Tampa Public Adjuster
Helene’s surge and Milton’s wind hit Tampa Bay 13 days apart in 2024, and plenty of those claims still don’t add up. 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 Tampa Public Adjuster, based in Pensacola
Otero Property Adjusting & Appraisals Inc takes on property claims for Tampa homeowners, condo owners, landlords and businesses across Hillsborough County, and we only ever represent the policyholder.
We don’t have a Tampa office, and we won’t pretend otherwise. Home base is West Michigan Ave in Pensacola, about 468 road miles away, so we come to Tampa for each inspection. Calls go to our Pensacola team.
- 3105 West Michigan Ave, Pensacola, FL 32526
- (850) 285-0405
Tell us what happened and where the property is. We’ll follow up to schedule your free, no-obligation inspection.
Claims we handle in Tampa
Since 2024, most Tampa Bay claims have started with water, wind or both. Pick a claim type to see how we approach it.
Hurricane damage
After two hurricanes in two weeks, the real question is which storm did what. We date the damage and match it to the right storm and the right policy.
Flood damage
Helene pushed bay water into homes and businesses. Storm surge goes to a flood policy, and we keep that side separate so it isn't used to shrink your wind claim.
Roof and wind damage
Lifted shingles and cracked tile let rain in long after the storm passes. Rain the wind drives inside is usually part of the wind claim, not a flood.
Water damage
Burst supply lines, slab leaks and AC overflows happen all year here. The claim needs to show where the water started and how far it traveled.
Commercial property claims
Shops, restaurants, offices and rental buildings lose income on top of repair costs. Both belong in the claim.
Mold damage
A slow leak plus Tampa's humidity can mean mold within days. Mold coverage is often capped, so it matters when the leak started and what caused it.
Fire and smoke damage
Smoke and soot travel through vents and shared walls, so the cleaning and your belongings in other rooms belong in the claim along with the room that burned.
Tornado damage
A tornado that forms during a hurricane can fall under your hurricane deductible, and one outside that window uses your regular deductible. We check when yours hit.
Where Tampa claims come up short
Most Tampa disputes since 2024 come down to timing: which storm did the damage, and which policy owes it.
Two storms, one house
On September 26, 2024, Helene's surge flooded homes along the bay. The tide gauge at East Bay, on Hillsborough Bay, hit 7.2 feet above the usual high-tide mark, nearly double the old record. Thirteen days later, Milton came ashore near Siesta Key as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds. Your homeowners policy covers wind but excludes flood. So when Milton's roof damage sits on top of Helene's water damage, insurers can call all of it flood from the first storm. Photos and repair invoices dated between the two storms are what separate them.
One hurricane deductible a year, not two
Florida applies the hurricane deductible once per calendar year to hurricane losses with the same insurer or insurer group. For a second hurricane, the insurer can apply whatever is left of that deductible or your regular deductible, whichever is greater. If you paid a full hurricane deductible on both a Helene claim and a Milton claim with the same insurer, it's worth asking why.
Sinkhole or ground collapse
Cracked walls and sloping floors raise the sinkhole question. Florida property insurers must cover catastrophic ground cover collapse, but only when the ground collapses suddenly, leaves a visible depression, damages the structure and foundation, and the home is condemned. Anything short of that needs sinkhole coverage, which is an optional add-on. Check which one your policy has before you file.
Rain called flood
In a surge zone, insurers may label water inside your home as flood or seepage. If wind opened the roof or a window first, that water belongs on the wind side, and showing how it got in is what keeps it there.
How we handle your claim
The same six steps apply whether the damage came from a 2024 hurricane or a pipe that burst last week.
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 Tampa
We handle claims across the Tampa Bay area and the rest of Florida from our Pensacola office, and we travel to each property for the inspection. See all service areas.
- Tampa
- Brandon
- St. Petersburg
- Clearwater
- Lakeland
- Spring Hill
- Sarasota
Your rights in Florida
If your claim involves more than one hurricane in the same year, start with the deductible rules below.
- Hurricane deductible: it applies once per calendar year for hurricane losses with the same insurer or insurer group. It applies to wind damage from the time a hurricane warning is issued for any part of Florida until 72 hours after the last hurricane watch or warning ends (§627.701, §627.4025).
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.
Tampa Public Adjuster FAQs
Helene flooded my house and Milton damaged the roof two weeks later. Is that one claim or two?
Usually two. Each hurricane is its own loss with its own date, and flood damage goes to your flood policy while wind damage goes to your homeowners policy. We sort the damage by storm and by policy so one claim doesn’t swallow the other.
Did I have to pay my hurricane deductible twice for Helene and Milton?
Not in full, if both claims were with the same insurer or insurer group. Florida applies the hurricane deductible once per calendar year. For the second storm, the insurer can apply the greater of what was left of it or your regular deductible.
My walls are cracking. Is that a sinkhole claim?
It could be, or it could be settling or water damage. It’s covered as a sinkhole loss only if your policy includes sinkhole coverage. Without it, you’re covered for catastrophic ground cover collapse, which requires a sudden collapse and the home being condemned.
You're in Pensacola. Do you really come to Tampa?
Yes. Our office is in Pensacola, about 468 miles from Tampa, and we travel to your property for the inspection. You don’t need to come to us.
Is it too late to file for Helene or Milton damage?
For most claims, yes. Florida gives you 1 year from the date of loss to report a new or reopened claim and 18 months for a supplemental claim, and a hurricane’s date of loss is its landfall date. For Helene and Milton, those windows closed in the fall of 2025 and the spring of 2026. If your claim is still open or in dispute, call us and we’ll look at where it stands.
Can you help if my claim was denied or underpaid?
Yes. Send us the denial letter or the insurer’s estimate. We re-inspect, find what the estimate left out and, if Florida’s deadlines allow, reopen the claim or file a supplemental one. When the only dispute is the amount, appraisal may be an option.
My condo was damaged. Who files, me or the association?
Usually both. Depending on your association’s declaration, the building and common areas fall under the master policy, while the inside of your unit, your upgrades and your belongings fall under yours. We sort the damage between the two.
Do you cover St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Brandon?
Yes, along with Lakeland, Spring Hill and Sarasota. We handle claims throughout Florida.
Storm or water damage in Tampa?
Call (850) 285-0405 to set up a free inspection and policy review. There’s, and you’ll talk to the team that handles your claim.