Quick answer: A public adjuster is a licensed advocate who negotiates your insurance claim on your behalf for a percentage fee, typically 10 to 20 percent of the settlement. A restoration company physically repairs the damage and bills your insurance for the work. They are not interchangeable. Most claims do not need a public adjuster, but in disputes over scope, valuation, or denial, a good one earns their fee many times over.
What a Public Adjuster Actually Does
A public adjuster is licensed by the Florida Department of Financial Services to represent the policyholder, not the insurance company. They read your policy in detail, document the loss independently of the carrier, prepare and present the claim, negotiate the settlement, and handle re-inspections and appraisal demands if the carrier disputes the scope.
Public adjusters do not perform repairs. They do not provide materials. They do not have employees on your roof. They prepare paperwork and argue with adjusters.
Their fee is a percentage of the settlement, capped by Florida statute. As of 2026, the cap is 20 percent for non-emergency claims and 10 percent for claims related to a declared state of emergency, calculated on the supplemental amount they recover.
What a Restoration Company Does
A restoration company is a licensed general contractor (in our case, CBC1253650) that performs the physical work of mitigation, demolition, drying, mold remediation, reconstruction, and final cleaning. We submit a scope of work to your insurance carrier, perform the work, and bill the carrier for the actual cost of repair.
Restoration companies do not negotiate your claim. We document our scope and our pricing, and we provide that documentation to whoever is handling the claim, whether that is you directly, your independent adjuster, or your public adjuster.
When You Need Just a Restoration Company
The vast majority of residential water, fire, and mold claims do not need a public adjuster. If your carrier accepts the claim, sends an adjuster, and writes a scope that matches the actual damage, you have a clean path. Hire a restoration contractor, let them coordinate with the adjuster on scope and pricing, and approve the work.
Most carriers will pay industry-standard restoration pricing without a fight. Most adjusters will write a scope that matches what they see. The friction shows up later, on supplements for damage that was not visible at the first inspection.
When a Public Adjuster Earns Their Fee
Consider a public adjuster when:
- The carrier denied your claim entirely. A public adjuster can re-document the loss and re-present it with the policy language that supports coverage.
- The settlement offer is significantly less than the actual cost of repair. If your restoration contractor’s scope is double the carrier’s offer, the gap will not close on its own.
- The damage is complex. Large commercial losses, multi-trade reconstructions, or claims with mixed wind, water, and mold causation often benefit from professional representation.
- The carrier is delaying. Florida law sets deadlines for claim acknowledgment, investigation, and payment. A public adjuster knows the statutory leverage.
- You are dealing with appraisal. If the carrier invokes the appraisal clause to resolve a dispute, you need someone who knows that process.
What a Public Adjuster Cannot Do for You
A public adjuster cannot make a denied claim covered if the policy actually excludes the cause of loss. They cannot get you paid for damage that did not happen. They cannot speed up a carrier that has every required document and a written deadline. And they cannot do restoration work. They are advocates, not contractors, and the line is firm under Florida law.
How Restoration Companies and Public Adjusters Work Together
On a healthy claim, both roles complement each other. The restoration company documents the physical damage with moisture maps, photographs, and a detailed Xactimate scope. The public adjuster takes that documentation, ties it to the policy provisions, and negotiates the settlement.
The restoration company gets paid for the work performed at the scope and pricing the public adjuster negotiates. The public adjuster takes their statutory fee out of the supplemental recovery, not the base claim payment.
A restoration company that refers you to a specific public adjuster, or a public adjuster that insists on a specific restoration company, is a red flag. Each professional should be selected independently.
Florida-Specific Rules Worth Knowing
Need restoration help in Southwest Florida right now? WrightWay dispatches in 60 to 90 minutes from three Florida offices, and we answer with a live human.
Florida has stricter public adjuster regulations than most states. As of 2026, public adjusters must be licensed, must use a written contract, cannot solicit you within 48 hours of a loss, and have fee caps based on the type of claim. Senate Bill 2A (2022) banned Assignment of Benefits (see our AOB guide) and reinforced the policyholder’s right to choose any restoration contractor regardless of carrier-preferred vendor programs.
Who to Call First
On an active emergency (water spreading, fire damage, structural concern), call a restoration company first. Stabilizing the loss is more time-critical than negotiating the claim. WrightWay responds 24/7 across Southwest Florida at (941) 379-8669.
If the claim is already open and stalled, or if the settlement offer is materially less than the cost of restoration, that is the moment to consider a public adjuster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay a public adjuster even if my claim is approved?
You only owe a public adjuster on amounts they recover. If the carrier paid the full amount before you signed with the public adjuster, there is no fee on that base amount. The fee applies to supplemental recovery they negotiate.
Can my restoration company also be my public adjuster?
No. Florida law prohibits the same person or company from acting as both contractor and public adjuster on the same claim. The roles have to be separate.
Does using a public adjuster slow down my claim?
Sometimes. The carrier may re-inspect or invoke appraisal, which adds weeks. But on disputed claims, the alternative is no recovery at all.
Can my insurance company drop me for hiring a public adjuster?
No. Florida law explicitly prohibits non-renewal or cancellation based solely on the policyholder hiring a public adjuster.
What does a restoration company cost if I do not use insurance?
Restoration is billed at standard industry pricing whether or not you use insurance. Our cost guides walk through typical pricing by service type.
WrightWay handles every restoration job from emergency response through licensed reconstruction.
One IICRC-certified team, one project manager, one phone call. Available 24/7 across Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties.
