When your insurance company underpays, delays, or denies a Pennsylvania property claim, William J. Addis represents you — never the insurer — to recover what your policy actually owes.
Pennsylvania policyholders contend with everything from nor’easters and hurricane remnants in the east to severe lake-effect winter weather in the west. The variety of claim types here demands experienced representation.
Common Pennsylvania claim types we handle: winter storm and ice damage; hurricane and tropical remnant losses; flooding; aged-system roof and structural claims.
Pennsylvania’s diverse property stock — from Philadelphia row homes to Pittsburgh commercial buildings — means insurance carriers approach claims very differently. We make sure they approach yours correctly.
Pennsylvania doesn't get the headlines that Texas, Florida, or California do, but its property insurance landscape is technically complex. The state's geography produces a wide variety of loss types in a single calendar year: nor'easters, severe summer thunderstorms, ice and snow loads, tornadoes in the western half, ice dam damage across the older housing stock, and recurring winter freeze damage.
The events driving claim work:
Winter storms and ice damage. Pennsylvania's older housing stock — particularly in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the smaller industrial cities — produces a high volume of ice dam and winter weather claims. Ice dams form when snow melts, refreezes at the eaves, and forces water back under shingles into the home. The resulting water damage affects ceilings, walls, insulation, and contents.
Frozen pipe and freeze damage. Cold snaps below 0°F regularly produce widespread pipe-burst events, particularly in homes with poor insulation in exterior walls. Coverage often hinges on whether the home was occupied, whether reasonable steps to maintain heat were taken, and how quickly mitigation began.
Severe summer thunderstorms with hail and wind. Western and central Pennsylvania receive consistent hail activity from May through September. The Pittsburgh and Erie regions are particularly active. Hail damage to roofs, siding, and exterior systems is one of our most common Pennsylvania claim types.
Nor'easter and remnant tropical system damage. Eastern Pennsylvania periodically experiences damage from nor'easters and the remnants of Atlantic tropical systems. These events combine high winds, heavy rain, and tree damage. Wind-driven rain entering through wind-damaged roofs is a coverage flashpoint.
Tornado activity. Western Pennsylvania, particularly the corridor from Pittsburgh into Westmoreland and Washington counties, has seen increased tornado activity in recent years. Tornado claims involve total or near-total losses with the full coverage stack engaged.
Sewer backup and water intrusion. Pennsylvania's older sewer systems combined with heavy rain events produce sewer backup damage. This is typically excluded from standard policies unless the policyholder purchased a sewer backup endorsement.
Ice dam claims are typically covered under standard Pennsylvania policies, but carriers contest causation, attribute damage to maintenance issues, or apply "wear and tear" exclusions to the ice dam itself. The water damage downstream is what's covered. Getting that distinction documented properly is critical.
Pipe burst claims involve immediate water damage, mold risk, contents losses, and additional living expenses. Carriers often use the "vacancy" exclusion or argue the policyholder failed to maintain heat. Documentation of occupancy, heating, and mitigation matters.
Western and central Pennsylvania hail claims face the same documentation issues as anywhere else — partial vs. full replacement, matching, code upgrades, soft-metal damage. The Pennsylvania-specific issue is roof age: many older Pennsylvania homes have multi-layer roof systems where the carrier wants to replace only the top layer while the actual repair requires removing all layers down to the deck.
Wind-caused shingle uplift, tree damage, and structural damage to siding and exterior systems. Wind-driven rain that enters through wind-damaged components is covered; the documentation needs to establish the wind damage as the proximate cause.
Pennsylvania has a substantial commercial real estate base — particularly in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Lehigh Valley. Commercial claims involve business interruption, code-upgrade coverage, and ordinance and law that carriers regularly underpay.
Pennsylvania fire claims often involve smoke contamination throughout structures that didn't burn. Carriers attempt to settle smoke damage as cleaning rather than restoration. The actual restoration of contents, HVAC systems, and porous building materials is far more expensive.
Pennsylvania regulates public adjusters under Title 63 P.S. §1601-1608, enforced by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Key requirements:
If a contractor or roofer in Pennsylvania offers to negotiate your claim without a public adjuster license, that's unlicensed practice — the contract is unenforceable and the activity is illegal. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department actively investigates unauthorized public adjusting following major storm events.
Pennsylvania's largest homeowners insurance writers include:
Erie Insurance's home-state position gives Pennsylvania a distinctive insurance landscape — a major regional carrier with deep local market knowledge alongside the national writers. Each carrier handles claims differently, and effective representation requires understanding which carrier you're dealing with.
Most Pennsylvania property insurance policies require prompt notice of loss, typically within 30-60 days, though many policies require notification "as soon as practicable." The suit-limitation deadline for filing a lawsuit on a denied or underpaid claim is generally one year from the date of loss in Pennsylvania, though this is policy-specific. Pennsylvania law also requires carriers to acknowledge receipt of a claim within 15 days.
Generally yes — water damage caused by ice dams is typically covered under standard Pennsylvania homeowners policies. Carriers may contest causation, claiming the underlying issue was insufficient attic insulation or ventilation (which would be excluded as maintenance). The damage caused by water intrusion is what's covered. Documentation of the storm event and the resulting water damage is critical.
