Residential Insurance Claims
Homes, estates, condos, smoke damage, contents, rebuild scope, and living expense claims.

Malibu Public Adjusters advocates for Palisades fire victims, Malibu homeowners, and businesses across the Conejo Valley to pursue the maximum settlement possible.
Specialized Claim Resources
Residential fires, wildfire losses, smoke contamination & structural damage. How we fight for maximum fire claim recovery.
Learn MoreBurst pipes, roof leaks, slab failures & appliance floods. See how we maximize your water damage settlement.
Learn MoreBurglary, break-ins, vandalism & stolen valuables. How we build theft claims insurers can't dispute.
Learn MoreStructural damage, foundation cracks, CEA policies & seismic-code repairs. Maximum recovery for earthquake losses.
Learn MoreHow to identify hidden water damage before it destroys your claim. Room-by-room inspection, early warning signs, and what insurers look for.
Learn MoreThe complete remediation guide: water extraction, drying, sanitizing, restoration, and what your insurance carrier needs at every phase.
Learn MoreUnderstand your policy: dwelling, contents, ALE, liability, deductibles, exclusions, and the six claim mistakes that cost homeowners thousands.
Learn MoreInteractive checklist: every photo, document, and record you need to save immediately after damage. Check items off as you go and maximize your payout.
Learn MoreThe Settlement Ratio
We build claim strategy with construction detail, policy fluency, and local fire history—so every covered dollar is properly pursued.
Standard Carrier Path
Fast review. Narrow scope. Carrier-first settlement pressure.
Malibu Public Adjusters
Palisades & Malibu Fire Damage
Smoke, structure, contents, ALE, code upgrades, and full scope documentation.
Fire · Water · Policy Advocacy
Based in Malibu, our public insurance adjusters work only for policyholders—not the insurance company. We help with claims, policy changes, and approaching new providers with clarity and leverage.
Homes, estates, condos, smoke damage, contents, rebuild scope, and living expense claims.
Business interruption, tenant improvements, equipment, inventory, and complex loss presentation.
Large-loss documentation, specialized property, machinery, and operational recovery support.

Damage scope, repair pricing, code upgrades, smoke contamination, water intrusion, temporary housing, and business interruption deserve a rigorous, policy-backed presentation.
Our Core Specializations
Since 1989, Malibu Public Adjusters has exclusively advocated for policyholders across Malibu, Calabasas, and the Conejo Valley. We know what Southern California carriers fight hardest to undervalue — and exactly how to counter them.
Start Your Claim Review →Specialization

Total Loss Valuation
We calculate true replacement cost—including code upgrades, debris removal, and landscaping most carriers overlook.
Smoke & Soot Damage
Even rooms untouched by flame suffer chemical damage. We document every affected surface and system.
Additional Living Expenses
Lost use of your home has real cost. We capture hotel, meals, storage, and temporary housing.
Contents Inventory
We reconstruct your personal property room-by-room, far beyond what a carrier adjuster will list.
Specialization

