Pensacola Public Adjuster
We work for you, not your insurance company. The inspection and policy review are free, and our office is at 3105 West Michigan Ave in Pensacola.
David Otero, President
Licensed Florida public insurance adjuster
7+ years of claims experience
- License W605057
- FAPIA member
- Windstorm Insurance Network member
- Rated 5.0 on Google
- Free inspection
What a Public Adjuster does in Pensacola
A public adjuster is a claims professional licensed by the state to handle a property insurance claim for you, the policyholder. We read your policy, inspect and photograph the damage, write our own repair estimate and negotiate the settlement with your insurer. The adjuster your insurer sends is paid by the insurance company.
Most people call us after the insurer’s estimate has arrived and it comes nowhere near what their roofer or contractor quoted, which is usually where our work starts.
When you call, you reach our Pensacola office, and David Otero oversees your claim.
Who you’ll work with
David Otero is the president and primary adjuster of Otero Property Adjusting & Appraisals. He began his insurance career in 2019 as an insurance company adjuster, moved to representing policyholders in 2020, and became a Florida-licensed 3-20 Public Adjuster (License W605057) in 2021. In 2024 he founded the firm in Pensacola. Having worked on both sides of the claims process, he brings a detail-oriented, evidence-based approach to inspecting, documenting and presenting property insurance claims. Read David’s full bio.
- 3105 West Michigan Ave, Pensacola, FL 32526
- (850) 285-0405
Tell us about the damage. We will follow up to schedule your free, no-obligation inspection.
Claims we handle in Pensacola and Escambia County
Pensacola property owners most often deal with damage from severe weather, aging buildings and water intrusion. Choose a claim type to see how we handle it.
Hurricane damage
Roof, siding and structural damage, and rain driven in by the wind.
Roof leaks
Storm damage, fallen limbs and the water damage inside that follows.
Flood damage
Heavy rain, poor drainage and storm surge in low-lying and waterfront areas.
Fire and smoke damage
Kitchen and electrical fires, lightning strikes, and smoke carried through the HVAC system.
Wind damage
Shingles, fences, soffits, windows and screen enclosures.
Water damage
Burst pipes, appliance failures and plumbing leaks.
Mold damage
Mold that follows a covered water event.
Commercial property claims
Offices, retail, restaurants, apartment buildings and rental portfolios.
Where Pensacola claims come up short
Pensacola has been through Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Sally in 2020, and some homes here carry repairs from both. Insurers use that history, along with the problems below, to argue that part of the damage isn’t covered. Most of these disputes come down to what was documented, and when.
Wind or flood: which policy pays?
Near the Gulf, Pensacola Bay, Bayou Chico or any low-lying street, one storm can leave both wind damage and flood damage. Your homeowners policy usually covers wind, while flood needs a separate flood policy. So when damage could be either, insurers tend to put more of it on the side you aren’t covered for. What settles the argument is photos taken before cleanup, the water lines on the walls and the order the damage happened in. Don’t put anything out at the curb until it’s been photographed.
A hurricane’s date of loss is its landfall date
Florida law sets the date of loss for a hurricane as the day it made landfall. Sally came ashore near Gulf Shores, Alabama on September 16, 2020, so the deadlines on every Pensacola Sally claim run from that date, even if you found the leak months later.
Older roofs and older houses
Much of Pensacola’s housing, from East Hill to the older streets off Navy Boulevard, has aging roofs or historic construction. Roof age often comes up when storm damage is reported, and repairs can be priced with materials that don’t match the house. When new materials won’t match what’s there, Florida requires the insurer to make reasonable repairs or replacements in adjoining areas so the finished job matches (§626.9744). That can be the difference between a patch and a full roof slope. We document the roof’s condition before the storm wherever we can, and we price the job the way a contractor would do it.
Humidity turns small leaks into mold claims
A slow leak doesn’t stay small for long in Northwest Florida. Many policies cap mold coverage at a low amount or exclude it, so the cause matters a great deal. A covered water event is treated very differently from long-term seepage. Report water damage early, and keep whatever the plumber or roofer writes down about the cause.
Military families and rental owners
With NAS Pensacola, Whiting Field, Eglin and Hurlburt Field nearby, many of our clients are service members or rent their homes to military families. If you’re a named insured deployed to a combat zone or combat support posting, Florida pauses your claim deadlines while the deployment materially affects your ability to file, so tell us your deployment dates when you call. Rentals work differently, because they’re usually insured under a dwelling or landlord policy with its own rules on lost rent, the tenant’s belongings and exclusions.
How we handle your claim
After you file a claim, your insurance company assigns its own adjuster, who works for the insurer. A public adjuster works only for you. Here is how we handle your claim from start to finish.
Policy review
We read the whole policy, including endorsements and exclusions, before the inspection, so we know what it says about the type of damage you have.
Inspection
We inspect the property ourselves and photograph the roof, attic, interior and exterior, so every area of damage is documented.
Our estimate
We write a line-item estimate for the full repair at current local prices.
Working with your insurer
We communicate with your insurer on your behalf, answer its requests and present the documentation that supports your claim. Anyone inspecting for the insurer must give at least 48 hours’ notice before an on-site inspection (§626.854), so we can be there with you.
Appraisal, if it comes to that
If you and the insurer still disagree on the amount, many policies let either side demand appraisal. Each side picks an appraiser, and those two choose an umpire. An award signed by any two of them sets the amount of the loss. Check your policy first, because not every policy has this clause.
