The short version
A public adjuster is the only adjuster type that contracts with and represents the insured, and is paid by the policyholder. A company (staff) adjuster is employed by or under contract with an insurer to handle that insurer's own claims. An independent adjuster also works for insurers, but under contract and often for several carriers at once.
Three types, three loyalties
| Type | Works for, and is paid by |
|---|---|
| Public adjuster | The insured — contracts with the policyholder and is compensated by them |
| Company (staff) adjuster | The insurer — employed by or under contract with the carrier, handling its own claims |
| Independent adjuster | The insurer — engaged under contract rather than as staff, frequently for multiple companies |
The clean statement of the difference: only a public adjuster may negotiate a claim on behalf of the insured against the insurer. A company adjuster represents the insurer, and doing that on the insured's behalf is not open to them.
“Private adjuster” is not a Florida license category. People searching that phrase usually mean either the public adjuster (who works for the homeowner) or the independent adjuster (who works for the carrier under contract) — opposite sides of the same claim.
What a public adjuster does
Because the money comes out of the recovery, Florida regulates public adjuster compensation and contracts tightly — fee caps, solicitation hours and a statutory right to cancel. Those rules have their own page.
Who regulates all three
Adjuster licensing and conduct sit with the Department of Financial Services (DFS), headed by Florida's elected Chief Financial Officer. That is separate from the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), which regulates the companies — solvency, rates and policy form approval.
Put simply: OIR regulates carriers, DFS regulates the people who adjust claims. The DFS may suspend, revoke or refuse to renew an adjuster license for statutory violations, and may refuse to issue one in the first place for a material misstatement on the application or a disqualifying criminal history.
What every adjuster owes, whoever pays them
The three types answer to different parties, but the professional-conduct rules do not bend to that.
Licensing basics common to all three
Before a resident adjuster license is issued, the applicant must submit fingerprints for a background check. Once licensed, an appointment — the authorization filed with DFS by an insurer or firm allowing the licensee to act on its behalf — is what lets a company or independent adjuster actually transact business. Keeping the license active means holding a current appointment and completing continuing education.
Nonresidents generally rely on holding a comparable license in good standing in their home state, or qualifying through Florida's exam and reciprocity provisions.
This page explains the Florida Insurance Code and DFS rules in general terms for people studying for the 6-20 exam. It is not legal advice and does not tell you whether to hire a public adjuster. Verify current requirements with the Florida DFS.
Why the exam keeps coming back to this
Florida Insurance Law (Chapter 626) & Valued Policy Law is the largest content area on the Florida 6-20 All-Lines Adjuster Examination at 14%, with Adjuster Ethics, Licensing & Professional Conduct adding another 8%. Between them, roughly a fifth of the exam turns on who an adjuster represents and what that permits — because in practice almost every conduct violation starts with blurring exactly that line.
Know whose side you are on, and what that permits
FLAdjusterPrep drills all 10 content areas with 300 exam-style questions and a plain-English explanation on every answer — law, ethics, claims handling and the Florida-specific rules.