You Hired Me.
You Get Me.
Florida property damage attorney Diane Zimmerman has spent more than four decades fighting for property owners whose insurance companies refused to pay what they owed — and she handles every case herself.
I did not start out as an attorney. Before I passed the Florida Bar, I built a career outside the law — in the real world, working with real people, solving real problems. That background shapes how I practice today. I do not speak in legal abstractions. I explain your policy in plain language, tell you exactly where your claim stands, and give you my direct number so you can reach me when you need to talk.
When you hire Diane Zimmerman Law, you are not entering a queue. You are not being assigned to a paralegal or a junior associate. You are the case I am working on.
40 Years in Florida Property Damage Law
I have been licensed to practice law in Florida for more than 40 years. That is not a number I lead with to impress you — I lead with it because it matters to your claim. Insurance companies have experienced adjusters, in-house counsel, and institutional knowledge about how to minimize what they pay. You need an attorney who has been doing this long enough to know every tactic they use and how to counter it.
My practice focuses exclusively on property damage insurance claims. Hurricanes, windstorms, tornadoes, water damage — this is all I do. That focus is deliberate. A generalist attorney can file a claim. An attorney who has spent four decades in this specific area knows the difference between a legitimate coverage denial and a pretextual one, and knows exactly what to do about it.
Education:
Mercer University Law School- JD 1983
University of Florida Law School- LLM (Masters of Law in Taxation) 1984
Stetson University- BS in Political Science 1980
Bar Association Memberships:
Georgia and Florida
Work Experience:
Georgia (1985-2000)
- Touche, Ross & Company--Tax Consultant 1985
- Houston County, Georgia—Assistant Public Defender
- Westmoreland, Patterson and Mosley, Macon, Georgia- Private Practice in mid-sized established firm
- Bond & Zimmerman, Warner Robins, GA- Private Practice, 2 person firm focusing on representing people
- Diane Zimmerman & Associates, Warner Robins, Ga-Private Practice, grew to 5 lawyers representing people and businesses.
Interesting Facts:
Served on Peach County Planning and Zoning Commission; Ran for State House of Representatives
Work Experience:
Florida (2000-2018)
Sil’s Home Center--Returned home to Panama City, Florida to work in family business-Sil’s Mobile Homes. Two years later I bought the business from my parents. Expanded to multiple locations, increased revenues from 1.5 million a year to 10 million a year. Sold and developed an average of 80 homes a year. Included a mortgage broker business, and land development team.
Panama City Health Club & Spa-In addition, I opened and expanded a fitness club. It started as Cory Everson’s Fitness for Women renting an 8400 sq ft space in a strip mall and expanded to a 22,000 sq ft freestanding building operating as Panama City Health Club & Spa. Building was destroyed by Hurricane Michael
Work Experience:
Florida (2018-current)
Diane Zimmerman Law—After Hurricane Michael destroyed my businesses and homes, I returned to the practice of law to help hurricane victims fight their insurance company.
Real Estate Developments:
Irby Road, Ft. Valley, Georgia- subdivided 150-acre tract
Quail Meadows, Warner Robins, Georgia- developed 24 lot residential subdivision including infrastructure
Ten Acre Terrace, Panama City, Florida- developed 45 lot residential subdivision, including infrastructure
Four of Florida's Worst Storms. I Was There for Every One.
Named-storm experience is not something you can manufacture. Either you were there, working claims in the affected counties, or you were not. I was there.
Hurricane Michael (2018)
Represented property owners across Bay, Gulf, and Jackson counties — ground zero for one of the most destructive landfalls in Florida history. Damage types included total structural loss, roof failures, and flood-adjacent wind damage disputes.
Hurricane Ian (2022)
Handled claims across Lee, Charlotte, and Collier counties, where the combination of surge and wind damage created some of the most aggressively contested coverage disputes in recent Florida history.
Hurricane Milton (2024)
Currently representing property owners across the Tampa Bay corridor and Gulf Coast counties affected by Milton's track, including wind and water damage claims where insurers are applying disputed causation arguments.
Hurricane Helene (2024)
Working claims for property owners impacted by Helene across the Florida Big Bend region and inland counties where flooding and wind damage overlapped in ways insurers are using to limit payouts.
If your property was damaged in any of these storms — or in any hurricane, windstorm, or water event in Florida — I travel anywhere in the state to handle your claim.
A Solo Practice Built Around
Direct Access
Large firms offer resources. What they cannot always offer is continuity. Your file moves. Your point of contact changes. You call and reach someone who has to pull up your case to remember who you are.
That does not happen here.
I personally handle every file in this practice. When I associate outside litigation firms for trial-stage work — which happens in some cases — I remain your point of contact. You do not lose access to me because your case advances. Every client, every case, every stage of the process: I am there.
This is not a selling point I added to a website. It is how I have practiced for 40 years, and it is not changing.
What I Handle
My practice covers the full range of property damage insurance claims in Florida:
I serve property owners statewide. If you are in Panama City, Fort Myers, Tampa, Tallahassee, Pensacola, or Naples — or anywhere else in Florida — I will come to you.
Common Questions About Working With Me
Who will actually handle my case?
I will. Every file in this practice is handled by me personally. You will have my direct phone number and you will reach me when you call — not a staff member, not an answering service.
Do you only take cases in Panama City?
No. I travel anywhere in Florida for a claim. I have handled cases across the Gulf Coast, the Big Bend region, Southwest Florida, the Tampa Bay area, and throughout the Panhandle.
What does it cost to hire you?
My practice operates on a no recovery, no fee basis. You pay nothing unless I recover money for you. Consultations are free, and I offer free insurance policy reviews both before and after a claim is filed.
What if my claim was already denied?
A denial is not the end of the road. Many of the cases I handle involve claims that were initially denied or significantly underpaid. I review the denial, examine your policy, and determine whether the insurer's position holds up — which, in my experience, it often does not.
How long have you been handling hurricane claims in Florida?
More than 40 years. I have handled claims following some of the most destructive storms to hit Florida in the past two decades, including Hurricanes Michael, Ian, Milton, and Helene.
Start With a
Free Conversation
If your claim has been denied, delayed, or paid out at a fraction of what your damage is worth, let's talk. I offer free consultations and free policy reviews — no commitment, no pressure, just a direct conversation about where your claim stands and what your options are.
You have been through enough. Getting answers about your claim should not be another obstacle.
