Serving Hilo, Kona & all of Hawaiʻi Island

Your Big Island public adjuster

Island Claims is a licensed Hawaiʻi public adjusting firm helping Big Island homeowners, farms and businesses with hurricane, flood, roof and water claims. A public adjuster works for you, the property owner, not the insurance company. Joshua Reeder, License #11127106, reads your policy, documents the damage and explains your options in plain English.

Book a complimentary claim reviewCall (808) 808-3778
License #11127106Hawaiʻi-basedPhone or video appointmentsNot a law firm
What we handle

Big Island property claims, from first photos to final paperwork

One public adjuster to keep the claim organized, so you can focus on your family, your home and your business.

Hurricane and wind damage

Roofs, lanai, siding and wind-driven rain, plus percentage hurricane deductibles that surprise many owners.

Hurricane deductibles in Hawaiʻi

Flooding, mudflow and runoff

How the water got in decides which policy may pay. Kaʻū and Puna owners know this question well.

Flood vs. wind vs. runoff

Water damage and mold

Hidden moisture and fast-growing mold in East Hawaiʻi’s rain, including claims that were paid too little.

Water damage claims

Farms, outbuildings and catchment

Sheds, greenhouses, fences, water tanks and equipment are often separate parts of the claim from the house.

What to document first

Denied or underpaid claims

A denial or a low first payment is often a starting point, not the end of the claim.

If your claim was denied

Business and commercial property

Storefronts, rentals, condos and business income losses from closures, outages and road closures.

Commercial and condo claims
Why it matters

Big Island claims should be priced at Big Island costs

Mainland estimating tools often miss what rebuilding really costs here: shipping to Hilo and Kawaihae, long drives to remote job sites, county permit timelines and a tight contractor market. Insurers are expected to pay for the real cost of repair in your location, so your estimate should reflect it, line by line.

Joshua Reeder is a licensed Hawaiʻi public adjuster, License #11127106, with more than 16 years of claims experience. Island Claims is headquartered on Maui and serves property owners on every island, including Hawaiʻi Island. We start with a complimentary review by phone or video, and we schedule an inspection on the island when your claim needs one. Meet Joshua

Dense green rainforest canopy near Hilo on the Big Island
Rainforest near Hilo, East Hawaiʻi. Photo: Isai Ramos, via Unsplash. Page photo at top: Waiānuenue (Rainbow Falls), Hilo, Chloe Leis, via Unsplash.
Where we help

Big Island claims by region

Hilo and East Hawaiʻi

Hilo, Keaʻau, Pepeʻekeo, Papaikou

Heavy rain country. Hilo passed 26 inches of rain for the season by mid-March 2026, and slow roof leaks and hidden water damage are some of the most common claims here.

Puna

Pāhoa, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Mountain View, Volcano

Rural homes, catchment systems and long private roads. Puna was one of the hardest-hit districts in the March 2026 Kona Low storms.

Hāmākua and North Hawaiʻi

Honokaʻa, Waimea, Hāwī, Kapaʻau

Ranch and farm property, older homes and strong mountain winds. Kohala Mountain Road closed for high winds during Hurricane Nolo.

Kona and South Kohala

Kailua-Kona, Hōlualoa, Captain Cook, Waikoloa, Puakō

Condos, rentals, coffee farms and businesses. The March Kona Low tore parts of the roofs off two Aliʻi Drive businesses and gusted to 79 mph at the Kona airport.

Kaʻū

Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Ocean View, Discovery Harbour

Hit hardest by Hurricane Lala in August 2026, with 27 homes destroyed and 60 with major damage in Hawaiʻi County, then flooded again by Hurricane Nolo in September.

Remote and off-grid property

Anywhere on the island

Off-grid homes, catchment, solar and outbuildings. We start by phone or video and tell you when an on-site inspection will help.

