 With July 4th quickly approaching we all want to celebrate, have fun, enjoy the day and forget about Covid-19. As the numbers are once again on the rise, we must be mindful and celebrate carefully. I am never opposed to seeing a magnificent fireworks display and have always enjoyed attending them. I remember like it was yesterday, how I felt as a child being blown away by the beautiful bursts of color through the night sky. I am of the belief that we all still want that same feeling year after year. Unfortunately, this year is different.
For me, the thought of being among so many people in close proximity leaves me a bit apprehensive and I question to myself, “Did they adhere to the guidelines? What precautions have they taken over these past few months? Do they wash their hands regularly? Do they have the virus and not know?” No matter what, we need to keep doing our part to help stop the spread by wearing our masks and washing our hands. Although some public fireworks celebrations that draw large crowds are being canceled and others will still be televised. You can also purchase your own fireworks and enjoy them just as much and you can certainly enjoy professional like fireworks displays from surrounding communities just by sitting outside. Maybe attending a small family gathering with your own fireworks is the key knowing that you all have been careful during Covid-19. Whatever you decide to do, just keep it safe and protect your loved ones. Enjoy the delicious food offerings, cool beverages and amazing desserts. Be active outdoors and watching the expressions on the faces of the innocent children spinning sparklers will make for a perfect day. Social distance as best you can and wear a mask if needed. From our homes to yours, we wish you all a happy and safe July 4th.
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 Throughout the years, we have represented both homeowners and condo and homeowner associations with property damage insurance claims. There are specific items that each party is responsible to repair such as roof, exterior of building, drywall, interior finishes, plumbing and electrical. It is important to keep your Condo or HOA documents together with your insurance policy because these documents clearly state what repairs are the responsibility of each party i.e. the homeowner or the association. A copy of these documents are provided to you when you purchase your home or condo.
Let’s say you live in a condo and the roof leaks and causes water damage to the interior of your condo. You promptly report the leak to the association and they state “we are not responsible for the damage you need to file a claim with your insurance company” You do so immediately. After all, you trust your association and believe they are giving you the correct information because they have your back right? Your insurance company visits the property and inspects the damage only to tell you there is NO coverage in your policy and you receive a claim denial letter that reads in part: “Your policy does not provide coverage for rain, snow, sleet, sand or dust to the interior of the building unless a covered peril first damages the building causing an opening in a roof or wall and the rain, snow, sand or dust enters through this opening” Why is the association responsible for these damages? First and foremost, in a case like this, you do not own the roof, the association does. They are responsible for the maintenance of the roof and any and all repairs to the roof. Secondly, and unless otherwise stated in the condominium documents, the association also owns the drywall, insulation and exterior of the building. Therefore, the association should be filing an insurance claim for the damage to your home, NOT you! I have also reviewed condominium documents that state the homeowners are responsible for all repairs to the interior of their home which also include drywall, insulation, windows, doors, plumbing, electrical. This is why it is important to always keep both sets of documents together. In a scenario like this, when our client’s insurance company says they do not owe for these items, we prove they do and have always been able to get them covered for our clients. Let us help you understand your insurance policy and schedule your FREE insurance policy review today. Contact us here or call 561-288-6434.
As a homeowner, I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping the waste line pipes in your home clean. As Public Insurance Adjusters, what we often see while inspecting damage to a home caused from a broken pipe or back-up can take your breath away, literally. You are first hit with an odor that makes your eyes water and then comes the vision!
No one wants this to happen so you must do your due diligence in preventing damage from occurring. Here are some important tips to help keep your pipes clean and avoid blockages and back-ups in your home:
We are always careful in our own homes and probably more so from what we see as Public Adjusters. Call us at 561-288-6434 or contact us here if you have any questions. Make sure you do your part and protect your property to prevent the peace and tranquility of your home from being disrupted.  We are all consumers and pay our insurance premiums and we certainly expect to be covered when we have an insurance claim. Have you filed an insurance claim and the insurance company denied coverage? Has the insurance company underpaid your claim or failed to pay for some of the damage?
I received a call from an individual who never heard of a public insurance adjuster and was asked … Why do I need a Public Adjuster? Simply put, does the IRS prepare your taxes for you? If you are in a legal dispute, do you let the opposing side decide if you are correct and how much you should pay? The same is true of the insurance claim process. A qualified public insurance adjuster is licensed and bonded through the state and provides insurance adjusting services exclusively to the public, not insurance companies. There are so many moving parts to an insurance claim. Reliant Insurance Adjusters not only reviews your insurance policy, we determine the extent of your damage and advise you if your loss is covered or if you were adequately paid. In addition, we have the right equipment necessary to make a proper assessment and prepare very detailed reports with photographs of how much it will realistically cost to repair and recover financially from your loss. Policyholders should always get the professional assistance of a qualified, licensed public insurance adjuster to ensure that their interests are being protected. Does every claim need the assistance of a public adjuster? Not necessarily. We conduct a free onsite, comprehensive inspection of any potential client’s property damage to determine if a claim should be filed, and if it should, is the property owner better off handling the claim on their own, or will they need our professional expertise and help to recover all the funds needed to restore the property to pre-loss conditions. We always put an insured’s best interests before our own. Call us today for a free claim assessment 561-288-6434 or contact us here if you have any questions.  As a follow up to last week's blog on Unlicensed Activity & Insurance Fraud, contractors and roofers have jumped on this bandwagon of handling insurance claims when they are not licensed to do so. How are they getting away with this you ask? They require you to sign the oh so tricky “Assignment of Benefits” also known as an “AOB”.
What is an AOB? It is a contract and by signing this document, you “assign” your insurance claim “benefits” over to another party such as a contractor, roofer or mitigation company. By doing this, you lose any rights and control over your own claim! Also, there is tricky cancellation wording that you will still owe some money if you attempt to cancel the contract. Reputable restoration companies and contractors will limit their contracts to only the work you authorize them to perform. I was recently referred to a lovely family who needed help with their insurance claim. They continued to tell me they wanted to hire their own contractors to do repairs and I was unsure why they kept saying this. I asked if they signed any documentation prohibiting them from doing so and they showed me the AOB. I can understand that they needed to signed a contract for the emergency services to dry their property. However, the company also checked off to do mold remediation and the rebuild but never provided estimates for these additional services. I am always a bit stunned why anyone would sign a document like this without receiving any estimates for the work to be performed, much less signing their rights away on their insurance claim away. Being a former paralegal, I cannot stress enough the importance of knowing what you are signing. Do not sign any contract without a thorough review, and if you are unsure what something means or why it is there, ask questions! We will always provide you with a free damage assessment and policy review and help you to understand your coverage and obligations. Call us 561-288-6434 or visit us here. |
AuthorKaren Schiffmiller Archives
July 2021
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