Hurricane damage is not always obvious

Hurricane Isaias crossed Northwest Florida with damaging winds. Some damage shows from the street. Some hides in the roof system, the flashing, the window seals, and the walls. If your home, apartment complex, condominium, commercial building, or rental property was in the storm path, we will inspect it for wind, roof, window, water intrusion, and other hurricane related damage.

Hidden water damage. Roof and building envelope damage. Fire and smoke. Sprinkler failures. Vandalism. Storm damage. We inspect residential and commercial properties for damage that may support an insurance claim, and we document what we find before anyone decides how to proceed.

Request Your Free Hurricane Inspection

Residential | Commercial | Multifamily | Condo and HOA | Industrial

No obligation. We work for you, not the insurance company. Call 800.511.2240.

17 years advocating for Florida policyholders

Hundreds of millions recovered for Florida policyholders

Residential, commercial, and industrial properties

Licensed Florida public adjusters

No recovery, no fee

Choose your property

Residential property inspections

Homeowners usually see the stain, the drip, or the missing shingles. The damage behind the wall, under the roof system, and inside the cabinet run is what gets missed, and missed damage is what a carrier’s first scope leaves out. We look for:

• Water stains on ceilings and walls
• Roof leaks and storm damage
• Kitchen and bathroom leaks
• Plumbing failures
• Cabinet damage
• Wood, laminate, tile, and flooring damage
• Window and door damage
• Fire and smoke damage
• Mold related to covered water losses
• Hurricane, wind, and hail damage
• Tree impact
• Vandalism and theft

Commercial property inspections

A commercial loss runs on a different scale. One pipe, one sprinkler head, or one roof seam can touch dozens of units, several floors, and the income the building produces. We inspect:

• Apartment complexes and multifamily properties
• Condominium associations
• HOAs and clubhouses
• Office buildings
• Retail centers
• Restaurants
• Warehouses
• Industrial buildings
• Storage facilities
• Hotels
• Churches
• Medical and professional buildings

What we look for on commercial properties

Roof systems

TPO, modified bitumen, BUR, metal, and other commercial roofing. Membrane punctures. Open seams. Failed flashing. Parapet damage. Roof penetrations. Drains and scuppers. Wet insulation and moisture inside the roof system. Wind uplift damage.

Building envelope

Windows. Storefront glass. Exterior doors. Stucco. EIFS. Siding. Exterior coatings. Sealants. Wall systems. Water intrusion around openings.

Fire and smoke

Apartment or unit fires. Kitchen fires. Electrical fires. Smoke migration into adjacent units. Soot contamination. Fire department access damage. Water damage from firefighting. Contents damage. Common area damage.

Sprinkler and plumbing losses

Broken sprinkler heads. Frozen or failed sprinkler piping. Sprinkler system discharge. Domestic water line failures. Supply line failures. Drain backups. Water heaters. Mechanical room leaks. Roof drain failures.

Apartment and multifamily losses

Unit-to-unit water migration. Damage between floors. Common area damage. Tenant-caused damage. Fire and smoke affecting multiple units. Plumbing stacks. Sprinkler losses. Roof leaks affecting multiple units. Loss of rents.

Vandalism and theft

Broken windows and doors. Copper theft. HVAC theft or damage. Interior vandalism. Tenant vandalism. Graffiti related property damage. Electrical and plumbing damage. Security related building damage.

Storm and hurricane

Roof damage. Building envelope damage. Windows and doors. Wind driven rain. Exterior equipment. Signage. Fencing. Carports. Awnings. Mechanical equipment. Interior water intrusion.

Commercial equipment and building systems

HVAC and rooftop equipment. Electrical systems. Plumbing. Fire protection components. Elevators where affected by the loss. Generators. Commercial kitchen equipment. Building controls.

Fire in one unit does not always mean damage in one unit

Smoke, soot, water, sprinkler discharge, and firefighting operations can affect neighboring units, hallways, electrical systems, HVAC systems, and common areas. A sprinkler discharge can reach 14 units, three corridors, and electrical components on four floors. We document the entire affected area, not only the room where the fire started.

