- • Public adjusting for a fee requires a state license. Verifying it is free, public, and fast.
- • Florida: search the Department of Financial Services licensee database at licenseesearch.fldfs.com.
- • South Carolina: use the Department of Insurance at doi.sc.gov (online licensee lookup).
- • Confirm four things: the person is licensed, the license is active (not suspended or expired), it covers public adjusting, and it is valid in the state where your property sits.
- • Reluctance to give a name and license number is the first red flag. Listed by license, not vetted. You do the verifying.
Why verify at all
After a major storm, the licensed and the unlicensed both show up in the same neighborhoods. A license is the legal line between a professional who owes a duty to you and someone adjusting claims for a fee they are not allowed to charge. Verifying it protects your money and, in a dispute, your claim: a fee contract with an unlicensed "adjuster" can create problems well beyond the fee, the kind of hiring trap worth avoiding.
The good news is that the check is trivial. Both states publish their licensee rolls online, for free, and a legitimate adjuster expects to be looked up.
Florida: the DFS licensee search
Department of Financial Services licensee search: licenseesearch.fldfs.com
South Carolina: the DOI lookup
- Department of Insurance: doi.sc.gov
- Online licensee lookup: online.doi.sc.gov
What to confirm on the record
Finding a name in the database is not the whole job. Confirm all four of these on the actual record:
- Licensed. The person appears in the state roster under their legal name.
- Active. The status is current, not expired, suspended, revoked, or inactive.
- The right type. The license authorizes public adjusting, not company adjusting, independent (carrier) adjusting, or an unrelated insurance line.
- The right state. The authority is valid in the state where your damaged property is located.
The out-of-state / reciprocity trap
After a catastrophe, adjusters travel. Someone licensed in another state may or may not be authorized to adjust your loss in Florida or South Carolina. Some authority flows through non-resident or reciprocal licensing, and some does not. Do not take "I’m a licensed adjuster" at face value when the license is from somewhere else. Confirm the person is authorized to act as a public adjuster in your state, on the state’s own roster.
Warning signs during verification
- Reluctance or refusal to give a full legal name and license number.
- A name that does not appear in the state roster, or appears with an expired or suspended status.
- Only a company adjuster, contractor, or general insurance license, not a public-adjuster line.
- Pressure to sign a contract on the spot, before you have had time to verify anything.
- A license from another state offered as proof of authority to adjust your in-state loss.
Each of these is covered in more depth in red flags when hiring a public adjuster, including the door-knocker tactics and the "hire-a-PA-lose-coverage" trap.
License-verification FAQ
How do I check that a public adjuster is licensed in Florida?
Search the Florida Department of Financial Services licensee database at licenseesearch.fldfs.com by the adjuster’s name or license number. Confirm the record shows an active public-adjuster license in Florida with no disqualifying administrative action. The search is free and public.
How do I check a public adjuster’s license in South Carolina?
Use the South Carolina Department of Insurance at doi.sc.gov and its online licensee lookup. Confirm the person holds an active public-adjuster license valid in South Carolina. If the online record is unclear, the department can confirm a license directly.
Does a public adjuster licensed in another state need a Florida or South Carolina license?
Generally, adjusting a claim for a fee on property in a given state requires authority to act as a public adjuster in that state, which may come through that state’s own license or a recognized non-resident/reciprocal license. Do not assume an out-of-state license covers your loss; verify the adjuster is authorized in the state where the property is located.
What if I cannot find the adjuster in the database?
Treat a missing record as a serious warning. Confirm you have the exact legal name and license number, and search both. If they still do not appear as an active public adjuster in your state, do not sign. Contact the state department of insurance before going further.
Is a contractor allowed to negotiate my claim if they are not a licensed public adjuster?
In Florida it is generally unlawful for an unlicensed person to adjust a claim for compensation. A contractor may prepare a repair estimate, but negotiating the claim value for a fee typically requires a public-adjuster license. This is general information. Confirm the current rule and your specific facts with the state department or an attorney.
- Florida DFS, Licensee Search ↗, The official Florida Department of Financial Services database of licensed adjusters and agents.
- South Carolina DOI ↗, South Carolina Department of Insurance, licensing and consumer resources.
- South Carolina DOI, online licensee lookup ↗, Direct online license verification for South Carolina.
- Fla. Stat. § 626.854, Public adjuster ↗, Florida’s public-adjuster definition and conduct rules, the basis for the licensing requirement.
- S.C. Code Title 38, Chapter 48, Public Insurance Adjusters ↗, South Carolina licensing framework for public insurance adjusters.
Not legal advice. HurricaneLaw.Pro lists public adjusters by license and does not vet, rank, endorse, or recommend any adjuster. You verify the license yourself. Licensing rules and lookup tools change; confirm current requirements with the state department of insurance or a licensed attorney. Florida public-adjuster rules per Fla. Stat. § 626.854; South Carolina per S.C. Code Title 38, Chapter 48.
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