Yes. Florida law gives you the right to cancel a public adjuster contract within 10 days of signing it, no penalty and no obligation. If your claim comes from a loss covered by a state of emergency the Governor has declared, that window stretches to 30 days after the date of loss or 10 days after you signed, whichever is longer. You also get an automatic right to cancel if your public adjuster never gives you a written estimate within 60 days of signing.
The 10-Day Right to Cancel, and When It Becomes 30
Florida Statute 626.854 requires every public adjuster contract to include cancellation language in bold, 18-point type, placed right above where you sign. The law is direct about it. You may cancel the contract for any reason, without penalty or obligation, within 10 days of the date you signed it.
That window gets longer when your loss ties to a state of emergency the Governor has declared, which covers most hurricane and major storm events in Florida. In that case you have 30 days after the date of loss, or 10 days after you signed the contract, whichever gives you more time. So if a named storm hits Seminole County in September and you sign a public adjuster contract two weeks later, you are not stuck with a 10-day clock that already expired. You get the longer of the two windows.
Cancellation during this period requires no explanation. You do not have to prove the adjuster did anything wrong. You simply have to notify them in writing within the window.
The 60-Day Estimate Rule Gives You a Second Way Out
Separate from the initial cancellation window, Florida law requires a public adjuster to hand you a written estimate of the loss within 60 days of signing the contract. That estimate has to be itemized, per unit, covering labor, materials, equipment, and supplies, built to accepted industry standards.
If 60 days pass and you have not received that estimate, you can cancel the contract with no additional penalty or fee, unless the delay was caused by something outside the adjuster's control. The cancellation clock on this second right stops the day the adjuster actually hands you the estimate. In plain terms: an adjuster who goes quiet for two months without producing paperwork is not an adjuster you are obligated to keep.
How to Actually Cancel a Public Adjuster Contract
The statute is specific about the mechanics, and your contract should spell out where to send notice. In practice:
- Put your cancellation in writing. A phone call is not enough, and a text message is a weak substitute for a dated, written notice.
- Send it by certified mail with a return receipt, or another delivery method that gives you proof it was received, to the address named in the contract.
- Keep a copy of the notice and the proof of mailing for your own file.
- If you are inside the 10-day or 30-day window, you do not need a reason. If you are relying on the 60-day estimate rule, note in your letter that no estimate was received within 60 days of the contract date.
A clean paper trail matters if there is ever a dispute later about whether you canceled in time.
Why This Question Comes Up So Often in Seminole County and Central Florida
After a hurricane or a major commercial loss, property owners and HOA or condo boards in Sanford, Lake Mary, Oviedo, Winter Springs, Altamonte Springs, and greater Orlando are often approached fast, sometimes within days of a storm, by adjusters looking to sign a contract on the spot. Speed is not always bad, but a rushed decision made under stress is exactly the situation Florida's cancellation right was written to protect.
This matters even more on large commercial and association claims, where the dollar amounts are higher and the scope of the loss takes longer to fully understand. A board that signed with the first adjuster who showed up after a roof failure or hurricane loss is not locked in if the fit turns out to be wrong. The same statute applies to a modest residential roof claim and a multimillion-dollar commercial or condo association loss. Boards should also confirm the contract was properly authorized under the association's governing documents before signing, since that is a separate question from the state cancellation right.
What Not to Do If You Want to Cancel or Switch
A few mistakes make this harder than it needs to be:
- Do not wait past the window to decide. If you are having second thoughts, put the notice in writing before the 10-day (or 30-day emergency) clock runs out.
- Do not rely on a verbal conversation as your cancellation. Get it in writing and get proof of delivery.
- Do not assume you are stuck once your claim is already submitted to the insurer. The cancellation right is tied to the contract, not to whether paperwork has started moving.
- Do not sign a new contract with a different adjuster before your old one is actually and properly canceled. Overlapping contracts can create confusion about who represents you.
If you are unsure whether you are still inside a cancellation window, or whether a delay in your paperwork qualifies under the 60-day rule, that is a fair question to ask before you sign anything new.
FAQ: Canceling a Public Adjuster Contract in Florida
Can I cancel my public adjuster contract for any reason?
Yes, within the statutory window. You have 10 days from the date you signed, extended to 30 days after the date of loss (or 10 days after signing, whichever is longer) if the loss ties to a Governor-declared state of emergency. No explanation is required during that period.
Does canceling cost me anything?
No. Cancellation within the statutory window carries no penalty and no obligation. If you are canceling later because your adjuster failed to deliver a required written estimate within 60 days, that also comes with no additional penalty, unless the delay was outside the adjuster's control.
What if my public adjuster never gave me a written estimate?
Florida law requires a detailed, itemized estimate within 60 days of the contract date. If you never received one, you can cancel without penalty. Put this in writing and reference the missed 60-day deadline.
Can an HOA or condo board cancel a signed public adjuster contract the same way?
The statutory cancellation right applies to the contract itself, so the same timelines apply. Boards should also review their own governing documents and meeting minutes to confirm the contract was properly authorized in the first place. A public adjuster is not a licensed attorney and cannot give legal advice, so questions about board authority under your governing documents belong with a qualified Florida attorney.
I already signed with one adjuster. Can I switch to Coyne Commercial Group?
If you are still inside your cancellation window, or your current adjuster missed the 60-day estimate deadline, you have a clear path to cancel in writing first. Once that is done properly, you are free to have a conversation with any licensed public adjuster you choose, including us. We are glad to do a free review of where your claim stands, at no obligation.
Public adjuster fees themselves are set and capped by Florida law, and any adjuster you work with should walk through those terms with you openly before you sign anything. See our FAQ page for more on how fees and contracts work. For a closer look at how the adjuster relationship functions day to day, read our guide on how to choose a public adjuster in Florida and our breakdown of public adjuster fees under Florida law.
If you have a commercial property, HOA, or condo association claim and want a second opinion, our commercial claims team and board member resources page are good places to start, or you can reach out directly through claims representation for a free, no-obligation review.
Written by James Coyne, Florida Licensed Public Adjuster (License W482618), founder of Coyne Commercial Group (Firm License G350978).