Wasser Investigations Inc. published this list and ranks itself first. Ratings, review counts and hours come from Google and each firm’s website, checked October 27, 2026. License numbers come from each firm’s website and filing years from the Florida Division of Corporations, checked October 30, 2026. This is not an independent review.
Island office or mainland firm for a Miami Beach case
For a Miami Beach matter, start with where the firm sits. Universal Investigations Agency has the one office on this list in Miami Beach, at 1815 Purdy Ave. Wasser Investigations and Miami Private Investigations both work from Ponce de Leon Blvd in Coral Gables. Wasser lists Miami Beach in its service area. With Miami Private Investigations, ask whether it works cases in Miami Beach.
After that, the kind of case and the hour decide it. Attorneys who need insurance defense and workers' comp surveillance or sworn witness statements should weigh licensing, reporting, and who works the case. A private client with a cheating spouse or custody worry needs discretion first. Late on a Saturday night, Miami Private Investigations offers emergency assistance for active cases.
What makes fieldwork in Miami Beach different
Miami Beach is an island city of about 82,900 people, per the 2020 Census. Several causeways tie it to the mainland, including the MacArthur, Venetian, Julia Tuttle and 79th Street causeways.
That matters for surveillance. A subject has several ways off the island, so a one-car follow is easy to lose. Condo towers with front desks and private garages are private property, so lawful surveillance stops at the door. Ask any firm how many investigators it plans to use and how it will cover each route off the beach.
Miami Beach private investigators side by side
Here are the three firms at a glance, with where each one is based, its Google rating, its hours, and the kind of case it fits best.
| Investigator | Where it’s based | Google rating (reviews) | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wasser Investigations Inc. | Coral Gables (outside Miami Beach) | 5.0 (2 reviews) | Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Attorneys’ litigation support and discreet private cases |
| Miami Private Investigations, LLC | Coral Gables (outside Miami Beach) | 4.9 (90 reviews) | Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET; 24/7 active-case emergencies | Active cases that need emergency assistance at any hour |
| Universal Investigations Agency | Miami Beach, 1815 Purdy Ave | 5.0 (3 reviews) | Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | Meeting at an office in Miami Beach on a weekday |
The 3 best private investigators in and near Miami Beach
1. Wasser Investigations Inc.
5.0 (2 reviews) · 2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Suite 300, Coral Gables, FL 33134 · Agency roots: 1985 · Florida license A3200002 · (305) 278-8700
Best for: Attorneys who need court-ready litigation support, and private clients with infidelity or custody concerns
Wasser Investigations is our pick for attorneys who need evidence they can build a case on, and for private clients who need a discreet answer. The firm is based in Coral Gables and offers private investigator services in Miami Beach from there. For law firms, that means sub rosa and workers' comp surveillance, witness interviews with sworn and recorded statements, and timeline reconstruction. For private clients, it covers surveillance in suspected infidelity and child custody matters.
Owner Travis Wasser works the cases himself. You keep one investigator from the first call to the final report. The firm maps out the work and the cost up front and tells you what it can prove and what it cannot. Findings arrive in an organized, court-ready format with the source data attached. Wasser is a licensed firm, Florida Agency #A3200002, and a member of the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators.
The Google review history is short so far, with two five-star reviews. Office hours run Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Requests sent after hours go through the contact form, and the firm replies within one business day.
The agency’s published history traces its roots to The Wasser Agency, founded by David Wasser in 1985. Travis worked alongside his father for more than a decade before acquiring the agency in 2021 and establishing the current business. His biography lists a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Florida International University, earned summa cum laude.
Strengths
- Owner works the cases himself
- One investigator from first call to final report
- Work and cost mapped out up front
- Court-ready reports with source data
- Weekday office hours, 9am to 6pm
Keep in mind
- Office closed weekends
- After-hours requests go through a web form
2. Miami Private Investigations, LLC
4.9 (90 reviews) · 4000 Ponce de Leon Blvd Ste 470, Coral Gables, FL 33146 · (305) 686-7826 · Florida license A1800135 · Registered in Florida 2018
Best for: An active case that needs emergency assistance at any hour, any day
Miami Private Investigations is a call to make when an active-case emergency will not wait for business hours. The firm keeps office hours Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, with 24/7 emergency assistance for active cases. Its office is on Ponce de Leon Blvd in Coral Gables, outside Miami Beach.
Its 4.9 rating across 90 Google reviews is the deepest review record of the three. Reviewers keep coming back to the investigators' professionalism, quick responses, and steady communication while a case is open. Some praise thorough, accurate documentation, and a few mention discretion, which matters if your case is personal.
Round-the-clock emergency assistance raises its own questions. When you call about an active-case emergency at night, ask whether the person who answers will be the one who works your case. Ask too whether the firm works in Miami Beach, and get its billing terms in writing before surveillance starts.
Strengths
- 24/7 emergency assistance for active cases
- Reviewers praise fast responses
- Long, strong review record
Keep in mind
- No office in Miami Beach
- Confirm Miami Beach coverage and billing first
3. Universal Investigations Agency
5.0 (3 reviews) · 1815 Purdy Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 · (954) 305-6275 · Florida license A1600227 · Registered in Florida 2016
Best for: Meeting an investigator at an office in Miami Beach during the work week
Universal Investigations Agency is the pick for a reader who wants to sit down with an investigator in Miami Beach itself. Its office is at 1815 Purdy Ave, the one Miami Beach address among these three firms. The office keeps weekday hours only, so plan any visit for Monday to Friday.