Mold & Moisture Assessment
Water damage left unaddressed breeds mold. We ensure full scope is captured before the claim closes.
Structural Drying & Rebuild
We quantify tear-out, drying, and reconstruction at current labor and material rates.
Hidden Damage Documentation
Inside walls, under floors, in HVAC systems—we find what insurers' quick inspections miss.
Business Interruption
Water events that shut down operations deserve full income loss recovery, not a lowball offer.
How It Works
Most policyholders have never filed a major claim before. We have — more than a thousand times. Here is exactly what happens when you work with Malibu Public Adjusters.
01
Call us or submit an assessment request. We review your situation confidentially — no cost, no commitment. We tell you honestly whether we can help.
02
Our adjusters conduct a thorough on-site inspection, cataloguing every loss item, structural damage, and hidden cost your carrier's adjuster is likely to overlook.
03
We read your policy the way insurers don't want you to — identifying every coverage, rider, and entitlement that applies to your specific claim.
04
We build and submit a professionally documented claim package — with pricing, scope, and policy citations — that is harder to dispute and harder to underpay.
05
We negotiate directly with your insurer until a fair settlement is reached. We don't close a file until you receive what your policy owes you.
Client Results
Every testimonial below represents a real policyholder in Los Angeles County whose insurance carrier made an initial offer — and whose settlement we significantly increased.
Carrier's Offer
$340,000
Our Settlement
$1,100,000
+224%Additional Recovered
$760,000
"Our insurance company offered us $340,000. We thought that was it — we'd have to sell the land. Malibu Public Adjusters looked at our policy, walked our property for two days documenting every structural element, and ultimately negotiated a $1.1 million settlement. We were able to rebuild our home exactly as it was. I cannot overstate what that meant to our family."
Margaret & David L.
Malibu, CA · Palisades Fire — Total Loss
Average settlement increase across all claims: 3.4× the carrier's initial offer
Based on documented client recoveries in Los Angeles County, 2019–2024. Individual results vary by policy and loss.
Proven Results
The first number is what the insurance carrier offered. The second is what we recovered. Every case below represents a real policyholder who nearly accepted far less than their policy owed.
Total loss of 3-bedroom home. Carrier initially offered $620,000.
Carrier Offer
$620,000
MPA Recovery
$1,487,000
Slab leak flooding 2,400 sq ft. Carrier claimed pre-existing condition.
Carrier Offer
$48,000
MPA Recovery
$187,500
Kitchen fire with smoke damage throughout. Carrier excluded contents.
Carrier Offer
$95,000
MPA Recovery
$312,000
Burst pipe in unoccupied vacation home. Carrier denied coverage.
Carrier Offer
$0
MPA Recovery
$264,000
Foundation crack displacement. CEA deductible dispute.
Carrier Offer
$37,500
MPA Recovery
$211,000
Burglary with jewelry and electronics. Carrier fought inventory valuation.
Carrier Offer
$14,200
MPA Recovery
$52,800
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every claim is different.
Settlement amounts and percentages shown are actual recoveries obtained for Malibu Public Adjusters clients. Carrier offers represent documented pre-representation proposals by the insurance company.
Our Story
Malibu Public Adjusters was born from a simple, deeply held belief: the people who lose the most in a disaster shouldn't also lose the fight for fair compensation.
Our founder spent nearly a decade inside the insurance industry before crossing the aisle. He watched well-meaning homeowners accept settlements worth a fraction of what they were owed — not because they lacked rights, but because they lacked representation.
For 35 years, our firm has stood on the side of policyholders. We know the tactics carriers use to minimize payouts. We know the language of policy documents. And we know Malibu — every canyon, every coastal community, every neighborhood that has faced fire, flood, and the long road back.
We don't just file paperwork. We build a case. And we don't stop until you receive every dollar your policy entitles you to.
1989
Our firm was established by a former insurance industry insider who saw firsthand how carriers systematically underpaid coastal California homeowners after major fire and flood events.
1993
The Malibu/Topanga fires tested our young firm. We handled over 60 claims and secured settlements averaging 3.1× the carrier's initial offer — building a reputation that still defines us.
2003
Growing demand from Calabasas, Hidden Hills, and Westlake Village homeowners pushed us to expand our team while keeping our founder-led, personal approach to every case.
2018
When the Woolsey Fire devastated thousands of homes across Malibu and Calabasas, our team mobilized within hours. We managed over 200 concurrent fire damage claims.
2025
The most destructive fire in Los Angeles history left thousands of families without answers. Malibu Public Adjusters became a frontline resource — guiding victims through the largest claims of their lives.
Credentials
We adhere to the highest professional standards in every engagement — because your recovery depends on it.
35+ Years in Practice
Founded 1989 · Malibu, California
Three and a half decades of continuous operation serving Los Angeles and Ventura County property owners.
1,000+ Claims Resolved
Track Record of Maximum Recovery
From single-room water damage to multi-million dollar total fire losses, our results speak for themselves.
Professionally Insured
Professional Liability Coverage
Our firm carries full professional liability insurance, protecting clients throughout every engagement.
Common Questions
Insurance claims are confusing by design. Here are answers to the questions our clients ask most — plainly, without industry jargon.
Regional Ledger
Reach Out
Whether your home burned last week or you received a lowball settlement offer years ago, we can help. Our consultations are confidential, no-pressure, and always free.
Request a Free Claim ReviewClaims Initiation Portal
If you are a Palisades fire victim or dealing with water damage in Malibu, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Westlake Village, or Agoura Hills, we can assess your next move.