Pensacola Beach Public Adjuster
On Santa Rosa Island, almost every storm claim comes with a water question and, before the rebuild, a permit question. 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 Pensacola Beach Public Adjuster, half an hour away
Otero Property Adjusting & Appraisals Inc represents homeowners, condo owners, rental owners and business owners on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. We work only for policyholders, never for insurance companies.
Our office is on West Michigan Ave in Pensacola, about 16 miles from Pensacola Beach and 26 miles from Perdido Key. That’s close enough to be on the island for your inspection without making a day of it. 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 where the property is, who insures it, and whether you carry a separate flood policy. We’ll set up your free inspection.
Claims we handle on Pensacola Beach
Island claims start with the Gulf: wind, surge, or both in the same night. Find the one that fits.
Hurricane damage
A hurricane hits a barrier island with wind first and water right behind it. Each goes to its own policy, so each needs its own documentation.
Flood damage
Storm surge and overwash belong to a flood policy, not your homeowners policy. We file the flood side separately so it can't be used to cut the wind side.
Roof and wind damage
Salt-laden wind strips shingles, siding and soffits. Rain that gets in through that damage is part of the wind claim.
Water damage
A failed line in a condo above or an AC overflow in an empty rental can soak several floors before anyone notices.
Commercial property claims
Beach businesses, rental buildings and condo associations carry commercial policies with their own conditions and limits.
Income loss claims
A rental unit that sits empty during repairs is lost income. It's only paid when it's claimed and backed by booking records.
Mold damage
Gulf humidity turns trapped water into mold fast. Many policies cap mold, so the source and date need to be on record early.
Fire and smoke damage
In a condo tower, smoke travels through halls and shared ducts. Cleaning and contents in every affected unit belong in the claim.
Where Pensacola Beach claims come up short
Hurricane Opal came ashore near Pensacola Beach on October 4, 1995. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection later found that Opal damaged or destroyed more coastal structures by water and waves than all the Florida coastal storms since 1975 combined. Nine years later, Hurricane Ivan pushed Pensacola’s water level to a record 9.54 feet, and in 2005 Hurricane Dennis came ashore on Santa Rosa Island itself. That history shows up in the claims.
Wind and surge in the same storm
On the island, the roof comes off and the surge comes through on the same night. The homeowners policy owes the wind damage and the flood policy owes the water. Photos of the water line and the roof, taken before cleanup starts, are what keep each side honest.
A Citizens policy with no flood policy behind it
If your home is insured by Citizens, Florida now requires you to carry flood insurance, phased in by the home's replacement cost. Without it, Citizens can refuse to cover the home, and surge damage has no policy to go to.
The permit nobody priced
Rebuilding a major structure or permanently repairing its foundation seaward of the state's Coastal Construction Control Line takes a state permit. Replacement windows and doors visible from the beach have to be tinted. Those are real costs, and an estimate that ignores them comes up short. Code-driven costs are generally covered only if you have law and ordinance coverage.
Condo unit or the whole building?
The association's master policy usually covers the structure and common areas. Your unit policy covers the inside and your belongings, depending on your condo documents. File each part with the policy that owes it.
How we handle your claim
Island or mainland, the process is the same six steps. Here’s what happens after you call.
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 Pensacola Beach
We handle claims on both barrier islands and across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties from our Pensacola office, and we come to every property for the inspection. See all service areas.
- Pensacola Beach
- Perdido Key
- Gulf Breeze
- Pensacola
- Navarre
Your rights in Florida
If Citizens insures your home, this one applies to you.
- Citizens requires flood insurance: Citizens has to require flood coverage on personal residential policies, phased in by the home’s replacement cost for policies effective on or after January 1, 2024 ($600,000 or more), January 1, 2025 ($500,000 or more), January 1, 2026 ($400,000 or more) and January 1, 2027 (all others). Homes in a FEMA special flood hazard area already need it. Policies that exclude wind and condominium unit-owner policies aren’t required to carry it (§627.351).
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 Beach Public Adjuster FAQs
My home is insured by Citizens. Do I have to carry flood insurance?
Very likely. Florida law requires flood coverage for Citizens personal residential policies, phased in by replacement cost, with every remaining home included for policies effective on or after January 1, 2027. Condo unit-owner policies and policies that exclude wind are the exceptions.
Wind and storm surge both damaged my house. How is it split?
Wind damage, and rain the wind drives inside, goes to your homeowners policy. Surge and rising water go to your flood policy. We document both separately so neither insurer can push its share onto the other.
Do I need a permit to rebuild on Pensacola Beach?
If the work is seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line and involves rebuilding a major structure or permanently repairing its foundation, yes: a state emergency permit. Your contractor and local building officials can confirm what your project needs.
Who pays for the tinted glass the rules require?
Replacement windows and doors visible from the beach have to be tinted. If the requirement comes from code or permit rules, the extra cost is generally covered only under law and ordinance coverage, so check your policy for it.
I own a condo on the island. Which policy pays?
Usually both. The association’s master policy covers the building and common areas, and your unit policy covers the interior and your belongings, depending on your condo documents. We read both before anything is filed.
Do you cover Perdido Key?
Yes. Perdido Key is about 26 miles from our office, and we handle claims there and across the Pensacola area.
What does the free inspection include?
We come to the property, go through the damage and your policies with you, and tell you what we think the claim should cover. There’s no obligation to hire us.
How long do I have to file?
Report a new or reopened claim within 1 year of the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months. For a hurricane, the date of loss is the day it made landfall.
Storm or water damage on Pensacola Beach?
Get a free, no-obligation damage inspection and policy evaluation. Call (850) 285-0405.