Niceville Public Adjuster
Bayou-front homes and families on Eglin schedules have claim problems most adjusters never think about. We work for you, not your insurance company. Free, no-obligation damage inspection and policy evaluation.
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
A Niceville Public Adjuster, based in Pensacola
Otero Property Adjusting & Appraisals Inc represents homeowners, landlords, condo owners and business owners in Niceville and across Okaloosa County. We work only for policyholders, never for insurance companies.
We’re not in Niceville. Our office is on West Michigan Ave in Pensacola, about 67 miles away, and we drive out for the inspection at a time that works for you. When you call, you talk to our Pensacola team, and David Otero oversees your claim.
- 3105 West Michigan Ave, Pensacola, FL 32526
- (850) 285-0405
Tell us what happened and when you’re available. If you’re working around a duty schedule, say so and we’ll plan the visit around it.
Claims we handle in Niceville
Niceville claims usually come down to the water: the bayou, the bay, or rain that got in through the roof. Pick the one that matches your damage.
Hurricane damage
A storm coming up Choctawhatchee Bay brings wind and rising water to the same street. Splitting the damage by cause is how each policy ends up paying its own share.
Roof and wind damage
Pine limbs and flying debris crack shingles and open the roof deck. Rain that gets in through that opening belongs on the wind claim.
Flood damage
Water rising out of Boggy Bayou is a flood claim, not a homeowners claim. If you carry flood coverage, we file that side on its own.
Water damage
A burst line or an AC overflow can run for days in a house with nobody home. Where it started and how far it spread both go on record.
Loss of use
If storm damage leaves the house unlivable, your policy may pay the extra cost of living somewhere else. Keep every receipt from day one.
Mold damage
Humid air off the bayou turns trapped water into mold fast. Many policies cap mold, so the source and the date matter.
Fire and smoke damage
Smoke gets into closets, ducts and every soft surface in the house. The cleaning and your contents belong in the claim along with the rebuild.
Commercial property claims
A Niceville business that has to close loses income on top of the repair costs. Both belong in the claim.
Where Niceville claims come up short
Niceville sits on Boggy Bayou, where it opens into Choctawhatchee Bay, right next to Eglin Air Force Base. (The town was called Boggy until 1910.) When Hurricane Opal hit in 1995, Niceville was among the hardest-hit places in the area, and about 95% of Okaloosa County lost power at one point. Two things set claims here apart: homes right on the water, and a lot of households that can get orders to move.
Orders come in the middle of a claim
A claim can take months. If you get reassigned before it's settled, it's tempting to take the first offer just to close it out, or to leave damage undocumented when the movers come. The claim deadlines keep running after you leave. A public adjuster can keep the claim moving while you're at your next base.
The house turned into a rental
Once you move out and rent the home, your homeowners policy may not fit the way the house is used anymore. Landlord policies work differently, and lost rent is only covered if your policy includes it. Check this before a storm, not after.
Wind and water on the waterfront
On a bayou or bay lot, the same storm can push water in and tear the roof off. Rising water goes to your flood policy. Wind and the rain it drives inside go to your homeowners policy. Photos of the water line and the roof, taken before anything is cleaned up, decide the split.
Docks and seawalls
Many policies limit or leave out docks, piers and seawalls. Read that part of your policy before you count on it.
How we handle your claim
The insurance company’s adjuster works for the insurer. We work only for you. These are the six steps between your first call and the check.
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 near Niceville
We handle claims around Choctawhatchee Bay and the rest of Florida from our Pensacola office. Every inspection happens at the property. See all service areas.
- Niceville
- Destin
- Shalimar
- Fort Walton Beach
- Navarre
Your rights in Florida
If you work on a duty schedule, this rule helps you keep control of the inspection date.
- 48 hours’ notice: the insurer has to give you, or your public adjuster, at least 48 hours’ notice before it schedules an on-site inspection of your property. That gives you time to make sure someone who represents you is there (§626.854).
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.
Niceville Public Adjuster FAQs
I'm at Eglin and just got orders. What happens to my claim?
The claim stays open after you move, and Florida’s deadlines keep running. You can have a public adjuster handle the inspection, the estimate and the back-and-forth with your insurer while you’re gone. Don’t sign a final settlement just because the moving date is close.
I rent my Niceville house out now. Which policy covers storm damage?
It depends on what you have. A homeowners policy is written for a house you live in, and a home you rent out is usually insured under a landlord or dwelling policy. We read your policy and tell you what it covers before anything is filed.
My house is on the bayou. How are wind and flood split?
Rising water from the bayou or the bay is flood and goes to a flood policy. Wind damage, and rain the wind drives in through the roof or windows, goes to your homeowners policy. We document both separately so each is presented under the right policy.
Can you schedule the inspection around my duty schedule?
Yes. Tell us when you’re available and we’ll plan around it. Your insurer also has to give you or your public adjuster 48 hours’ notice before its own on-site inspection.
What does the free inspection include?
A walk-through of the damage with you, a read of your policy, and our honest take on what the claim should cover. Hiring us afterward is up to you.
Is there a deadline to file after a storm?
Yes. A new or reopened claim has to be reported within 1 year of the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months. For a hurricane, the date of loss is its landfall date, even if you find the damage later.
Will someone actually come out to Niceville?
Yes. Our office is about 67 miles away, and we come to your property for the inspection.
Do you cover Destin and the rest of Okaloosa County?
Yes. We handle claims in Destin, Shalimar, Fort Walton Beach and the rest of Okaloosa County, and anywhere else in Florida.
Storm or water damage in Niceville?
Get a free, no-obligation damage inspection and policy evaluation. Call (850) 285-0405.