Recent lawsuits filed in southern Florida have accused two property insurers – Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co. and American Home Assurance Co. Inc. – of using inexperienced, unlicensed or unqualified adjusters to lowball damages claims.

A lawsuit filed in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County provides documentation that Heritage had 4,803 Hurricane Irma claims that were handled by unlicensed adjusters. The Samari Lakes East Condo Association filed the complaint, alleging that the insurer should face punitive damages.

“Heritage hired unlicensed adjusters, refused to hire experts, refused to provide its adjusters and experts with underwriting documents showing the condition of the insured property prior to the loss, and weaponized litigation tactics by its naked allegations of fraud,” the lawsuit states. “And this is only what the plaintiff has been able to gather without discovery into (the) defendant’s general business practices.”