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Professional Biography

William Klein is a Partner at YA Group with more than 30 years of experience in construction and insurance, specializing in complex property claims, appraisal, and litigation support across Florida and the Southeast. A Florida-licensed General Contractor and seasoned claims professional, William has worked across the full spectrum of property and construction matters — including fire, wind, hail, collapse, water and flood, catastrophe events, and mold and asbestos remediation. He has been retained on matters up to $250M, served as appraiser on disputes exceeding $50 million, and led large expert teams on catastrophe response.

His areas of expertise include expert testimony, dispute resolution, appraisal, construction standards of care, and technical analysis for insurers and law firms. Having worked both the general contractor and adjuster sides of the industry, William brings a rare dual perspective to scoping, estimating, and investigating property and construction disputes — making him a trusted advisor to attorneys and claims professionals focused on reaching well-reasoned, defensible conclusions.

Credentials & Certifications

  • IICRC - FSRT (Fire Smoke RT) (FSRT)
  • IICRC - WRT (Water Damage Restoration Tech) (WRT)

Representative Consulting Assignments

  • Airport | Sarasota, Florida | Hurricane | $1.8M
  • Coastal Condo Program | Panama City Beach, Florida | Hurricane | $250M
  • College Campus | Daytona Beach, Florida | Water/Flood | $1.1M
  • Community Center | Tampa, Florida | Hurricane | $3.5M
  • Grocery Stores (Multi. Loc.) | Louisiana | Hurricane | $55M
  • Healthcare Facility | Tampa, Florida | Hurricane | $15M
  • High Rise Condo (Multi. Loc.) | Orange Beach, Alabama | Hurricane | $80M
  • Hotel (Multi. Loc.) | Pensacola, Florida | Appraisal | $65M
  • Industrial/Manufacturing | La Place, Louisiana | Hurricane | $10M
  • Industrial/Manufacturing | Port Allen, Louisiana | Builders Risk | $5M
  • Lumber Yards (Multi. Loc.) | Houston, Texas | Hurricane | $15M
  • Luxury Residential | Westlake, Texas | Enviro - Water/Flood | $1.3
  • Mercantile Mall | Merritt Island, Florida | Hurricane | $25M
  • Movie Theatres (Multi. Loc.) | Louisiana | Hurricane | $2M
  • Multi-Family Residential | Houston, Texas | Hurricane | $22M
  • Municipality | Lynn Haven, Florida | Appraisal | $25M
  • Municipality | Port Arthur, Texas | Hurricane | $2.7M
  • National Home Builder | Wilmington, North Carolina | Builders Risk | $300K
  • School Board | Houma, Louisiana | Hurricane | $250M
  • School Board | Dallas/Fort Worth | Freeze | $9.1M
  • Student Housing | Tallahassee, Florida | Builders Risk | $11M

Professional Experience

  • Partner | YA Group | 2020 - Current
  • Senior Regional Consultant | YA Group | 2017 - 2020
  • Director | J.S. Held | 2016 - 2017
  • Building Consultant | Atlantic Estimating | 2012 - 2016
  • Independent Adjuster | Klein and Company Inc. | 2010 - 2012
  • Owner | Schwab Development Corporation | 1998 - 2010
  • Sales/Purchasing | Schwab Homes | 1995 - 1998
  • Project Manager | Centex Corporation | 1991 - 1995

Training Courses

  • Xactimate Level 1, Verisk (2021)

Affiliations

  • Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association (IAUA), Member
  • Windstorm Insurance Network, Member

Professional Licenses

  • General Contractor - License #CGC059702