Orlando Public Adjusters. Your Claim, Maximized.

Central Florida is home base for Five Star Claims Adjusting: our headquarters is in Maitland, and our Orlando South office is on E. Michigan Street. Orlando is far enough inland that hurricanes arrive weakened, but the claims here are no simpler, because the damage comes from water, lightning and the ground as much as from wind.

Inland flooding, often with no flood policy

When Ian crossed Central Florida in September 2022 it dropped well over a foot of rain on parts of the Orlando area, and neighborhoods such as Orlo Vista flooded. Many of the homes that took water were outside high-risk flood zones and had no flood insurance, because their mortgage lender never required it. FEMA notes that more than 20% of flood insurance claims come from outside high-risk zones. A homeowners policy excludes flood, so the claim that remains is whatever the wind and wind-driven rain did, and that portion is worth documenting carefully rather than letting the whole loss be written off as flood.

Lightning and power surges

Florida records more lightning than almost any other state, and the corridor between Tampa and Orlando is among the most active in the country. Lightning claims are rarely only a scorch mark: a nearby strike can send a surge through the wiring that damages HVAC systems, pool equipment, well pumps, appliances and electronics across the house, and the damage can surface days later. Many homeowners policies cover sudden electrical damage from lightning, so connecting each failed item to the strike date is what gets it paid.

Sinkholes and ground collapse

Central Florida sits on limestone, and sinkholes are a real claim risk here. Florida law requires homeowners policies to cover catastrophic ground cover collapse, but that coverage is narrow: the ground must collapse abruptly, leave a depression that is clearly visible, cause structural damage to the building including its foundation, and lead to the home being condemned and ordered vacated. Broader sinkhole coverage, for the cracking and settling that is far more common, is usually optional and has to be added to the policy. Check your declarations page before assuming either way.

Summer storms and roofs

Afternoon thunderstorms bring straight-line winds and occasional hail most summers. Roof damage from these storms is often small and scattered, and insurers often call it wear and tear. Documenting it soon after the storm, with dates, is what separates a storm claim from an age argument.