Fort Walton Beach & Okaloosa Island
Public adjuster in Fort Walton BeachHurricane Isaias claims
Fort Walton Beach wraps around Santa Rosa Sound and Cinco Bayou, with older neighborhoods, Miracle Strip Parkway businesses and homes near Hurlburt Field and Eglin, while Okaloosa Island across the Brooks Bridge is condo towers, hotels and leasehold beach property. Isaias brought wind, sound-side flooding and sewer overflows to both. We represent homeowners, condo associations and commercial owners on the mainland and the island.
- Years of industry experience
- 20+
- Years of industry experience
- Policyholders helped
- 15,000+
- Policyholders helped
- Recovered for our clients
- $900M+
- Recovered for our clients
- States served
- 23
- States served
Hurricane Isaias in Fort Walton Beach
Isaias came ashore just east of here near Destin. In Fort Walton Beach a gas station suffered serious structural damage, Fox Weather reported 2 to 3 feet of flooding, storm surge closed a road in Cinco Bayou, and sewer manhole releases led the health department to post advisories for Santa Rosa Sound and Choctawhatchee Bay near U.S. 98. On Okaloosa Island crews pumped standing water off Santa Rosa Boulevard, and the morning after landfall more than 77,000 Okaloosa County customers, about 63 percent, were without power.
The first offer after a storm like this is often the lowest one. Before you accept a repair-only estimate or a denial, have someone who works for you, not the carrier, read the policy and walk the property.
Fort Walton Beach has been here before
1975 · Hurricane Eloise
Eloise made landfall about 10 miles east of Fort Walton Beach as a major hurricane; 85 to 90 percent of Gulf-side buildings between Fort Walton Beach and Panama City were severely damaged or destroyed, and the Okaloosa Island Pier was lost.
1995 · Hurricane Erin
Erin caused some of its most significant structural damage around Mary Esther, with an estimated 98 mph gust at Hurlburt Field and an F0 tornado in Mary Esther.
1995 · Hurricane Opal
Opal's 10 to 15 foot surge destroyed U.S. 98 between Fort Walton Beach and Destin, and Hurlburt Field recorded a 144 mph gust.
2005 · Hurricane Dennis
Dennis washed out part of U.S. 98 between Fort Walton Beach and Destin and damaged the westbound lanes with surge.
What we’re watching on Fort Walton Beach claims
Sound-side flooding vs. wind
Parts of Fort Walton Beach flooded 2 to 3 feet deep during Isaias. Rising water is a flood claim while roof, window and wind-driven rain damage is a wind claim, and when both hit one building, each insurer will point at the other unless the damage is documented by cause.
Contaminated floodwater
Sewer manhole releases into the sound and bay mean floodwater inside some buildings may have been contaminated. That changes the scope from drying out to removing and replacing porous materials like drywall, insulation and flooring, and the estimate needs to reflect it from day one.
Island condos and leasehold approvals
Okaloosa Island is unincorporated, and the county's island permit guide calls for Okaloosa Island Leaseholders Association architectural review on most development in addition to county building permits. Condo boards should build that time, and the cost of temporary protection while they wait, into the claim.
Properties we handle in Fort Walton Beach & Okaloosa Island
- Condo towers, hotels and beach homes along Santa Rosa Boulevard on Okaloosa Island
- Older single-family homes near Santa Rosa Sound and Cinco Bayou
- Rental homes and apartments near Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base
- Retail, restaurants and offices along Miracle Strip Parkway (U.S. 98)
- Bayfront homes, docks and seawalls on Choctawhatchee Bay
Flood and surge: Fort Walton Beach is a CRS Class 6 community (20 percent NFIP discount in high-risk zones), and unincorporated Okaloosa County, which includes Okaloosa Island, is Class 5 (25 percent); both use Okaloosa County flood maps effective March 9, 2021. Flood and surge losses go to your NFIP or private flood policy, which has its own proof-of-loss deadline, 60 days under the standard NFIP policy.
Areas we serve around Fort Walton Beach
- Okaloosa Island
- Downtown Fort Walton Beach
- Cinco Bayou
- Ocean City
- Wright
- Mary Esther
- Shalimar
- Hurlburt Field area
- ZIP 32547 and 32548
Repairs and permits
Permanent repairs usually need a permit. Your local office: City of Fort Walton Beach Growth Management Department. Keep every repair and mitigation receipt for the claim.
How it works
- 1
Call or send it in
Tell us about the property and what the carrier has said so far. A licensed public adjuster calls you back.
- 2
We review the policy
We read the policy, the carrier's estimate and any denial letter with you. Claim review at no upfront cost.
- 3
We build and fight the claim
We document the full loss, write the estimate, meet the carrier's adjusters and engineers, and negotiate.
- 4
You get paid
Our fee comes only out of what we recover. On homeowner and condo unit-owner claims from Isaias, Florida caps it at 10%.
Condo or HOA board? Read the board member hurricane checklist. Roofer with a denied job? Start here.
Fort Walton Beach claim questions
My condo is on Okaloosa Island. Who handles repair permits?
Okaloosa Island is outside Fort Walton Beach city limits, so building permits go through Okaloosa County Growth Management, not the city. The county's island permit guide also calls for Okaloosa Island Leaseholders Association architectural review on most projects; interior work that doesn't change the footprint skips that step but still needs a building permit.
Water came into my Fort Walton Beach home from the street. Will homeowners insurance pay?
Homeowners and condo policies exclude flood, so water that rose from the ground needs an NFIP or private flood claim. If wind also damaged the roof or windows, that part is still a homeowners claim, and the two should be filed and documented separately.
I signed with someone at my door after the storm. Can I back out?
For a public adjuster contract tied to a declared state of emergency like Isaias, Florida lets you cancel within 30 days after the date of loss or 10 days after signing, whichever is longer. Florida's CFO also urged residents after Isaias not to sign with any contractor or adjuster until they verify who they are.
Sources
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/live-updates-hurricane-isaias-downgraded-114351947.html
- https://www.foxweather.com/watch/fmc-cz0cnutz8xnoxp4s
- https://midbaynews.com/post/post-isaias-update-from-the-emerald-coast-october-12
- https://weartv.com/news/local/okaloosa-county-reports-over-500-road-hazards-lifts-evacuation-orders-after-isaias
- https://getthecoast.com/desantis-okaloosa-officials-give-update-from-okaloosa-island-after-hurricane-isaias-landfall/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Walton_Beach,_Florida
- https://www.weather.gov/mob/eloise
- https://www.weather.gov/mob/erin
- https://www.weather.gov/mob/opal
- https://www.weather.gov/mob/dennis
- https://fwb.org/168/Growth-Management
- https://fwb.org/514/Owner-Builder-Permit-Info
- https://myokaloosa.gov/gm/home
- https://myokaloosa.gov/sites/default/files/users/gmuser/okaislappr.pdf
- https://www.fema.gov/cis/FL.pdf
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/44/appendix-A(1)_to_part_61
- http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0626/Sections/0626.854.html
Request a claim review
Tell us what happened. A licensed public adjuster will call you back to talk through your policy, your loss and where your claim stands. There’s no upfront cost to review your claim.
Rather talk now?(850) 750-7536Good to have handy
- Your policy number, and the claim number if you have one
- Photos or video of the damage
- Any letters, estimates or offers from the carrier
Don’t have them yet? Send the form anyway.
Our fee is a percentage of what we recover, set out in your contract and capped by your state’s law. No upfront cost to review your claim.