Aerial view of Palisades fire damage along Pacific Coast Highway Malibu
Public Adjusters · 35+ Years

35 Years of Standing Between the Fire and the Future.

Malibu Public Adjusters advocates for Palisades fire victims, Malibu homeowners, and businesses across the Conejo Valley to pursue the maximum settlement possible.

Palisades Fire ClaimsMalibuCalabasasHidden HillsWestlake VillageAgoura Hills

The Settlement Ratio

Insurance adjusters protect the carrier. We protect you.

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

All things insurance, handled with local authority.

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.

Residential Insurance Claims

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

Commercial Insurance Claims

Business interruption, tenant improvements, equipment, inventory, and complex loss presentation.

Industrial Insurance Claims

Large-loss documentation, specialized property, machinery, and operational recovery support.

Malibu hillside home destroyed by Palisades fire with ocean view

We document what insurers often miss.

Damage scope, repair pricing, code upgrades, smoke contamination, water intrusion, temporary housing, and business interruption deserve a rigorous, policy-backed presentation.

Our Core Specializations

35 years fighting for fire and water victims.

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.

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35+Years of California claims experience
98%Client satisfaction on settled claims
24–48hResponse time for initial review
1,000+Claims successfully resolved

Specialization

Fire Damage Claims

Aerial fire devastation along Malibu coastline
  • 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

Water Damage Claims

Malibu home destroyed by fire near ocean cliff
  • 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

A clear path through the claim process.

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.

1

01

Free Consultation

Call us or submit an assessment request. We review your situation confidentially — no cost, no commitment. We tell you honestly whether we can help.

2

02

Damage Investigation

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.

3

03

Policy Analysis

We read your policy the way insurers don't want you to — identifying every coverage, rider, and entitlement that applies to your specific claim.

4

04

Claim Presentation

We build and submit a professionally documented claim package — with pricing, scope, and policy citations — that is harder to dispute and harder to underpay.

5

05

Settlement & Recovery

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

Real families. Real recoveries.

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

Recent Claim Settlements Our Clients Actually Received

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.

140%

Wildfire — Palisades

Total loss of 3-bedroom home. Carrier initially offered $620,000.

Carrier Offer

$620,000

MPA Recovery

$1,487,000

291%

Water Damage — Calabasas

Slab leak flooding 2,400 sq ft. Carrier claimed pre-existing condition.

Carrier Offer

$48,000

MPA Recovery

$187,500

228%

Fire — Hidden Hills

Kitchen fire with smoke damage throughout. Carrier excluded contents.

Carrier Offer

$95,000

MPA Recovery

$312,000

Overturned

Water Damage — Malibu

Burst pipe in unoccupied vacation home. Carrier denied coverage.

Carrier Offer

$0

MPA Recovery

$264,000

463%

Earthquake — Westlake Village

Foundation crack displacement. CEA deductible dispute.

Carrier Offer

$37,500

MPA Recovery

$211,000

272%

Theft — Agoura Hills

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

Built by the coast. Forged by fire.

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

    Founded in Malibu

    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

    Malibu Fires

    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

    Expanding to the Conejo Valley

    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

    Woolsey Fire Response

    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

    Palisades Fire Advocacy

    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

Professionally bound. Accountable to you.

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

Everything you need to know before you call.

Insurance claims are confusing by design. Here are answers to the questions our clients ask most — plainly, without industry jargon.

Reach Out

You don't have to navigate this alone.

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 Review

Claims Initiation Portal

Start with a calm, confidential review.

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.