Advice on Hurricane Insurance Claims for Board Members
Your community may have received insurance money from Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Michael. Or maybe you weren't directly affected by these two hurricanes, but others from the past. Floridians are continually facing the blows of hurricanes to their towns.
Depending on your situation, you may think that hurricane season is something to dread. Perhaps these hurricanes seem like they happened a lifetime ago. Unfortunately, unknown damage years after a storm is a reality that frequently happens, whether it happened directly to you a few years ago, or could happen in your near future.
Board Members & Professional Hurricane Inspectors
If a hurricane comes through a property, it is the Board's responsibility to observe the property grounds. Therefore, it is critical to have your property inspected by a professional. If you believe there may be resulting hurricane damage to your community, you need to act quickly concerning any Hurricane damage.
What the Board Can Do About Hurricane Claims
Providing notice of claim is the crucial first step.
Your policy will contain language such as "timely notice after the casualty," "reasonable notice after the casualty," or "within 'X' days of the casualty." causing event. It is best to obtain a report from an engineer, contractor, or other construction professional, which outlines the hurricane damage to your property.
Building inspections are vital because they detect the losses as a result of a leaky roof or windows. At this point, an investigator comes back and verbally notes the hurricane damage. You should claim if you believe you have suffered hurricane damage, regardless of any possible indiscretion.
Given the impending cutoff for claims, it is safe to make a claim even based on the verbal information provided by the inspector.
Furthermore, merely informing your insurance agent about the damages is insufficient as you must abide by the insurance carrier policy terms.
After receiving notice of the claim, the insurer may do several things. Hopefully, the insurer steps in, investigates the purpose of the visit, and handles the claim. The insurer may wish to investigate the loss by conducting site inspections, requesting documents, taking examinations under oath, and asking for a sworn statement in proof of damage. The policy requires cooperation in the investigation of the claim.
Carrier Investigation Claims
The investigation by the carrier can take many forms. Upon making a claim, the first thing to expect is that the carrier will want their adjusters and experts to come on-site and inspect the property. Once the notice is given, the procedure will be done. The carrier representatives will wish to access to the entire property and possibly within units. If so, access will need to be coordinated and provided with the cooperation of the unit owners.
Additionally, the carrier will likely request documents to include repair records, maintenance records, meeting minutes, financial statements, and a variety of other documents. The insurance company's reason for wanting these documents is to establish what damages existed prior to the claim, if any, as well as to evaluate potential coverage issues.
It's always important to seek counsel in these times. We ask that you contact us for further questions.
Condominium Associate's Role During Hurricane Season
When making a claim, accuracy and preparedness are essential. We promise to provide counseling to our board members to ensure that they know what is to be expected of their community's concerns. Contact Condominium Associate's so you can be content in the decisions you make in during these urgent matters.