Engaging Preferred Claim Solutions (PCS) was, without question, my most regrettable property-management mistake of 2024. Although other reviewers suggest PCS shows competence in FL, its performance for my Denver CO home was poor, and the initial promises that persuaded me to sign were quickly proven hollow. What follows is a concise chronicle of events and a caution for any property owner, particularly those outside FL, who is contemplating PCS.
PCS was referred via one of their restoration affiliates who assured me PCS could secure a zero-deductible roof replacement following 2023 hail damage. From the start, Nick Pestana was a strong communicator, and was convincing in his explanations on why a FL based PA would have success in CO, and in recorded phone calls he also conveyed confidence about a zero deductible outcome, explaining it would be possible because they "knew people". Unfortunately, here's what actually happened:
* **Broken pledge of a zero deductible.** Instead of saving me from a $2.5k deductible, I ultimately paid more than twice that figure and would have paid still more if PCS's preferred path had succeeded.
* **Excessive fee structure.** PCS initially demanded 20% of the entire claim. Industry norms in CO range from five to ten percent. I negotiated to 15%, believing the premium bought an ingenious strategy that would offset my deductible; it did not.
* **Inflated estimate, impaired credibility.** PCS submitted a loss estimate showing a replacement-cost value (RCV) of $61.2k with only $1k in depreciation on my roof that Travelers Insurance later valued at $24.7k with $4.7k depreciation. The insurer's figure proved far closer to reality. The surplus items PCS stuffed into its scope bordered on fiction and, in my view, sabotaged negotiations. After depreciation, deductible, and PCS's fifteen-percent slice, my first check of $17.5k shrank to a mere $14.9k.
* **Costly crossroads.** PCS then offered two options: accept the shortfall or escalate to appraisal with its FL appraiser affiliate, Cordo Claims, for an additional $2.5k out-of-pocket. From that moment forward, every inquiry I made about the promised "zero out-of-pocket" solution met silence.
* **Independent intervention.** I finally sought advice from friends in the local roofing business, which is where I should have started. They introduced an experienced CO appraiser who charged a flat $2k, later reduced to $1k as a gesture of goodwill. His appraisal nudged the RCV to $29k, still far below PCS's exaggerated figure but measurably better than Travelers' original number. Roofing industry friends also pointed how PCS's exaggerated $61.2k estimate was doomed to fail. Example: Dry climate of CO rarely necessitates re-sheathing or redecking, unlike the moist climate of FL where PCS experience is based.
I cannot recommend PCS at all, especially not to to property owners or managers beyond FL. The only star I can give them over minimum is that Mayra maintained a tone of professionalism despite my obvious frustration with their service and result.
My recommendations to other property owners/managers seeking a Public Adjuster for an insurance claim:
1. **Beware "zero-deductible" promises.** This should only be treated it as promotional puffery, and also raise immediate suspicion.
2. **Hire local expertise.** Find a regional PA and local contractors that understands relevant codes, customary costs, and climatic constraints. Geographic fluency matters.
3. **Start with your insurer.** Exhaust the insurance carrier's internal process before enlisting a PA. And then only hire a PA based on 20%-25% of additional money awarded. Don't start by hiring a PA like I did, even if they accept a lower fee of 10% of the net claim.
4. **Consider venue clauses closely.** PCS's contract stipulates litigation exclusively in Miami-Dade County, FL, but are likely invalid. For example in my case, given that the loss, property, work, and surety bond all lie in CO, such a clause likely fails for unconscionability. Consult counsel before conceding your local forum. read more