Universal holds a 5.0 rating on three Google reviews. Two of those reviewers mention timely, efficient results. One mentions regular updates, and one mentions photo and video evidence.
That is a short record to judge by. Before you commit, ask which case types the agency handles, who will work your case, and how it bills.
Strengths
- Office in Miami Beach on Purdy Ave
- Reviewers mention timely results
Keep in mind
- Weekday hours only
Which investigator to call for your Miami Beach matter
Match your situation to the first call below. If the first firm cannot take the case, the next row that fits is your backup.
| Your situation | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney needing court-ready litigation support or claimant surveillance | Wasser Investigations | Sub rosa and workers’ comp surveillance, sworn and recorded witness statements, and court-ready reports with source data. |
| Private infidelity or custody matter, handled discreetly | Wasser Investigations | Surveillance for infidelity and custody cases, and case information is never shared with third parties. |
| Background check, asset search, or skip trace | Wasser Investigations | Handles background checks, asset searches, and skip tracing in Miami Beach, plus tenant and pre-employment screening. |
| You need emergency assistance with an active case at night or on a Sunday | Miami Private Investigations | 24/7 emergency assistance for active cases; office hours Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. |
| You want to meet at a Miami Beach office on a weekday | Universal Investigations Agency | Office at 1815 Purdy Ave, open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
What to settle on fees, reports, and confidentiality before you hire
Whichever firm you call, settle a few points before any work starts. Each one protects your case and your budget, and Wasser's own practices show what a clear answer sounds like.
- Get the Florida agency license number in writing. Wasser’s, for example, is Florida Agency #A3200002.
- Ask how the work and the cost are scoped. Wasser maps out both up front and says what it can prove and what it cannot.
- Ask what the report looks like. Court-ready findings should arrive organized, with the supporting source data attached.
- Ask who will work your case. At Wasser, with agency roots dating to 1985, you keep one investigator from first call to final report.
- Ask how case information is protected. Wasser holds all submissions in strict confidence and shares nothing with third parties.
- Ask who runs the first consultation. At Wasser, a licensed investigator conducts every one.
How this Miami Beach list was put together
This list comes from Google ratings and reviews and each firm's own website. Wasser Investigations is our pick at number one for its agency history, direct owner involvement, and litigation and private-client support. After Wasser, the order weighs rating together with the number of reviews and fit, which puts Miami Private Investigations, a nearby Coral Gables firm with 90 reviews, ahead of Universal Investigations Agency, the one Miami Beach office here. Each firm is matched to the kind of case or client it suits, and firms based outside Miami Beach are marked in the table and their cards. License numbers come from each firm’s website. The registered year is when the company was filed with the Florida Division of Corporations.
Miami Beach private investigator FAQs
Is there a private investigator with an office in Miami Beach?
Yes. Universal Investigations Agency has an office at 1815 Purdy Ave in Miami Beach, open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wasser Investigations serves Miami Beach from its office in Coral Gables. Miami Private Investigations is also based in Coral Gables. If an office visit matters less to you than hours or reporting, compare all three.
Is the first consultation with a Miami Beach private investigator free?
Yes, at Wasser Investigations. Miami Beach clients get a free, confidential 30-minute case assessment with no obligation, run by a licensed investigator. Call (305) 278-8700 or use the contact form. Miami Private Investigations and Universal Investigations Agency set their own terms, so ask each one whether its first consultation is free before you book.
How do I check that a Florida private investigator is licensed?
Ask the agency for its Florida agency license number in writing and confirm it with the state before you sign anything. Wasser Investigations, which serves Miami Beach from Coral Gables, holds Florida Agency #A3200002. It is also a member of the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators. Ask Miami Private Investigations or Universal Investigations Agency for the same number.
Can a private investigator in Miami Beach help with a cheating spouse or custody case?
Yes. Wasser Investigations handles surveillance for suspected infidelity and child custody matters for private clients in Miami Beach. All case information is held in strict confidence and never shared with third parties. Read about our discreet infidelity investigations in Miami Beach, or book the free confidential consultation to talk through what you have seen.
Will a private investigator's evidence hold up in a Florida court?
It can, when it is gathered lawfully and documented well. The court decides what is admitted, and no investigator can promise an outcome. Wasser Investigations delivers findings for Miami Beach cases in an organized, court-ready format with the source data attached. Our guide to surveillance video that holds up in court explains what makes footage usable.
Which private investigators near Miami Beach answer at night or on weekends?
Miami Private Investigations in Coral Gables offers 24/7 emergency assistance for active cases, so it is a call to make about an active-case emergency at night or on a Sunday. Its office hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. Wasser Investigations keeps office hours Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and takes after-hours requests through its contact form. Universal Investigations Agency in Miami Beach is open weekdays only.
How do I contact Wasser Investigations about a Miami Beach case?
Call Wasser Investigations at (305) 278-8700 or send a request through the contact page. The office is at 2525 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Suite 300, in Coral Gables, and the firm serves Miami Beach from there. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The firm replies within one business day.
Sources (checked October 27, 2026)
- Wasser Investigations Inc. on Google Maps
- Miami Private Investigations, LLC on Google Maps
- Universal Investigations Agency on Google Maps
- Wasser Investigations, Miami Beach private investigator page
- Wasser Investigations, contact and consultation page
- Wasser Investigations, background and asset investigations
- Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), company filing dates, checked October 30, 2026
- Miami Beach, Florida (2020 Census population and causeways)
Talk to a licensed investigator about your case
Book a free, confidential case assessment with a licensed Wasser investigator. Call (305) 278-8700 or send a request online, and we will reply within one business day.