On October 20, 2026, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced an investigation into insurance policy clauses that punish homeowners for hiring a public adjuster. His office subpoenaed Velocity Risk Underwriters. The subpoena seeks records about trade group memberships, communications with other insurers, and any agreements to stop homeowners from using public adjusters.
What the clause does
Some policies carry an anti public adjuster clause. The clause says a condition of the policy is that you shall not hire, engage, or retain a public adjuster. Violate it and the carrier can reject your entire claim. Not reduce it. Reject it. Most homeowners never read that far into their policy. They find out when they file a claim, hire help, and get a denial.
Why the AG cares
The AG said his office is looking into whether Velocity and other insurers worked together to ban public adjusters so they could pay out less money. His words were plain. Insurance companies use their own adjusters. Homeowners should be allowed to hire an advocate on their side too. His office also said homeowners who use a public adjuster can receive up to 30 percent more money on their claims than those who do not.
One fact to keep straight
Velocity says its Florida surplus lines policies with this endorsement cover commercial insureds, and that it does not write personal residential homeowners policies in Florida. The company says it is cooperating with the investigation. The subpoena does not prove misconduct. It starts a records fight. But the clause itself is real, and it sits in policies that Florida property owners hold today.
What you should do
Pull your full policy and search it for any clause about hiring a public adjuster. Look in the conditions section and in every endorsement. If you find one, do not panic and do not ignore it. Get advice before you sign anything or accept a denial that cites it. A clause that voids your whole claim deserves a second set of eyes before you act on it.
Florida law already gives you tools. You have one year from October 9, 2026 to report a new or reopened Isaias claim, and 18 months to file a supplemental claim. The state study every adjuster cites found policyholders with a public adjuster received payments 747 percent higher than those without one. That is the state number, not ours.
If your policy carries this clause, or your carrier cited it in a denial, talk to us before you give up the claim. Free claim review: call 800.511.2240.