Pennsylvania does not currently have a statutory fee cap on public adjuster compensation. Fees are typically a percentage of the recovery — often in the 10-25% range depending on claim size and complexity. Resolution Claims Consulting works on contingency only, with fees agreed in writing before any work begins. There are no upfront fees and no fee owed if no recovery is obtained.
Only if they hold an active Pennsylvania public adjuster license. Negotiating insurance claims for compensation without that license is illegal in Pennsylvania. If a roofer offers to "handle the claim for you," ask for their PA license number and verify it through the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.
Generally yes, with conditions. Most Pennsylvania policies cover pipe-burst water damage if the home was occupied and the policyholder took reasonable steps to maintain heat. If the home was vacant or unoccupied, coverage may be limited or excluded. Quick mitigation matters — both for limiting the loss and for protecting the claim.
Pennsylvania carriers can decline to renew at the end of the policy term, subject to state notice requirements. Multiple claims, particularly within a short window, raise the likelihood of non-renewal. Non-renewal doesn't release the carrier from obligations on the active claim — that proceeds to resolution regardless.
Often, yes. Supplemental claims for undocumented scope items, code upgrades, or newly discovered damage are typically available within the policy's notice and suit-limitation deadlines. Send us the carrier's estimate and your settlement paperwork — we'll review whether reopening is realistic and what the recovery potential looks like.
Important Pennsylvania disclosure
This page is an advertisement and a solicitation for public adjusting business by William J. Addis, licensed public adjuster (individual license #1262857). If you have an existing claim and are satisfied with your insurance carrier's offer, you may disregard this advertisement. Hiring a public adjuster is your choice — you have the right to negotiate your own claim, hire an attorney instead, or proceed without representation.
William J. Addis is licensed as a non-resident public insurance adjuster in Pennsylvania (license #1262857).
Public adjuster fees, contract terms, cancellation rights, and conduct standards are regulated by Pennsylvania law. Before signing any public adjuster contract, you have the right to review the contract terms, ask questions about the fee structure and services, and seek independent legal advice if desired. Pennsylvania requires written contracts for all public adjusting services; you should never pay a public adjuster before claim settlement, and you should never sign a contract that doesn't clearly state the fee.
Past results described on this website reflect outcomes achieved in specific prior claims; they are not guarantees, predictions, or warranties of future outcomes. Each claim is unique, and the outcome depends on the policy language, the facts of the loss, the carrier's position, and other factors that cannot be predicted in advance. Resolution Claims Consulting, LLC is licensed as a public adjusting firm in Illinois, Rhode Island, Colorado and Minnesota. In Pennsylvania, services are provided by William J. Addis under his individual license. We are not attorneys and do not provide legal services. If your claim involves a legal dispute that requires litigation, we may recommend you consult with a licensed attorney.
Verify our license through the Pennsylvania insurance regulator. License lookup links and contact information for the Pennsylvania insurance department are available on our Legal Disclaimers page.
The Pennsylvania-specific information on this page draws on the following authoritative sources. Regulations, statutes, and market data are accurate as of publication; verify current rules with the linked regulators before relying on this information for a specific claim.
Tell us briefly what happened. We will review your policy and the insurer’s offer, then tell you straight whether there is more to recover — and how much.
This website advertises public insurance adjusting services. In Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and Rhode Island, services are provided by Resolution Claims Consulting, LLC, a licensed public adjusting firm. In Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin, services are provided by William J. Addis as an individually licensed public insurance adjuster. Kentucky law currently bars public adjusters from negotiating with insurers (KRS 304.9-4331(7)), so we are not accepting Kentucky claims at this time. Both Resolution Claims Consulting and William J. Addis work only on behalf of policyholders and represent no insurance company. Public adjusters are not employees of any state, federal agency, or insurance carrier. Public adjuster services are not free; fees are paid by the insured, typically as a percentage of the recovery agreed in writing before work begins, and are subject to applicable state fee caps and statutes.
All recovery amounts, case studies, and settlement figures shown on this site reflect actual outcomes achieved by Resolution Claims Consulting, LLC for past clients. Client and carrier identities have been anonymized. Past results do not guarantee, predict, or imply any specific outcome on a future claim. Each insurance claim is unique. Outcomes depend on the policy language, the facts of the loss, applicable state law, the carrier's position, and many other factors that vary case to case.
Resolution Claims Consulting, LLC — Firm NPN 20764010. Licensed as a public adjusting firm in 4 states: Colorado #803346, Illinois #3002593563, Minnesota #40893260, Rhode Island #3003758028. Resolution Claims Consulting, LLC does not hold firm licenses in other states. William J. Addis — Individual NPN 18667143. Licensed as an individual public adjuster in 18 states: CO #559485, IL #18667143, KS #18667143, KY #1076611, MN #40771302, MO #8428075, NE #18667143, NV #3876040, OH #1743364, OK #3001586244, PA #1262857, RI #3003745104, SC #18667143, TN #3003380591, TX #2784759, UT #1084108, WA #1320332, WI #18667143. All licenses verifiable through each state's department of insurance public license lookup.
Every state's Department of Insurance offers free consumer assistance with insurance claims and disputes — you are not required to hire a public adjuster to file or pursue a claim. Contact your state Department of Insurance directly if you have questions about a claim or about working with a public adjuster.
