Citizens dragged my Hurricane Idalia claim out 22 months on a $63k roof and ceiling collapse - finally settled last week and im just... tired

not really looking for advice on this one, just need to put it down in writing somewhere because friends and family are sick of hearing about it. tampa bay area, idalia came through in august 2023, took half my roof off and a soaked ceiling came down in the dining room two days later. i filed within 48 hours like every guide says. the claim just closed last week. 22 months. i am completely worn out.

the short version. first adjuster came out 6 weeks after filing, said "minor wear and tear, $4,200 offer." reinspection request, second adjuster 10 weeks after that, came back at $11,800 saying the rest was "pre-existing." i hired a public adjuster in march 2024 ($63k revised scope), citizens countered at $24,500, we went into appraisal in september 2024, the appraisal panel came in at $58,400 in february 2025. citizens then dragged out the actual payment behind a series of "supplemental documentation" requests for another 4 months. final check cleared two weeks ago.

meanwhile i was living with a tarp on the roof for 11 months before i finally just paid out of pocket to get it replaced because my interior ceiling was getting worse every storm. i drained my emergency fund. i took a HELOC. i fought with my mortgage company three times about disbursement of the partial payments. my wife and i had two separate weeks where we slept in a hotel because of mold smell. our kids ages 6 and 9 have been asking when the dining room ceiling is going to look "normal" for almost two years.

and the kicker. the public adjuster fee was 10% of the final settlement so i owe $5,840 on top of everything. the math basically works out to a wash compared to what citizens would have paid if i hadnt fought, but emotionally i needed to feel like i hadnt rolled over. anyway, just venting. anyone else still in the post-idalia citizens claims grinder? would love to hear i am not the only one.