South Florida Water Damage Insurance Claims

If you experience water or flood damage to your home, condominium, or commercial property? We Can Help.

A large number of South Floridians experience a water damage or a flood in their home, condominium, or business each year. A high percentage of water damage claims are not properly diagnosed and mitigated by the third party insurance provider’s contractors that are sent to your property by your insurance company. If water damage isn’t handled correctly, it can cause greater damage inside walls and underneath floors resulting in mold growth.

In addition, water damage losses result in many items that are overlooked by the insurance company. Leaving you with an under paid claim with not enough money to cover the clean up and damage restoration!

By retaining a Florida licensed public insurance adjuster immediately after a water damage event, you will have an experienced insurance claim specialist, licensed by the state of Florida, to advise and represent you throughout the insurance claims process. Only a licensed attorney or Florida public adjuster can legally assist in the negotiation of a property damage insurance loss.

From the Florida Department of
Financial Services

Industry Warning: Contractors
Public Adjuster License Needed To Assist With Claims

Sometimes contractors attempt to help victims of disasters by offering assistance with their insurance claim. If they do so they may illegally be engaging in the practice of public adjusting without being properly licensed by the Department of Financial Services.

The definition of a public adjuster, as explained in Section 626.854, Florida Statutes, is any person, except an attorney, who, for money or any other thing of value (which would include securing a contract for repairs):

• Prepares, completes or files an insurance claim form for an insured
• Aids in any manner on behalf of an insured in negotiating for or effecting the settlement of a claim
• Advertises or solicits for employment as an adjuster of such claims

However, the contractor may discuss or explain a bid for construction or repair of covered property with the residential property owner who has suffered loss or damage covered by a property insurance policy, or the insurer of such property, if the contractor is doing so for the usual and customary fees applicable to the work to be performed as stated in the contract between the contractor and the insured.

If you are acting as a public adjuster in any manner by negotiating or effecting the settlement of an insurance claim on behalf of an insured and you are performing any of these services for money, commission or anything of value without being licensed as a public adjuster (Section 626.854, Florida Statutes), you could be subject to arrest and may be charged with a third-degree felony as provided by Section 626.8738, Florida Statutes.

If you should become licensed as a Public Adjuster, you cannot enter into a contract to do both the public adjusting and construction work on the same property per Florida Statute 626.8795, Public adjusters; prohibition of conflict of interest.

Common Causes of Water Damage Include:

• Broken pipes
• Faulty refrigerator lines
• Dishwasher leaks
• Broken water heaters
• Garbage disposal leaks
• Clogged A/C lines
• Roof leaks
• Sewer line or pipe breaks or backups

Call the Water Damage Insurance Claims Experts

Hiring a public adjuster to represent you and help you navigate the complex insurance claim process for water and mold damage will save you the time and aggravation of handling this yourself.

At Reyes Public Adjusters, we understand insurance policy coverages for water damage and the very challenging process for removing excess water or sewage from your home or business as a result of your loss. We have expertise in the water damage restoration techniques and equipment required to put your home back to the pre loss condition. We can also refer you to reliable water damage restoration and clean up contractors.