Hurricane Isaias claim questions, answered

These are the questions Florida property owners ask us after Hurricane Isaias. Short answers, in plain language. If your question is not here, call 800.511.2240 and ask it directly.

Request a Free Hurricane Inspection or call 800.511.2240.

What does a public adjuster do?

A public adjuster works for you on a property damage claim. We inspect the damage, document the full loss, price it, and present the claim to your carrier under the terms and conditions of your policy. We meet the carrier's adjuster at your property, answer their scope with evidence, and stay on the claim until it closes.

Do you work for my insurance company?

No. The carrier's adjuster represents the carrier. A public adjuster represents the policyholder. Policyholder Advocacy Group has never worked for an insurance company, and we do not take carrier work. We are licensed by the state of Florida to represent you.

What does it cost to hire Policyholder Advocacy Group?

For residential claims, Florida caps the fee at 10% during the first year after a state of emergency declaration. And 10% of nothing is nothing. Commercial claims are not under that cap. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you. If we recover nothing, you pay nothing. The inspection and the claim review are free.

I have not filed my Isaias claim yet. Is it too late?

No. Under Florida Statute 627.70132, you have until October 9, 2027 to report Hurricane Isaias damage to your carrier. Do not wait for the deadline. Damage gets harder to document as months pass, and a full inspection now protects the claim. Call us before you file and we document the loss first.

What is the Free 21-Point Storm Inspection?

It is a free inspection of your property by our team. We check the roof, the exterior, the interior, and the places storm damage hides after a hurricane. We show you what we find, including damage the carrier's first visit missed. The inspection costs nothing, and it obligates you to nothing.

My claim was denied. Can you still help?

Yes. A denial is the carrier's position, not the final word. We read the denial letter against your policy and against the damage at your property. Carriers deny claims for reasons that do not always hold up, including late notice, wear and tear, and excluded causes. If the denial is wrong, we build the documented claim and present it again.

My claim closed without a payment. Is it over?

No. Nearly 8,500 Isaias claims have already closed without a payment, and a closed claim can be reopened or supplemented. Under Florida Statute 627.70132, you have until April 9, 2028 to reopen or add to an Isaias claim. Bring us the closing letter and we will tell you plainly whether the claim should be reopened.

My damage came in below my deductible. What can I do?

The deductible is measured against the full documented loss. If the carrier's scope missed damage, the comparison is wrong and a real loss can land under a deductible it should clear. We document the whole loss and present the true number. The hurricane deductible also applies once per calendar year, not once per claim.

Can I hire a public adjuster after I already filed?

Yes. Owners hire us at every stage: before filing, while a claim sits open, after a low payment, after a denial, and after a claim closes without payment. Earlier is better, because fresh damage documents best. But an open or closed claim is not a locked door, and the deadlines above still leave room to act.

How long will my claim take?

There is no honest fixed date, and anyone who gives you one is guessing. Timing depends on the damage, the carrier, and how complete the claim file is. Our work is the part we control: a documented claim, presented in full, with every carrier request answered fast. A complete file moves. An incomplete one sits.

What should I have ready when I call?

• Your policy, if you can find it, or your agent's name
• Your claim number, if you already filed
• The denial or payment letter, if the carrier sent one
• Photos of the damage and any repair invoices
• Any contractor estimates you have received

If you cannot find your policy, call anyway. We request a copy from your agent. A missing policy never delays the inspection.

What is insurance appraisal, in plain language?

Most property policies carry an appraisal provision for one fight: the amount of loss. You name an appraiser and the carrier names an appraiser. The two appraisers pick an umpire. If they cannot agree on the amount, the umpire decides the disputed items, and an award signed by two of the three sets the amount of loss. You pay your own appraiser and half of the umpire fee. Appraisal decides the amount of loss. It does not decide coverage.

What if the carrier still will not pay what the loss is worth?

Appraisal is one path. Mediation is another: a neutral mediator works toward a settlement you can accept or reject. If a claim needs a courtroom, we support your attorney with the documented claim file, the estimates, and the evidence we built. Most claims settle before that point. Every path starts with the same thing: a fully documented loss.

Do you handle commercial claims?

Yes. We represent apartment complexes, condominium associations, hotels, shopping centers, warehouses, and other commercial properties, along with property managers and out-of-town owners. Commercial claims carry larger scopes, more buildings, and business interruption questions. The process is the same: inspect, document, price the full loss, and present it under the policy.

Which areas do you serve?

We serve policyholders across Florida. Our Hurricane Isaias work centers on the Panhandle counties the storm hit hardest: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay. We are a service-area firm. We come to your property, wherever the damage is.

Still have a question?

Call 800.511.2240 and ask it. Or start with the free inspection and ask us at your property: request your free hurricane inspection.