Guide
Public Adjuster vs Attorney in Florida: Which One Do You Need?
A public adjuster values and negotiates your claim; an attorney litigates your legal rights. Here is which one fits your Florida situation.
A public adjuster and an insurance attorney solve two different problems. A public adjuster is a state-licensed professional (Fla. Stat. 626.854) who values, documents, and negotiates the amount of your property insurance claim. An insurance attorney is a lawyer who enforces your legal rights, including filing suit and pursuing bad faith. For most Florida claims that are simply underpaid, undervalued, delayed, or lowballed, a public adjuster is the faster, lower-cost path. You bring in an attorney when the fight is legal: a wrongful denial, a coverage dispute, or bad faith.
| Public adjuster | Insurance attorney | |
|---|---|---|
| What they do | Value, document, and negotiate your claim | Enforce legal rights; file and litigate suits |
| Licensed by | FL Dept. of Financial Services (Fla. Stat. 626.854) | The Florida Bar |
| Typical fee | Capped by statute: 20% (10% in the first year of a declared catastrophe) | Contingency, typically one-third or more, or hourly |
| Best for | Underpaid, undervalued, delayed, or lowballed claims | Wrongful denials, coverage disputes, bad faith |
| Can file a lawsuit | No | Yes |
| When to engage | Any time, often from first notice of loss | Usually after a denial or a breakdown in negotiation |
What does a public adjuster do?
A public adjuster works only for you, never the carrier. They inspect the loss, build an independent scope and estimate, and negotiate the settlement. Their fee is capped by Fla. Stat. 626.854(11) and is contingent, so there is no upfront cost. Public adjusters cannot give legal advice or file a lawsuit.
Free claim review
Get a free claim review from a licensed Florida public adjuster.
We review your policy and estimate at no cost. If we take your case, our fee only comes from the increased recovery.
- ✓Licensed Florida public adjusters
- ✓We work for policyholders, not insurance companies
- ✓No fee unless we recover more than you were offered
What kind of damage?
Pick the closest match. We will ask for details later.
What does an insurance attorney do?
An insurance attorney handles the legal side: a claim wrongly denied on coverage grounds, a lawsuit for breach of the policy, or a bad-faith action under Fla. Stat. 624.155 and the unfair-claims statute Fla. Stat. 626.9541. Note that Florida’s 2022 reforms (Senate Bill 2-A) eliminated one-way attorney’s fees in property insurance suits, which raised the effective cost of litigation for many homeowners and pushed public-adjuster-led negotiation to the front of the line for value disputes.
When should you hire a public adjuster instead of an attorney?
- CHThe dispute is about money, not lawThe carrier acknowledges coverage but the offer is low, incomplete, or slow.
- CHYou want to move earlyA public adjuster can take over from the first notice of loss, before positions harden.
- CHThe loss is complex to documentLarge or multi-trade damage where scope and valuation drive the outcome.
Free claim review
Still building your claim? We can help right now.
A licensed Florida public adjuster will review your policy and loss documentation for free.
- ✓Licensed Florida public adjusters
- ✓We work for policyholders, not insurance companies
- ✓No fee unless we recover more than you were offered
What kind of damage?
Pick the closest match. We will ask for details later.
You can use both
It is common to start with a public adjuster to maximize the claim value, then escalate to an attorney only if the carrier denies coverage or acts in bad faith. Many claims never need the attorney.
Is a public adjuster cheaper than an attorney?+
Can a public adjuster sue my insurance company?+
Do I have to choose one before I file?+
No obligation. No fee unless recovery.
Not sure where your claim stands?
A licensed Florida public adjuster will review your policy and the carrier’s offer for free. No recovery, no fee.
Related guides
Keep deciding
Do I need a public adjuster?
A plain decision guide: when to hire one, and when you can handle it yourself.
Is a public adjuster worth it?
The statutory fee cap, the recovery math, and when hiring one nets you more.
Public adjuster cost & fees
What a Florida public adjuster costs, capped by statute, with no upfront fee.
Free claim review
Your policy says more than you think. Find out what you are actually owed.
Licensed Florida public adjusters. Free claim review. No recovery, no fee.
- ✓Licensed Florida public adjusters
- ✓We work for policyholders, not insurance companies
- ✓No fee unless we recover more than you were offered
What kind of damage?
Pick the closest match. We will ask for details later.