Florida Adjuster Licenses: How To Become A Florida Insurance Claims Adjuster

With an extremely high number of hurricanes making landfall, Florida is historically the busiest state for catastrophic claims adjustment. Florida residents who are interested in working as an independent claims adjuster or adjuster must first obtain a Florida adjuster license. Nonresidents of Florida considering a career in catastrophic claims, particularly residents of states that do not require an adjuster’s license, should seriously consider obtaining a nonresident license in the “hurricane state.” Follow these 3 steps to obtain and maintain your adjuster license in Florida:

Step 1) Observe the requirements

To be licensed as resident personal or independent adjuster in Florida, individuals must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a resident of the state of Florida.
• Complete an online application for the License and submit the applicable fees.
• Be a US citizen or legal alien who has work authorization from the Immigration and Naturalization Services.
• Be fingerprinted at one of the Department’s fingerprint sites.
• If you were licensed in another state within 3 years, please provide a letter of authorization.
• Successfully complete 1) an approved adjuster designation course (ie Florida {CA} Certified Adjuster designation) or 2) the Florida adjuster exam.

If an individual already has a general agent license and wants to add or become an adjuster, they must apply online and pay the $55 fee; no exam required.

To be licensed as non-resident personal or independent adjuster in Florida, individuals must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Not be a resident of Florida.
• Complete an online application for the License and submit the applicable fees.
• Be a US citizen or legal alien who has work authorization from the Immigration and Naturalization Services.
• Have fingerprints on cards provided by the Florida Department of Financial Services. Two fingerprint cards are mailed to the applicant.
• For reciprocal licenses, the applicant’s home state must have a reciprocal agreement with Florida.
• If the applicant does not meet the reciprocal requirement listed above, they must either take 1) an approved adjuster designation course (ie, Florida Certified Adjuster Designation) or 2) take and pass the Florida Adjuster Examination.

Step 2) Get the Florida Claims License

Unless you are eligible for a reciprocal license, you must successfully complete an approved designation course or pass the state exam. Tea Florida Certified Adjuster Designation Coursefor example, you meet all the educational and testing requirements to become licensed as a Florida adjuster.

The course is available in online or face-to-face format. The 4-day face-to-face course consists of 40 hours of class time and a series of quizzes administered twice a day. Cumulatively, these quizzes replace a final exam and are designed to be student-friendly. Course topics range from general and homeowners liability to auto physical damage adjustment and homeowners and commercial property adjustment. Designation courses, such as the Certified Adjuster course, enjoy extremely high student pass rates. Once the course is complete, graduates need only submit their application online (observing the requirements above) and can expect to be licensed within weeks.

The state exam may also be taken to satisfy educational requirements. The state exam is notoriously difficult and generally requires considerable preparation before you can sit it with a realistic chance of success. Still, it can sometimes offer a slightly quicker, albeit uncertain, route to getting licensed.

Step 3) Keep the license

Florida requires 24 hours of continuing education (CE) which must consist of 2 hours of ethics and 10 hours of 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 on catastrophic claims in this time of volatile weather activity. Complying with the licensing requirements will ensure a smooth and expedited transition to the world of claims. There are strong educational opportunities that will exempt prospective licensees from taking the state exam.