1
Where did it start?
A pipe inside a wall or a riser is often the building's. An overflowing tub, a failed dishwasher hose or a leaking washing machine is usually the neighbor's.
Condo & Co-op Claims · New York
Public adjuster for condo and co-op claims in New York
We're a licensed New York public adjusting firm working for unit owners and shareholders, not insurance companies. In a condo or co-op, one leak or fire can involve your policy, the building's master policy, a neighbor and the board's rules. We work out which policy should pay for what, then document, estimate and negotiate your claim. We also represent co-op and condo boards on the building's own claim under the master policy.
Licensed and insured in New YorkPolicyholder side onlyFree claim review
Master Policy vs. Your Policy
Two policies cover one apartment, and the building's documents draw the line.
The building's master policy covers the structure and common areas. Your own policy, usually an HO-6, covers your belongings, your liability and whatever part of the apartment the master policy leaves to you. In a condo, the declaration and bylaws set that line. In a co-op, it's the proprietary lease and house rules.
Condo master policies come in three main forms:
- Bare walls. The master policy stops at the unfinished walls and subfloor. Your policy covers cabinets, floors, fixtures and finishes.
- Original finishes. The master policy also covers what was installed when the building was built or converted. Your policy covers your upgrades.
- All-in. The master policy covers interior finishes and improvements too, but the board may still pass the deductible to you.
In a co-op, many proprietary leases make the corporation responsible for pipes inside the walls, floors and ceilings. The shareholder is responsible for fixtures, appliances and anything a shareholder installed, including earlier owners. That's why shareholders usually insure their own improvements.
Water From Above
When water comes from the apartment above, three questions decide who pays.
2
Was anyone careless?
Negligence can shift the cost to the neighbor or the building. Your insurer may then recover what it paid you.
3
What do the documents say?
The proprietary lease or the condo's declaration and bylaws assign repair duties, and they differ from building to building.
Your own policy is usually the fastest way to get your apartment repaired. Report the leak to your insurer and the managing agent right away, and photograph the source if you can safely reach it. Upstairs neighbor water damage
Board & Managing Agent
The managing agent works for the building. Your claim is yours.
The managing agent, the super and the building's insurance broker handle the building's side of a loss. They control access, incident reports and contractor approvals, and their job is to protect the building. Keep them informed in writing, but don't wait on them to file or document your claim.
Building rules shape the repair, and a complete estimate includes them:
- Approved contractors and alteration agreements before work on walls, floors or plumbing.
- Insurance certificates naming the building and the managing agent.
- Work hours and elevators: weekday-only work, reserved freight elevators and protected hallways.
- Access to other apartments to reach a leak through a neighbor's ceiling or a shaft.
- Approvals and permits: board sign-off, Department of Buildings permits and, in historic districts, Landmarks Preservation Commission approval.
The policy wording decides which of these costs the insurer owes. We document why each one is required.
Your Coverage
Five parts of your own policy to check after a loss.
Improvements. Kitchens, baths, floors and built-ins that you or a past owner added.
Belongings. Furniture, clothing and electronics, at replacement cost if your policy provides it.
Living costs. Hotel or rent, added meals and travel while the apartment can't be lived in. Hotel and living expenses
Loss assessment. Your share when the board assesses owners for a covered loss, which can include the master policy's deductible, up to your limit.
Liability. If water from your apartment damaged a neighbor's.
High-Value Contents
Art, jewelry and fine furniture need more than a line on an inventory.
Items listed on a schedule or a valuable-articles policy are paid under that schedule. Unscheduled items are paid under your contents coverage, subject to its limits and any special limits for certain categories. Appraisals, receipts and photos carry the claim, and smoke- or water-damaged art may need a conservator's report before anyone decides between restoration and replacement. Contents claims
Small and Mixed-Use Buildings
Townhouse condos and mixed-use buildings bring their own complications.
Townhouse condos and co-ops. A townhouse split into a few units often has a small board, no managing agent and thin records. The building's documents matter even more, and so does a clear written record of who did what after the loss.
Mixed-use buildings. When a restaurant or store sits below the apartments, a fire or leak can start in a commercial space with its own insurer. The business's policy, the building's policy and yours may all be involved. Commercial claims
What we've recovered for New York owners
Our results on real claims:
Bronx fire claim. Initial carrier offer: $97,000. Final result: $250,000. Read the case: triboropa.com/results/bronx-fire-damage
Queens water claim. From $8,000 to $95,000. Read the case: triboropa.com/results/queens-water-damage
In the Queens claim, water from the kitchen traveled under the floor to the floors below, the path many condo and co-op leaks take.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
First Steps
What to do in the first day after a leak or fire.
1
Make it safe and stop the water.
For a fire, call 911 and follow your building's fire plan; in New York City, it's on the Fire Safety Notice inside your apartment door. For a leak, close the fixture's shutoff valve if you can, keep clear of wet outlets, and ask the super to shut the riser.
2
Put it in writing.
Email the managing agent the date, time and what you saw. Ask for the incident report and the name of the building's insurer.
3
Notify your own insurer,
even if the water came from someone else's apartment. Late notice can hurt a claim.
4
Document before repairs.
Photograph ceilings, walls, floors and belongings, and keep the mitigation company's moisture readings and invoices. How to document water damage before repairs
How It Works
We read the documents first, then build the claim around them.
1
Read.
Your policy, the building's master policy information, and the proprietary lease or bylaws.
2
Inspect.
Your apartment and, where the building allows, the source unit and shared areas.
3
Estimate.
The repair as your building will require it, rules included.
4
Negotiate.
We present the claim to your insurer and handle it until it's resolved. If the building or a neighbor may owe part of the loss, we document it so your insurer can pursue it, and tell you when a lawyer may be needed.
Where We Work
In person in all five boroughs, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk.
We inspect condos and co-ops in person across New York City and nearby counties, and farther out by appointment. Based in the Bronx, serving New York City and New York State.
Condo & Co-op Claim Questions
Questions owners and shareholders ask.
Does the building's master policy cover damage inside my apartment?
Sometimes. It depends on the master policy and the building's documents. Some master policies stop at the bare walls; others cover original finishes or more. Your own policy usually covers the rest.
Water came from the unit above. Should I file with my own insurer?
Usually yes, and promptly. Your policy can pay for your damage while responsibility is sorted out, and your insurer may later recover from the neighbor or the building.
The board wants me to pay the master policy deductible. Can my policy help?
Possibly. Loss assessment coverage can pay your share of an assessment for a covered loss, up to its limit, and some policies cap how much of a deductible assessment they pay. Your declarations page shows your limit.
Are the building's repair rules part of the claim?
They can be. When the building requires approved contractors, insurance certificates, protection or freight elevator time to do a covered repair, those costs belong in the estimate. The policy wording decides what the insurer owes.
My co-op says the leaking pipe is my responsibility. Is that the final word?
Not necessarily. The proprietary lease decides, and lease language varies. We read the lease alongside your policy and the facts of the leak. For a dispute with the building itself, you may need a lawyer.
Can I claim hotel costs while my apartment is repaired?
If your policy includes loss of use coverage and a covered loss makes the apartment unlivable, yes, up to the policy's limits. Keep every receipt.
How does Triboro charge?
Our fee is negotiable and is never more than 12% of the insurance payments made after you hire Triboro. The agreed rate is set out in a written agreement before any work starts. If you don't get paid, we don't get paid.
Important: This page provides general information, not legal advice. Coverage and payment depend on the policy wording, exclusions, endorsements, limits, facts, documentation, carrier review, and applicable law.
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