1
Make it safe.
Call 911 for a fire. If you smell gas, leave first and call 911 from outside.
Brooklyn · New York City
Brooklyn public adjuster for fire, smoke and water damage claims
Triboro Public Adjusting is a licensed New York public adjusting firm that works for policyholders, not insurance companies. We inspect Brooklyn property damage in person, document it, write the estimate and negotiate the claim, from brownstones and two-family homes to co-ops and storefronts.
Licensed and insured in New YorkIn-person inspections in BrooklynFree claim review
Brooklyn Buildings
The building type changes what the claim has to include.
Brownstones and rowhouses. Attached homes share walls and roof lines, so water and smoke travel between floors and sometimes into the house next door. The estimate should price original plaster, moldings, stairs and wood floors at like kind and quality, not generic replacements.
Homes in historic districts. Brooklyn Heights was the first historic district the City designated, and many Brooklyn blocks are now landmarked. Work on a building in a historic district generally needs a Landmarks Preservation Commission permit before it starts; simple repairs, like fixing broken window glass, do not. Required materials and approvals can raise costs and stretch the timeline, and your policy's ordinance or law coverage may help with some of the added cost.
Two- to four-family homes and walk-ups. One fire or leak can reach the owner's apartment, tenants' units, hallways and the boiler room. Repairs across every unit belong in the owner's claim, and a landlord policy may cover rent lost while units are repaired. Tenants' belongings and hotel costs usually fall under their own renters policies.
Co-ops, condos and newer buildings. The unit owner's policy and the building's master policy cover different parts of the same loss, and board or management rules shape the repair. Read more about co-op and condo claims: triboropa.com/condo-coop-claims
Water Damage Near the Water
Flood, sewer backup or a burst pipe? The source decides which policy pays.
Red Hook, Gowanus, Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay, Gerritsen Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin and Canarsie sit on or near the water. In those neighborhoods, the first question in a water claim is where the water came from.
Flood. Water that rises from outside, like storm surge or a flooded street, is flood. Standard homeowners and renters policies don't cover flood. It takes a separate flood policy, most often through the federal National Flood Insurance Program.
Sewer or drain backup. Water that comes up through a floor drain, toilet or sink is backup. Many homeowners policies cover it only if a water backup endorsement was added, and that endorsement can have its own limit or deductible. More on sewer backup claims: triboropa.com/sewer-backup-claims
Pipes and appliances. Water from a burst pipe, a failed water heater or another leak inside the building is a different claim. Sudden leaks are often covered under the homeowners or unit policy.
In a heavy storm, more than one can happen at once, and an insurer may call the whole loss flood. Photos of where the water came in, how high it rose and what backed up help show what happened. If a backup or pipe claim was denied as flood (triboropa.com/denied-water-damage-claims), the denial may be worth a second look.
Brooklyn Losses
Common Brooklyn claims, and where they get complicated.
Fire next door. A fire in the attached house sends smoke through the shared wall and firefighting water into your top floor. Your own policy is usually where your claim starts, even when the fire began next door. (Smoke and soot claims · Fire damage claims)
A frozen or burst pipe. A pipe freezes in an outside wall or an unheated top floor, and water runs down through plaster ceilings to the floors below. (Burst pipe claims · Ceiling leak claims)
A basement after a downpour. Heavy rain backs up the floor drain in a two-family home. Whether the water came up the drain or in from the street decides between a backup endorsement and a flood policy. (Sewer backup claims)
A leak from the apartment above. Water from the unit above damages your ceiling, floors and belongings while the building, the neighbor and the insurers sort out who pays. (Upstairs neighbor water damage)
A fire in a mixed-use building. A fire in a ground-floor store damages the apartments above. The building owner, the tenants and the business each have their own claim. (Commercial claims)
Wind and roof leaks. Wind-driven rain gets in at a parapet, cornice or flat roof and stains top-floor ceilings. Whether wind opened the roof first can decide coverage. (Storm and wind claims)
What fire and water damage looks like — and what we've recovered for New York owners
Fire and water photos below illustrate the kinds of losses Brooklyn owners face. They are examples of damage, not a claim Triboro handled in Brooklyn, and are presented as examples only.
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
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
First Steps
Keep people safe, then keep the proof.
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Stop the water and tell the building.
Shut off the water if you can. In a co-op, condo or rental, tell the super or managing agent in writing and ask for any incident report.
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Report the loss.
Notify your insurer promptly. Keep the claim number and every letter and email in one place.
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Document before cleanup.
Photograph rooms, ceilings, the water line, drains and damaged items before anything is thrown out. Keep receipts for cleanup, repairs and hotel stays.
How It Works
Triboro inspects, documents, estimates and negotiates for you.
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Inspect.
We come to the property in Brooklyn and walk through the damage with you.
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Document.
We photograph and measure the damage, including what's hidden behind walls and ceilings, and gather the moisture and drying records.
3
Estimate.
We write a detailed repair estimate based on the building's real materials.
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Negotiate.
We present the claim to your insurer and handle the back-and-forth until it is resolved.
Where We Work in Brooklyn
Based in the Bronx, inspecting in person across Brooklyn.
Triboro serves Brooklyn homeowners, landlords, co-op and condo owners and businesses — the brownstone blocks of Park Slope, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, the homes of Bay Ridge, Midwood and Flatbush, and the newer condo buildings of Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn. Based in the Bronx, serving New York City and New York State.
Brooklyn Claim Questions
Questions Brooklyn owners ask about fire and water claims.
Do you inspect in person in Brooklyn?
Yes. Triboro is based in the Bronx and inspects properties in person throughout Brooklyn.
Do you only work in Brooklyn?
No. Triboro serves all five boroughs, New York City and New York State, and is licensed in New York only.
What does a public adjuster cost?
Our fee is a percentage of the insurance payments made after you hire Triboro, and never more than 12% of those payments. If there is no recovery, there is no fee.
The insurer already made an offer. Can you still help?
Yes, if the claim is still open. We review the insurer's estimate against the real damage and negotiate for what was missed or underpaid.
My claim was denied. Is it worth a second look?
Sometimes. Denials based on flood vs. backup confusion, wear and tear, or late notice can be challenged. Bring the denial letter to a free claim review.
How fast should I call after a fire or water loss?
As soon as everyone is safe. Early documentation — photos before cleanup, moisture readings, repair receipts — makes the strongest claims.
Claim Services
Help for the loss, the property, and the claim.
Brooklyn Claim Review
Get a clear review of your damage, carrier estimate, and next steps.
Start with a free initial claim review.
Other New York Service Areas
Claim Education
Wear and tear versus sudden water damage →