TAMPA, Fla. — Some homeowners filing claims with their FEMA National Flood Insurance Policies (NFIP) are finding out they may not get enough financial assistance to cover all their damage. 

Andrew Knox with Altieri Insurance Consultants said NFIP Insurance adjusters determine how much the agency will pay for damage based on computer software that sometimes won’t calculate repair costs to industry standards.  

That estimate determines the insurance payout for damage, and could leave homeowners short-changed should contractors say the damage will cost more to repair.

“There are times that money is enough to do the job, but there are a lot of times, as people are finding out, that it isn’t enough money to do the job,” said Knox.

Low damage estimates from NFIP adjusters could leave some homeowners stuck in the middle, either covering the remaining cost of repairs on their own or fighting it out with the insurance company to cover the difference.

Knox says some homeowners are now hiring their own public adjusters, bringing them in as an independent third-party to determine damage estimates and to work with FEMA, contractors and insurance companies to make sure repairs that are funded can move forward.

“As a policyholder, the burden of proof is on you the insured to prove your loss to the insurance company,” Knox said. “So you have to prove to them why your loss is underpaid. And if there are items missed, it is your job to show them what was missed. If there are costs that are below the market cost, it is your job to do that.”

Knox says public adjusters are very busy right now across Florida and some have wait lists.

But hiring an adjuster and patience could help save homeowners thousands of dollars.