With an extremely high number of hurricanes having made landfall, Florida is historically among the busiest states for catastrophic claims adjusting. Florida residents interested in working as a staff or independent claims adjuster must first obtain the Florida adjuster license. Non-residents of Florida considering a career in catastrophic claims, particularly residents of states not requiring an adjuster license, should strongly consider obtaining a non-resident license in the “hurricane state”. Follow these 3 steps to obtain and maintain your adjuster license in Florida:

Step 1) Observe the Requirements

To become licensed as a resident staff or independent adjuster in Florida, individuals must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Be a resident of the state of Florida.
• Complete an online application for License and submit appropriate fees.
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal alien who possesses a work authorization for the Immigration and Naturalization Services.
• Be fingerprinted at one of the Department’s fingerprint sites.
• If licensed in another state within 3 years, provide a Letter of Clearance.
• Successfully complete 1) an approved adjuster designation course (i.e. Florida Certified Adjuster {CA} Designation) or 2) the Florida Adjuster Examination.

If an individual already holds a general agent license and wishes to add or convert to an adjuster, one must apply online and submit the fee of $55 – no examination is required.

To become licensed as a non-resident staff or independent adjuster in Florida, individuals must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Not be a resident of Florida.
• Complete an online application for License and submit appropriate fees.
• Be a U.S. citizen or legal alien who possesses a work authorization for the Immigration and Naturalization Services.
• Be fingerprinted on cards provided by the Florida Department of Financial Services. Two fingerprint cards are mailed to the applicant.
• For reciprocal licensing, the applicant’s home state must have a reciprocal agreement with Florida.
• If the applicant does not meet the reciprocal requirement listed above, he or she must take either 1) an approved adjuster designation course (i.e. Florida Certified Adjuster Designation) or 2) take and pass the Florida Adjuster Examination.

Step 2) Obtain the Florida Claims License

Unless you are eligible for reciprocal licensing, you will need to successfully complete an approved designation course or pass the state exam. The Florida Certified Adjuster Designation Course, for example, satisfies all educational and evaluation requirements for obtaining the Florida adjuster license.

The course is available in online or classroom format. The 4 day classroom course consists of 40 hours in-class time and a series of quizzes administered twice daily. Cumulatively, these quizzes replace a final examination and are designed to be student friendly. Topics of the course range from General & Homeowner’s Liability to Automobile Physical Damage Adjusting to Commercial and Homeowner’s Property Adjusting. Designation courses such as the Certified Adjuster course enjoy extremely high student pass ratios. Once the course is completed, graduates need only submit their online application (observing the requirements above) and they can expect to be licensed within weeks. Important Note: residents of any state that a) licenses adjusters and b) has a reciprocal relationship with Florida, cannot obtain their Florida license through the CA Designation course.

The state exam can also be taken to satisfy the educational requirements. The state exam is notoriously difficult and generally requires considerable preparation before it can be taken with realistic chances of success. Still, it can at times offer a slightly faster, if uncertain, route to licensure.

Step 3) Maintain the License

Florida requires 24 hours of continuing education (CE) that must consist of at 2 hours ethics and 10 hours law. The remaining 12 hours are optional. The reporting period for completing Florida CE is 2 years.

Summary: Becoming a licensed Florida insurance adjuster will become increasingly important for those interested in working catastrophic claims in this time of volatile weather activity. Observing the requirements for licensure will ensure a smooth and expeditious transition into the world of claims. Solid educational opportunities exist that will exempt prospective licensees from taking the state exam.