Through the close of the claim
We handle the paperwork, supplements and deadlines through the end of the claim. Florida generally gives your insurer 60 days after it receives notice of a claim to pay or deny it, with limited exceptions (§627.70131).
What our clients say
Areas we serve around Pensacola
From our West Michigan Ave office we cover Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, and we take claims anywhere in Florida. See all service areas.
- Bellview
- West Pensacola
- Myrtle Grove
- Warrington
- Pensacola Beach
- Perdido Key
- Gulf Breeze
- Pace
- Milton
- Navarre
- Fort Walton Beach
- Niceville
- Destin
Pensacola neighborhoods we serve
Our office is on West Michigan Ave, close to Bellview, Myrtle Grove, West Pensacola and Warrington. Downtown, East Hill, Cordova Park and Ferry Pass are about 15 to 20 minutes away by car, and we come to the property for every inspection.
Downtown Pensacola
Downtown mixes some of the oldest commercial and residential buildings in the city with newer condo buildings near the bay. Condo damage can fall under the association’s master policy, your own unit-owner (HO-6) policy, or both, so we start by reading each policy and sorting out which one applies to which part of the damage.
East Hill and North Hill
Many homes in East Hill and North Hill were built in the early and middle 1900s. Older homes often have original framing, plaster walls and materials that are hard to match, and repairs may have to meet current building code. We check whether your policy includes ordinance or law coverage and document the existing materials before repairs start.
Cordova Park and the airport area
Cordova Park and the neighborhoods near Pensacola International Airport are largely established single-family homes, many with large trees on the lot. Wind can bring down limbs onto roofs, fences and cars, and we photograph and measure that damage and review how your policy treats it.
Ferry Pass
Ferry Pass covers subdivisions, apartment complexes and businesses along Davis Highway and Ninth Avenue. We handle homeowner, renter and commercial property claims there and inspect the property in person.
Your rights in Florida
The inspection and policy review are free.
Deadlines to know (§627.70132). A new or reopened claim has to be reported within 1 year of the date of loss. A supplemental claim, for more damage found later on a claim you already filed, has 18 months.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your policy and the facts of your claim decide what applies to you.
Pensacola Public Adjuster FAQs
What does a public adjuster do in Pensacola, FL?
A public adjuster is licensed by the state to represent you, the policyholder, on a property insurance claim. We review your policy, inspect and document the damage, write a repair estimate and negotiate the settlement with your insurer.
Does a public adjuster work for the insurance company?
No. The adjuster your insurer sends works for the insurer. A public adjuster works only for the policyholder.
My claim was already paid. Is it too late?
Often it isn’t. If you find more damage, or the payment didn’t cover the actual repair, you may be able to file a supplemental claim within 18 months of the date of loss.
Can a public adjuster help with a denied claim?
Yes. We look at why the claim was denied, check the policy language and look for damage or causes nobody documented. Some denials can be reopened with better evidence, and if yours can’t be, we’ll tell you.
Should I call my insurer or a public adjuster first?
Report the loss to your insurer promptly, because your policy requires it and the 1-year deadline applies. You can bring us in at any point, but we help most before the insurer’s inspection, since we can be there for it.
Wind or flood: which policy pays after a hurricane in Pensacola?
Wind damage usually falls under your homeowners policy, while flood damage needs a separate flood policy. When a storm causes both, the damage has to be split between them, and that split decides how much many Pensacola hurricane claims are worth.
I’m on active duty. Does that change my deadline?
It can. Florida pauses the claim deadlines while you’re deployed to a combat zone or combat support posting, if the deployment materially affected your ability to file. Tell us your deployment dates when you call.
How long does a claim take?
Florida gives your insurer 60 days after it receives notice to pay or deny all or part of the claim, with limited exceptions. How long the rest takes depends on the size of the loss and how quickly the insurer responds.
Should my contractor or restoration company handle my insurance claim?
Contractors repair property. Public adjusters handle the policyholder’s insurance claim.
One of the most common mistakes we see is property owners hiring contractors, subcontractors, or restoration companies to manage the insurance claim before the claim has been properly evaluated and documented. Contractors and restoration professionals can play an important role in repairing property damage. However, their primary role is typically to perform or coordinate repairs, not to represent the policyholder in the adjustment of an insurance claim.
In some situations, repairs or removal of damaged materials may begin before the insurance carrier has had an opportunity to inspect and document the loss, which can make it more difficult to establish the original condition, cause, and extent of the damage. When property damage may be related to an insurance claim, we recommend involving a licensed insurance professional early in the process. A public adjuster can assist with evaluating and documenting the loss, preparing the claim, reviewing applicable policy provisions, and communicating with the insurance company throughout the claim process.
Contractors are an important part of the restoration process. The key is making sure the insurance claim and the repair process are properly coordinated from the beginning.
Do you inspect homes in downtown Pensacola, East Hill and Ferry Pass?
Yes. Those neighborhoods are about 15 to 20 minutes from our West Michigan Ave office, and we come to the property for the inspection. The inspection and policy review are free.
Do you handle condo claims in downtown Pensacola?
Yes. Condo damage can fall under the association’s master policy, your own unit-owner (HO-6) policy, or both. We review the policies involved and document the damage inside your unit so each part of the claim is presented under the right policy.
Storm or water damage in Pensacola?
Call the West Michigan Ave office to set up a free inspection and policy review. It costs nothing to have us look at your claim.