Physical damage is only part of a commercial loss

A building that cannot be used the way it was used before the loss is losing more than materials. These areas may need to be evaluated under the policy:

• Business interruption
• Loss of rents
• Extra expense
• Temporary relocation
• Contents
• Inventory
• Tenant improvements
• Equipment
• Debris removal
• Code related work
• Emergency services

We do not promise coverage. We document the loss and evaluate these areas against the terms and conditions of your policy.

What does a free property inspection include?

Free should not mean vague. An inspection covers:

• Roof and exterior
• Windows and doors
• Interior rooms and finishes
• Walls and ceilings
• Flooring
• Cabinetry
• Plumbing related areas
• Visible mechanical equipment
• Areas of reported water intrusion
• Fire and smoke damage
• Storm related damage
• Commercial common areas
• Affected tenant or residential units
• Available photographs and documentation

We also review the circumstances of the loss and your available insurance information to help determine whether pursuing a property insurance claim makes sense. Not every piece of damage equals a claim, and we will tell you plainly when it does not.

Already have a claim?

Claim not filed yet

We inspect and document the damage before you decide how to proceed.

Claim underpaid

We compare the carrier’s scope with the damage that is actually present.

Claim denied or partially denied

We inspect the property and review the claim documentation to identify disputed damage, scope, and valuation issues.

For property managers, building owners, and association boards

You do not need to know whether the damage is large enough to justify a claim before contacting us. We inspect the property, document the affected areas, and help you understand the potential scope of the loss. The losses we evaluate for managers and boards include:

• A roof leak affecting multiple tenant spaces
• A sprinkler discharge affecting several apartment units
• A fire affecting one unit but smoke affecting an entire floor
• Wind damage to a commercial roof with interior water intrusion
• A plumbing failure affecting units above and below
• Tenant vandalism
• A hurricane damaging roofing, windows, exterior components, and interiors
• A loss causing interruption of business or rental income

How the inspection works

1. Tell us what happened.
2. We inspect the property.
3. We document areas of concern.
4. We review the claim and policy information.
5. You decide whether to move forward.

What the state’s own study found

Florida’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, OPPAGA, found substantially higher insurance payments among certain Citizens claims involving public adjuster representation.

747% higher payments on certain 2005 hurricane claims

574% higher estimated payments on non catastrophe claims studied

Source: Florida OPPAGA Report No. 10-06, January 2010. Historical Citizens claim comparisons. Results do not guarantee a particular outcome.

Why Policyholder Advocacy Group

The carrier’s adjuster represents the carrier. A public adjuster represents the policyholder. Policyholder Advocacy Group has represented Florida policyholders since 2012, and Nathan Sheppard has worked insurance claims for 17 years. On cost: For residential claims, Florida caps the fee at 10% during the first year after a state of emergency declaration. Commercial claims are not under that cap. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover, and if we recover nothing, you pay nothing. Without representation, many owners walk away with far less or nothing at all. We present the claim under the terms and conditions of your policy, so you pursue the full amount your policy owes you.

Questions owners ask us

Does the inspection cost anything?

No. The inspection and the documentation are free, and there is no obligation to hire us afterward.

Our building is large. Is it too big for an inspection?

No. We inspect apartment complexes, condominium associations, retail centers, warehouses, and industrial buildings across Florida, and we document building by building and system by system.

The carrier already denied our claim. Is it too late?

Usually not. A denied or underpaid claim can often be reopened or supplemented when the damage is documented properly, and deadlines still control. The inspection is how you find out where you stand.

Do you work for our insurance company?

No. We work for the policyholder, and only the policyholder.

Request your free hurricane inspection

Tell us what happened and what kind of property it is. We will call you back to schedule the inspection.

Not sure whether you have a claim?

That is exactly what the inspection is for. Call 800.511.2240 or send the form above, and we will document the damage and tell you plainly where you stand.