ricktutwiler@publicadjuster.com
(813) 287 -8090
(727) 599-4224 (direct)
FL License: P006003
Also licensed in: New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, Texas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Rick serves as President of Tutwiler & Associates and is a second-generation public adjuster. His interest in the profession began at an early age after witnessing firsthand how disasters can impact people’s livelihoods. He officially joined Tutwiler & Associates in 2005 after completing the Property Loss Adjustment Program from Crawford & Company’s University in Atlanta, GA, the only adjuster’s education program of its kind. Since then, he has successfully negotiated and settled numerous claims involving fire, flood, tornado, windstorm, hurricane, vandalism and theft, water losses, lightning damage, explosion, power failure, collapse and business interruption for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. He has also acted as an Appraiser for various insurance claims resulting in very successful outcomes for the insured policyholder. Rick is also a Certified Property Insurance Appraiser (CPIA) and Certified Umpire under the Windstorm Insurance Network's certification program. He is a member of the Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association. In addition to Florida, he also holds licenses and works in New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2005, Rick led the team following Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma. In 2008 he led the team following Hurricane Ike in Texas. In 2010 he worked in the Caribbean after Hurricane Earl battered the islands with heavy rain and roof-ripping winds as a major Category 4 storm. In 2012, Rick was in charge of heading up the firm's New York office following the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy and in 2015 he was in charge of the firm's Northeast operation assisting clients in Boston, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Virginia affected by the historic Blizzard of 2015. In 2016, Rick led the team after Hurricane Hermine and Hurricane Matthew, which impacted the firm's Hotel clients in Daytona Beach.
One of the things Rick enjoys most about being a public adjuster and working with clients is helping someone put their life back together after losing their home, valued personal possessions or a business they've worked hard to establish. By nature, Rick has always been interested in the claims resolution process after observing the difficult and sometimes very adversarial process people had to endure during their insurance claim recovery efforts. His growing reputation in the industry, professional approach in handling insurance claims, and the working relationships he has developed with other insurance executives and leaders has helped him quickly establish his expertise and credibility throughout the industry.
Rick was appointed President of the Windstorm Insurance Network (WIND) in 2019. Prior to that he has been a Board Member since 2012 and was the recipient of the 7th Annual WIND Presidential Recognition Award in 2016. He has also served on the Conference Committee, Chair of the Membership/Marketing Committee, Nominating Committee and Co-Chair of the WIND 2016 Conference Committee and was elected Secretary in 2016. In 2017 he received the Windstorm Network "Fellow" Designation that recognizes individuals who demonstrate the upmost professionalism and technical knowledge in the field of property and windstorm insurance claims. In 2016, Rick received the WIND "Professional" Designation and was part of the first group of property insurance experts to be named to the Windstorm Network Fellows Program. He has served on several insurance claim expert panels during the WIND Conferences. Rick is a current board member and serves as an Ambassador for the Florida Association of Insurance Adjusters, FAPIA.
In December 2016, Mr. Tutwiler was elected on to the Board of Directors of the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (NAPIA) during their mid-year conference at The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida and was officially installed during the 2017 NAPIA Annual Meeting at the La Cantera Resort & Spa - San Antonio, Texas. Mr. Tutwiler also served on NAPIA's UPPA Committee, Constitution & By-Laws Committee and is currently the sitting Chair of the Membership & Recruitment Committee. He is a past Board Member for the Texas Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (TAPIA), Community Association Suncoast Chapter (CAI), USF College of Business Alumni Chapter, a past member of the President’s Circle of the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce and actively involved as a Big Brother in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay where he has been matched with his little brother, Hyadi for over ten (10) years. In 2008, Mr. Tutwiler earned the Property Claims Law Specialist (P.C.L.S.) designation from the American Education Institute and in 2013 upgraded his license to an All-Lines Public Adjuster license so he could begin mentoring other Public Adjuster Apprentices who have since joined the firm, while managing firm expansion of offices in other States. Having been featured on the news multiple times, Mr. Tutwiler is often approached by various media outlets seeking professional insight and information. Rick has been featured in the Boston Globe, New York's PIX11 News, WTSP Tampa Bay, and the Tampa Bay Business Journal to name a few. In 2021 Rick was featured in a Tampa Bay Times article The Policyholder's Champion in Tampa Bay Rick is often asked to speak on different faculty workshops at various conferences and he also a Continuing Education Provider with two (2) Continuing Education classes approved by the State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The classes are Navigating the Insurance Claim Minefield & Disaster Planning and the Reality of Insurance Claim Outcomes. Most recently, Rick spoke on the topic: The Business of Commercial Claims during FAPIA's 25th Anniversary Conference in Hawk's Cay Resort in the Florida Keys. Rick has also been the subject of a Public Adjuster Spotlight on a leading property law firm website.
Originally born and educated in Tampa, Florida Rick graduated from Jesuit High School of Tampa, before going on to earn his B.A. in Business Management from the University of South Florida’s College of Business Administration. Rick enjoys most sports and played football at the collegiate level. Rick is also an avid sport fisherman and boater. During his spare time, Rick enjoys his family, traveling to other countries, the outdoors, learning new things, spending time with his little brother, fishing, friends, and attending sporting events.
Contact public adjuster Rick Tutwiler if you have a question about or would like a free consultation about a property insurance claim.