When it comes to filing an insurance claim, it's important to understand the different types of adjusters in Florida. From staff adjusters to public adjusters, there are a variety of adjusters that can help you get the most out of your claim. In this article, we'll discuss the different types of adjusters in Florida and how they can help you. Our pre-licensing course for certified Florida adjusters meets the Florida Department of Financial Services' prerequisites for appraiser licenses 6-20, 7-20 and 70-20.
The first type of adjuster is the staff adjuster, who works for your insurance company. When you file an insurance claim, your insurance provider will send a staff adjuster to examine the damage to your home or commercial property. It's important to note that although most staff adjusters are licensed by the state of Florida, their first duty is to the insurance company and its shareholders. A staff adjuster's job is to save the insurance company all the money they can.
As such, they will always offer a lower settlement for your insurance claim than it could be, or they may even flatly deny your claim. At the broadest level, there are three general categories of Florida appraiser licenses: Series 6, Series 5, and Series 3.The only other non-extinct appraiser license is the FL 0-70 emergency adjuster license, which is only available during states of emergency. The Certified Claims Adjuster Professional (CACP) designation is earned upon successful completion of the professional certification course certified by FL claims adjusters. After successfully completing the CACP's 40-hour comprehensive appraiser course, applicants will receive their CACP designation and qualify to receive their Florida All-Line Adjuster License without taking the state exam.
Florida residents can use the CACP designation to apply for an All-Lines 6-20 appraiser license, and non-residents can apply for line 7-20 and 70-20 appraiser licenses. It's important to note that attorneys duly authorized to practice law in the courts of this state and who meet the requirements of the Florida Bar Association shall not be licensed under the provisions of the Texas Insurance Code to authorize them to adjust or participate in the adjustment of any claim, loss or damage that arises under insurance policies or contracts. The big difference between these different types of adjusters is who pays them and, in the case of the public adjuster, who they defend. According to the Department of Financial Services, Florida currently has about 175,000 licensed public and independent appraisers. If an applicant's home state does not issue licenses for public appraisers, they must be licensed and employed as resident insurance adjusters on a continuous basis for the previous six months, either in their home state or in another state. Don't leave yourself at the mercy of an independent adjuster hired by your insurance company or one of your staff adjusters.
Both difficulties will be addressed by the state's licensing law for public adjusters, which will take effect in January of this year. Keep in mind that an independent adjuster may be an employee, but as long as you are employed by an adjustment company and not directly of an insurance company, you will continue to be considered independent. Financial Services defines a Company's appraiser as “any person employed on the staff of an insurance company's adjuster or in a wholly-owned subsidiary of the insurer.” You can work as a staff adjuster, independent adjuster, or public adjuster if you have this certification. Insurance professionals who live in a state that does not license claims adjusters can receive a non-resident adjuster's license from another state if they declare that other state is their designated state of residence (DHS). An independent appraiser means a person licensed as an all-line adjuster who is self-appointed or appointed and employed by an independent adjustment firm or other independent appraiser, and who undertakes, on behalf of an insurer, to determine and determine the amount of any claim, loss or damage payable under of an insurance contract or undertakes to effect the settlement of such claim, loss or damage. In conclusion, there are several types of adjusters in Florida that can help you get the most out of your insurance claim.
From staff adjusters to public adjusters, understanding these different types can help you make sure you get what you deserve from your claim.
