Insurance agencies
Books and taxes for public adjusters.
A contingency fee on a claim settlement instead of a commission, a fee cap that can change after a state declares an emergency, a slow stretch before the next storm, and travel across counties or states to reach the work. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
September came in at $26,700. Three hurricane claims settled this month at the emergency fee cap for that state, so I noted the lower rate next to each one.
- Claim settlement fee, homeownerContingency fees
- Claim settlement fee, commercialContingency fees
- Hotel, storm deploymentStorm travel
- Independent estimator payoutContracted estimators
- State license renewal, second stateLicensing and bonding
Why your books are different
A public adjuster's books go wrong in the same four places.
A generalist bookkeeper expects steady monthly income and a flat expense pattern. Your fee is a percentage of a claim settlement, not a commission or a renewal, it can be capped differently depending on whether a state declared an emergency, and the year swings hard between storm season and the quiet months after. When the books do not know that, the whole picture reads wrong.
-
1
The fee cap changes the math on the same kind of claim
A state can cap your contingency fee at one rate normally and a lower rate for a set period after declaring an emergency, so two similar claims can pay very differently depending only on timing and location.
What we doNotes the fee rate that applied to each claim, so a lower-fee month reads as the rule at work, not a pricing mistake. -
2
A slow stretch after storm season looks like the business is failing
Months after a major event, once the wave of claims from that storm settles out, income can drop hard until the next event, and without context that quiet stretch looks like trouble instead of the normal rhythm of this work.
What we doTracks income against known storm activity, so a quiet month after a busy season reads as expected. -
3
Storm deployment travel gets buried in general expenses
Traveling to another state after a major event, hotels, flights, and a rental car for weeks at a time, is a real and significant cost that gets lost when it is filed the same as everyday mileage.
What we doKeeps storm deployment travel on its own line, so the true cost of chasing the work is visible. -
4
Contracted estimators look like employees
Independent estimators and appraisers brought in for a surge of claims are often paid per assignment, and paid that way they can look like payroll if the books do not separate the two.
What we doKeeps contracted estimator pay separate from any staff payroll, so worker classification stays clear.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a public adjuster.
Set up once for how claims pay you and what storm work costs. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Contingency feesYour percentage of an approved claim settlement, the core of this business.
- Flat assessment feesAny work billed as a flat fee rather than a percentage of settlement.
- Referral incomeFees from attorneys or other professionals who send claim work your way.
- Reinspection feesFees for a second review when an insurer disputes an original estimate.
Money out
- Storm travelHotels, flights, and vehicle costs for out-of-area deployment after a major event.
- Contracted estimatorsIndependent estimators and appraisers paid per assignment during a surge.
- Licensing and bondingState license, bonding, and non-resident license fees for working across state lines.
- E&O insuranceErrors and omissions coverage required to hold a license.
- Marketing and referralsAdvertising and referral fees paid to attorneys or other professionals.
- EquipmentCameras, moisture meters, and estimating software used to document claims.
What we watch for you
- Average fee rate
Whether recent settlements were capped by an emergency declaration, so pricing expectations stay accurate.
- Storm-season concentration
How much of the year's income depends on a small number of major events.
- Estimator cost share
What contracted estimators cost against the settlements they helped bring in.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so April is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things public adjusters ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
The state had an emergency declaration in effect, which caps the fee lower for a period after. I noted the applicable rate on this one so it is clear that is the reason, not an error.
Very. I track your income against known storm activity, so a quiet stretch after a major event reads as the normal rhythm of this work, not a sign something is wrong.
If you paid them $2,000 or more this year outside payroll, yes, by January 31. I keep that list running as the surge work comes in.
The tax side
The tax side of public adjuster work.
Most of what goes wrong here is timing and classification, a fee cap read as a mistake, a slow season read as trouble, an estimator paid like a contractor but tracked like payroll.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Self-employment tax and estimatesAdjusters paid a contingency fee rather than a W-2 pay self-employment tax at 15.3 percent up to the $184,500 wage base, usually in quarterly estimates on April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15.
- The pass-through deductionMost independent adjusters can take up to 20 percent of qualified business income off their taxable income. The benefit narrows above $201,750 single or $403,500 joint, so the accountant runs the exact number.
- Contractor 1099s for estimatorsAny contracted estimator or appraiser paid $2,000 or more in 2026 outside payroll gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
- Travel and equipment write-offsStorm deployment travel and claim documentation equipment are ordinary business expenses, deductible in the year paid, and larger equipment can often be expensed the year you buy it.
Deductions public adjusters miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Storm deployment hotels and travel
- Cameras and moisture meters
- Claim estimating software
- Errors and omissions insurance
- State license and bonding fees
- Non-resident license fees
- Continuing education courses
- Vehicle expenses for site visits
- Contracted estimator payments
- Marketing and referral fees
- Phone and internet for field work
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A public adjuster's year, kept every month.
Storms do not run on a calendar. Gus keeps the books ready whenever they hit. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Set the baseline
Estimator 1099s go out, last year's return gets started, and you get a monthly set-aside built around a realistic storm-season swing.
- April
Return closed out
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, whether the year was heavy with storm deployments or quiet between events, because the set-aside has been running since January.
- July
Storm season check
Where you stand, what you will owe, and how this year's storm activity compares to last year's.
- October
Before peak season
Peak hurricane season activity often settles out around now, and Gus looks at equipment worth buying before December.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for public adjusters. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions public adjusters ask first.
Can Gus track why my fee percentage varies between claims?
Yes. He notes the fee cap or rate that applied to each settlement, so a lower-fee claim reads as the state's rule at work, not confusion.
My income swings hard between storm season and the months after. Will that look like a problem?
No. Gus tracks your income against known storm activity, so a quiet stretch after a busy season reads as the normal rhythm of this work.
Can Gus separate my storm deployment travel from everyday costs?
Yes. Hotels, flights, and vehicle costs for out-of-area deployment are kept on their own line, so the real cost of chasing major events is visible.
I bring in independent estimators during a surge. Does that complicate the books?
No. Their pay is kept separate from any staff payroll, so worker classification stays clear and their 1099s are ready when needed.
Does Gus track the state fee caps for me?
Gus notes the rate that applied to a given settlement based on what you tell him, but the actual state rules and emergency declarations are something the accountant can help you confirm.
My records from storm season are a mix of paper receipts and card charges. Can Gus still sort that out?
Yes. Send what you have. Gus sorts contingency fees from expenses, and most adjusters know where they stand inside a week.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever