Opinions and advice needed on home water damage claim

Plumber here. A homeowner who recently hired me had a water damage claim in June 2025 when a water pressure booster pump failed and flooded his unfinished basement.

The gas water heater was replaced earlier by a different plumber, but the water pressure booster pump was never replaced.

Homeowner wants me to install the new booster pump (which he bought himself), but here's where it gets complicated: since the mortgage is held by HUD, they would be the ones to pay me. But, HUD will only pay for work approved on the insurance adjuster's report. I read the report, and replacement of the booster pump is not included in the report (which is odd, since failure of the previous pump caused this claim).

I contacted the original claim adjuster via email, and received an auto-reply saying the claim was transferred to a different adjuster. I contacted the new adjuster, who has not responded to me. Homeowner is livid, because this relatively simple claim has dragged on eight months (is that normal)?

I am at a loss on what to do on my end. Homeowner is elderly, disabled and on fixed income, and can't pay me himself. I already did a moderate sized plumbing job for him (unrelated to the insurance claim), and he has to make monthly payments, which I usually don't do, but reluctantly agreed to do, given his situation. But, I can't keep extending him credit basically. I'm a small operation (just me).

Should the homeowner hire a public adjuster to fight with his insurance company? And maybe complain to the state insurance regulation department?