HiloKeaʻauPāhoaHawaiian Paradise ParkMountain ViewVolcanoHonokaʻaWaimeaHāwīKapaʻauWaikoloaPuakōKailua-KonaHōlualoaKealakekuaCaptain CookPāhalaNāʻālehuWaiʻōhinuOcean ViewDiscovery Harbour
Shops and restaurants along Aliʻi Drive in Kailua-Kona
Aliʻi Drive, Kailua-Kona. Photo: Marsela Sulku, via Unsplash.
Recent storms

Storm guides for Big Island owners

Plain-English steps, dated deadlines and official sources.

Hurricane Lala

Landfall on Hawaiʻi Island, August 15, 2026. Kaʻū hit hardest

Read the guide

Hurricane Nolo

Renewed Kaʻū flooding and Kohala winds, September 26–27, 2026

Read the guide

March 2026 Kona Low storms

Record rain and 100+ mph gusts, DR-4909 federal declaration for Hawaiʻi County

Read the guide

The first 72 hours

What to photograph, save and say right after damage

Read the guide
How it works

Three steps, no pressure

  1. Book a reviewPick a time that works for you, by phone or video.
  2. We look at your policy and damageSend photos and your policy. We explain what is covered, what may be missing and what to document next.
  3. You decideHire us, handle the claim yourself, or ask an attorney. We cannot promise a result or a payment amount.
Already have an adjuster?If a public adjuster is already handling your claim, please stay in touch with them directly.
Common questions

Big Island claim FAQs

Yes. Island Claims is headquartered on Maui and serves all of Hawaiʻi Island, from Hilo and Puna to Kona, Kohala and Kaʻū. Your first review is by phone or video, and when your claim needs someone on site, we schedule an inspection on the island.
A public adjuster works for you, the policyholder, not the insurance company. We read your policy, document the damage, prepare your claim and talk with your insurer for you. Your insurer’s adjuster works for the insurer.
The claim review is complimentary. If we decide to work together, we explain in writing how we are paid before you sign anything. You are never asked to pay to find out where your claim stands.
All of Hawaiʻi Island: Hilo and East Hawaiʻi (Keaʻau), Puna (Pāhoa, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Mountain View, Volcano), Hāmākua and North Hawaiʻi (Honokaʻa, Waimea, Hāwī, Kapaʻau), South Kohala (Waikoloa, Puakō), Kona (Kailua-Kona, Hōlualoa, Kealakekua, Captain Cook) and Kaʻū (Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, Waiʻōhinu, Ocean View, Discovery Harbour).
Often two. Lala made landfall on August 15, 2026 and Nolo flooded parts of Kaʻū again on September 26–27, so they are usually separate dates of loss, each with its own deductible question. Document what changed after each storm, and keep photos, receipts and letters for both.
It depends on your policy wording and on what was officially issued for your county at the time. During Hurricane Nolo, Hawaiʻi County was under a hurricane watch while some other islands were not, which can matter. Bring your declarations page to a complimentary review and we will explain how it applies to you.
How the water got in decides which policy may pay. Rain through a wind-damaged roof, wind-driven rain, rising water, mudflow and earth movement are often treated differently. If you were told it is not covered, ask for the decision in writing with the policy language it relies on.
Many denied and underpaid claims can still be reviewed. Bring the denial or payment letter, your policy and your photos to a complimentary review, and we will explain what we see and what to document next.
Not always. If the damage is small and your insurer’s estimate covers it, you may be fine on your own. A review is a low-pressure way to check, and we will tell you if we think you do not need us.
A public adjuster handles the insurance claim itself: the policy, the damage and the paperwork. An attorney gives legal advice and can take legal action. Island Claims is not a law firm. If your claim may need legal action, a licensed Hawaiʻi attorney is the right person to ask.
Sources and updates
Big Island towns
HiloKailua-Kona
Claim help by type
Hurricane damageWater damage & moldFire & smokeDenied or underpaid
Ready when you are

Do not face your insurance company alone.

A complimentary review shows you where your Big Island claim stands.

Book a complimentary claim review

Call (808) 808-3778 · aloha@island.claims