A rising problem that we in the public adjusting profession have been dealing with for years seems to finally have caught the attention of Florida officials. That is, the practice of insurance adjusting without a license by roofers and restoration contractors who sometimes are also unlicensed. A recent article, Illegal for roofers to act as insurance…
Let me explain with an example of a claim that came across my desk that should be instructive laying out the steps policyholders should take when the dreaded denial letter comes in the mail from your insurance company. First, don’t panic. You may be able to turn things around provided you have requested all the…
I want to thank Florida Public Adjuster Michael Platts for penning this excellent commentary. By Michael W. Platts We are rapidly approaching the end of the hurricane season. It has been an unprecedented nine years since a hurricane has struck the State of Florida. Nonetheless, many citizens are not seeing much if any reduction in their property…
I want to thank Florida Public Adjuster Michael Platts for penning this excellent commentary. By Michael W. Platts So, the hotly contested election in Florida is over. What’s next? How will the results impact the policyholders in our State? This is a key issue for a number of reasons; including the importance of affordable insurance costs, the…
The end of an election cycle always presents a new opportunity for positive change. I pray that all the elected candidates remember who they are working for and try to work together to help both the property insurance policyholders and great State of Florida. The words of a great President come to mind: Let us not…
Anyone who follows property insurance matters and especially reported court cases has no doubt picked up on a recurring theme of some courts in various jurisdictions and their decisions about the appraisal clause. Specifically the court’s interpretation of what can and cannot be undertaken by an appraisal panel has been under review and reformed. That…
A recent opinion of Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeals involving a Hurricane Wilma homeowner’s claim has a rather startling decision, and not a good one for the policyholder side. The case Hunt v. State Farm highlights the need for policyholders to pay close attention to their claim, their insurance policy language and any communication they receive…
I was very sorry to read in the South Florida Business Journal about the untimely passing of Attorney Gary Poliakoff. Gary Poliakoff was a giant in the field of shared community and condominium living. Along with his partner Allen Becker, they founded Becker & Poliakoff headquartered in Ft Lauderdale Florida that over the years has become a…
As public adjusters, we typically focus on helping our clients get a fair settlement for their claim based on the insurance policy in place. However, a recent article Yet another costly mistake Florida has made about homeonwers insurance points out that 8 years into a long period of no major storms in Florida, we continue to see…
Last week when I published the blog: The Unlicensed Practice of Public Adjusting, the Insurance Claims Keep Rolling In I apparently hit a nerve with a number of professionals from various parts of the property insurance industry that sent some very helpful comments that I’d like to share. Hopefully this may get a dialogue going that addresses…