person professionally
trained to determine the amount of any claim, loss or damage
payable under an insurance contract. An adjuster often
participates in the settlement of the claim, loss or damage.
Insurance adjusters must be properly licensed by the
Department to work in Florida. All insurance adjusters are
required to adjust claims strictly in accordance with your
insurance contract, and in compliance with the Florida
Insurance Code. In addition, all adjusters must comply with
the Adjusters' Code of Ethics to maintain their licensure.
There are three kinds of adjusters:
 Company
adjusters, who work as employees of insurance companies
Independent
adjusters, who are usually employed by independent adjusting
firms contracted by insurance companies to handle claims
Public
adjusters, who do not work for insurance companies or
independent adjusting firms
Most public adjusters are self-employed,
or work in association with public adjusting firms.
Public adjusters contract with the
policyholders to help them settle their claims with
insurance companies. You have the right to negotiate an
agreed-upon fee should you elect to use the services of a
public adjuster.
This means that if you use a public
adjuster, you must share a negotiated portion of your
settlement with that public adjuster. Public adjusting fees
are not set by the state, except in special circumstances -
for example, during the 2004 hurricane season, an emergency
order capped adjuster fees at 10 percent of the insurance
settlement.
No matter which type of adjuster you use,
be sure he or she is properly licensed to conduct business
in Florida. Ask to see license information and personal
identification. Also be sure to write down contact
information including phone numbers and addresses for the
adjuster and public adjusting firm he or she may work for.
If you have any questions about the license status of an
adjuster, or the way your claim was handled, call the DFS
Consumer Helpline toll-free at 1-800-342-2762.
Appraisal and Settlement
You may settle personal property and
structure claims at separate times, although your adjuster
may suggest that you file the claims together. Filing
separately allows you to take more time, if necessary, to
determine the full extent of your losses.
If you and your company representative
cannot reach a satisfactory settlement together, you may
hire an appraiser to reach a compromise figure. You and the
company split the cost. If you both still disagree, you may
hire a second appraiser, called an umpire. The decision of
any two of these people is binding.
Dispute Mediation
Mediation offers an alternative if you
and your company cannot reach an agreement. To qualify, your
claim must be in excess of $500, not including your
deductible. You may obtain mediation through DFS. In this
free, informal process, a trained, neutral mediator tries to
help resolve the dispute without dictating the outcome.
Mediation can help disputing parties reach a mutually
acceptable agreement. However, it is important to remember
that mediation is nonbinding.
Homeowners, renters and condominium-unit
owners may participate in the Personal Property Insurance
Mediation Program. This program does not apply to claims
involving commercial coverage, liability coverage or damage
to private-passenger motor vehicles. For more information,
call the DFS Consumer Helpline toll-free at 1-800-342-2762,
order our publication "Mediation" or view it online (NOTE:
LINK TO MEDIATION BROCHURE TARGET = NEW).
Home Repair
You or your insurance company may
contract for the repair of your home. Hire licensed,
reputable and preferably local service people. Call the
Department of Business and Professional Regulation at
850-487-1395 or visit its Web site (www.state.fl.us/dbpr)
to see if a contractor holds a proper license.
Your insurance company may initially pay
you and/or your mortgage company a sum equal to the actual
cash value, unless you request minimal repairs. It will
withhold the balance of the full replacement cost until
repairs are completed.
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