What Is a Public Adjuster's License in Florida?
A public adjuster is a professional who assesses damage, files insurance claims and negotiates insurance claim settlements for damage to commercial and residential property. Types of claims include fire damage, wind damage, water damage, theft, vandalism and sinkholes. In Florida, public adjusters must be licensed or face third-degree felony charges. Public adjusters who want to do work in Florida, but are not residents of Florida, can get nonresident licenses.
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License Requirements
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To become a public adjuster, applicants must take license qualifying coursework and pass an examination through the Florida Department of Financial Services. There are a number of schools that provide classroom and online training for the coursework and to prepare applicants for the exam. If a Florida public adjuster applicant has a license in one of 20 other reciprocating states that required an examination, she will be exempt from the exam requirements in Florida. Those states are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, Washington, Wyoming and Utah.
Registration Fees
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Public adjuster applicants in Florida must pay a $50 license application fee, a $58.25 fingerprint fee, a $56 state exam fee and $5 license identification fee. Public adjusters also have to file a $50,000 surety bond with the Department of Financial Services. A surety bond is an insurance policy that guarantees the work of a bond holder.
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Types
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Once the applicant passes the public adjuster examination in Florida, she can work for herself or someone else, and can obtain a number of professional designations that include accredited claims adjuster, certified claims adjuster, professional property insurance adjuster, charted property and casualty underwriter, professional claims adjuster and certified adjuster. The public adjuster, who is hired by the property owner, is just one type of adjuster. The other types include independent adjusters, staff adjusters and field staff adjusters. Independent adjusters are self-employed. Field staff adjusters do contract work for one or more companies, and these adjusters are employees of the companies they work for.
Other Information
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In Florida public adjusters must be at least 18 years old. They typically charge a fee of between 10 to 15 percent of the claim settlement, but can also charge hourly rates, flat fees or contingency fees. Adjuster fees are not covered by insurance policies. Public adjusters are also required to meet continuing education requirements through the Department of Financial Services or face administrative penalties. They must take 24 hours worth of continuing education courses, including two hours of ethics training, every two years.
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