Public Adjuster FAQ for Corpus Christi Property Owners

A public adjuster is licensed by the Texas Department of Insurance to represent the policyholder on a property insurance claim. The work typically includes reviewing the policy, inspecting and documenting the damage, preparing a detailed estimate, presenting the claim to the insurer, and negotiating the amount. The insurance company's adjuster works for the insurer; a public adjuster works for you.

Common reasons include a denied claim, an estimate that seems far below repair costs, a claim that keeps stalling, a large or complicated loss, or a hurricane claim with both wind and flood damage. For small losses close to your deductible, a public adjuster may not add much, and we will tell you so.

No. Public adjusters handle the insurance claim itself: documentation, estimates, and negotiation. They cannot give legal advice or file lawsuits. If you have questions about suing your insurer, bad faith, or deadlines to sue, consult a Texas attorney.

Use the license lookup on the Texas Department of Insurance website. A Texas license is required to act as, or advertise as, a public adjuster. Corpus Christi Public Adjuster is a service of Rise Public Adjusting LLC, TDI license #3356839.

Fees are disclosed in a written contract before any work begins; Texas law caps public adjuster compensation at 10% of the insurance settlement. The Free Claim Review costs nothing.

Yes. Under Texas Insurance Code §4102.104, if the insurer pays, or commits in writing to pay, the policy limits within 72 hours after the loss is reported, a percentage fee is not allowed. Reasonable time-based compensation may be charged instead.

Yes. Texas public adjuster contracts must use a TDI-approved form and must let you rescind by written notice within 72 hours of signing. The contract must also state "WE REPRESENT THE INSURED ONLY" in bold type.

You do. Texas law requires the insured to be named as a payee on claim checks and to endorse them. A public adjuster may not sign or endorse a claim check on your behalf.

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association provides wind and hail coverage for eligible properties in the designated catastrophe area, which includes Nueces, San Patricio, Aransas, and Kleberg counties. Many coastal homeowners policies exclude wind and hail, so TWIA fills that gap. TWIA does not cover flood. Learn more on our TWIA windstorm claims page.

A TWIA claim must be filed no later than one year after the date the damage occurred. The insurance commissioner may extend that by up to 180 days for good cause. Do not wait: evidence is easier to gather soon after a storm.

TWIA may ask in writing for missing information within 30 days after the claim is filed. It must then accept, partly accept, or deny the claim in writing within 60 days of receiving the claim or the requested information, whichever is later; the commissioner can extend that. Accepted amounts are due within 10 days after the acceptance notice. Our claim deadline calculator maps these dates for you.

If you disagree with the amount TWIA accepted, you may demand appraisal within 60 days of receiving the acceptance or partial-acceptance notice. If TWIA denied coverage, the statute sets a separate process: notice of intent to sue, possible mediation or a moderated settlement conference, and a two-year deadline to sue. Those are legal steps, so talk to a Texas attorney about them.

A WPI-8 is a certificate of compliance showing that work met windstorm building requirements. Structures built, altered, remodeled, enlarged, or repaired on or after January 1, 1988 generally need one to be eligible for TWIA coverage. Roof replacements and roof repairs are covered by the TDI windstorm inspection program. Read how WPI-8 certificates affect insurance claims.

Generally no. Standard homeowners and commercial policies exclude flood, and TWIA covers wind and hail only. Storm surge and rising water are usually covered only by a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood insurer. That is why wind-versus-water disputes are so common after hurricanes. See wind vs. storm surge damage claims.

NFIP policies usually take effect 30 days after purchase, with some exceptions such as coverage bought with a new mortgage. Residential NFIP limits are up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for contents. Details are on floodsmart.gov and our flood damage claims page.

Many Texas policies carry a separate wind/hail or named-storm deductible calculated as a percentage of the dwelling (Coverage A) limit. A 2% deductible on a $300,000 dwelling limit is $6,000, regardless of the size of the damage. Try the hurricane deductible calculator with your own numbers.

Actual cash value (ACV) is replacement cost minus depreciation. On a replacement cost (RCV) policy, insurers typically pay ACV first and release recoverable depreciation after repairs are completed, within a deadline in the policy. Read replacement cost vs. actual cash value in Texas.

For most private insurers, the Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act requires the insurer to acknowledge the claim, start its investigation, and request what it needs within 15 days of notice. It must accept or reject within 15 business days after receiving everything it asked for, or explain why it needs more time and decide within 45 days. Payment on an accepted claim is due within 5 business days. After a declared weather catastrophe, these deadlines are extended by 15 days.

Take reasonable steps to prevent further damage right away, such as tarping a roof or drying out water, and keep receipts. Photograph everything before and after emergency work. Hold off on permanent repairs until the damage is documented and you have talked with your insurer, unless waiting would be unsafe. Remember that re-roofing in Corpus Christi requires a city permit; see local building codes.

Sometimes. If damage was missed or the estimate left out items, a supplement may be possible, depending on your policy terms and deadlines. Learn about insurance claim supplements.

Many policies include an appraisal clause to resolve disagreements over the amount of loss, not over coverage. Each side picks an appraiser, the appraisers pick an umpire, and an award agreed to by any two is generally binding on the amount, subject to the policy language. See insurance appraisal.

Ask for the denial in writing, including the policy language the insurer relied on. Gather your photos, weather records, and estimates, and note any deadlines in the letter. A public adjuster can review whether the denial is supported by the facts and the policy. Questions about suing belong with a Texas attorney; note that a written notice at least 61 days before suit is generally required against private insurers.

Official records from the National Weather Service and NOAA can show that hail, high wind, or a tropical storm occurred near your property on your date of loss. They support a claim but do not prove that a specific building was damaged. Use the storm event lookup and storm history tools to find them.

Keep your full policy and declarations page, the claim number and adjuster contacts, dated photos and video, weather records, estimates and invoices, a contents list, and a log of every call and email. The claim documentation checklist walks through it by type of damage.