Manhattan · New York City
We're a licensed New York public adjusting firm, and we work for policyholders, not insurance companies. When fire, smoke or water damages a Manhattan apartment, building or business, we inspect in person, document the damage, write the estimate and negotiate the claim.
Manhattan Buildings
High-rise apartments. Smoke travels through stairwells, shafts and hallways, and water from sprinklers or firefighting can run down many floors. Each damaged apartment, and the building itself, may have its own claim.
Prewar co-ops. On the Upper East and Upper West Sides, many prewar co-ops still run on steam heat, and a failed radiator valve or riser can flood the apartments below. Plaster walls and original millwork should be matched, not swapped for drywall and stock trim.
Lofts. Loft conversions in SoHo and Tribeca have open floor plans that let smoke spread fast. Many sit in historic districts, where most exterior repairs need Landmarks Preservation Commission approval before work starts.
Older walk-ups. In Harlem and the East Village, many walk-ups have aging pipes and risers shared by the apartments stacked above and below. One leak can reach several units, and a landlord's lost rent may be part of the claim.
Stores, offices and restaurants. A fire or leak can close a business for weeks. Damage to the building, the tenant's improvements, inventory, equipment and lost income are separate parts of the claim, and the lease decides who insures what. Commercial claims
Co-ops and Condos
In a co-op, the corporation insures the building and the proprietary lease divides repair duties. In a condo, the master policy and the bylaws draw the line. Either way, your own policy usually covers your belongings, your improvements and your hotel costs while you're out. We also take building claims for co-op and condo boards. See how condo and co-op claims work
Building Rules
Most Manhattan co-op and condo buildings control who works inside and when. A managing agent may require an approved contractor, an alteration agreement, a certificate of insurance naming the building, weekday-only hours, a reserved freight elevator and protected hallways. Each adds time and cost. We put them in the estimate and press the insurer on every cost the policy covers.
Manhattan Losses
A fire floors away. Smoke and firefighting water reach your apartment from a fire you never saw. Easy to miss: residue inside closed cabinets and ducts, and hotel costs while the building is cleaned. Smoke and soot claims · Hotel and living expenses
A radiator or riser leak. A steam valve fails and water comes through the ceiling below. Easy to miss: matching the plaster and millwork, and whether the pipe was the building's or yours. Ceiling leak claims · Condo and co-op claims
Water from the apartment above. Easy to miss: wet insulation and framing above the ceiling, and filing on your own policy instead of waiting on the neighbor. Upstairs neighbor water damage
A frozen sprinkler line or a leaking air conditioner. A sprinkler pipe near a window wall freezes, or a through-wall air conditioner leaks. Easy to miss: moisture under floating floors and damage in the units below. Burst pipe claims · Water damage claims
A basement in a flood zone. Parts of Battery Park City, the Financial District and the Lower East Side waterfront lie in flood zones. There, storm surge or a sewer backup can knock out a building's boilers, elevators and storage. Easy to miss: flood needs its own policy, and backup often needs an endorsement. Sewer backup claims
A fire or leak that closes a business. A kitchen fire in a restaurant, or a leak into the store or office below. Easy to miss: lost income, spoiled stock and the tenant's own improvements. Commercial claims
The photos show the kinds of damage Manhattan owners face. They are examples, not photos from a claim Triboro handled in Manhattan.
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
The Fire Safety Notice on the inside of your apartment door says whether the building is fireproof. In a fireproof building, FDNY says it is usually safer to stay in your apartment if the fire isn't in it; if it is, get out and call 911. In a non-fireproof building, leave right away and call 911.
Email the super or managing agent what happened and when, and ask for the building's incident report and the name of its insurer.
Do it promptly, even if the damage came from another apartment, and keep the claim number with every letter and email.
Shoot ceilings, walls, floors, the source if you can safely reach it, and damaged belongings. Keep receipts for mitigation, cleaning and hotel nights. How to document water damage before repairs
How It Works
We walk through your apartment, and any common areas involved, with you or the super.
We photograph and measure the damage, collect the building's incident records, and gather moisture and drying reports from the mitigation company.
We price the repair the way your building will require it, including protection, freight elevator time and approved contractors.
We present the claim to your insurer, answer its questions and push back on anything left out.
Where We Work in Manhattan
We help co-op shareholders, condo owners, landlords and businesses throughout Manhattan. Based in the Bronx, serving New York City and New York State.
Manhattan Claim Questions
Yes. We're based in the Bronx and inspect apartments, buildings and businesses in person throughout Manhattan.
They can be part of a covered repair when the building requires them to do the work. The policy wording decides. We include them in the estimate and show why each one is required.
It depends on your proprietary lease and what was damaged. Many leases make the corporation responsible for pipes inside the walls, floors and ceilings, and the shareholder responsible for fixtures, appliances and improvements. Our condo and co-op claims page explains how the policies split a loss.
Yes. We help businesses and building owners with damage to the building, tenant improvements, inventory and equipment, and with lost income when the policy includes business income coverage.
Usually yes, under your own policy. Smoke and firefighting water from a fire elsewhere in the building are claimed under your coverage, even though the fire started somewhere else.
Yes. We compare the payment or denial letter with the damage, your policy and the building's records, then tell you plainly whether there's more to recover.
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.
Claim Services
Manhattan Claim Review
Start with a free initial claim review.
Other New York Service Areas
Claim Education
Will Insurance Pay for a Hotel After an NYC Fire?Talk with Triboro
Tell us what happened. Triboro will review the damage, carrier response, and next steps with you.