1
Get safe.
Call 911 for a fire, and leave a flooding basement right away; standing water near outlets, the electrical panel or the boiler is dangerous. In an apartment building, follow the Fire Safety Notice on the inside of your door.
Queens · New York City
Queens public adjuster for water, fire and smoke damage claims
We're a licensed New York public adjusting firm on the policyholder's side, never the insurer's. From two-family houses to garden co-ops and storefronts, we inspect Queens damage in person, document it, write the estimate and negotiate your claim.
Licensed and insured in New YorkIn-person inspections in QueensFree claim review
Queens Buildings
From two-family houses to garden co-ops, the building shapes the claim.
Two- and three-family houses. Apartments stacked over one basement share the pipes, the wiring and often the boiler. One leak or fire can damage every unit, the tenants' belongings and the rent the owner collects. The owner's policy, each tenant's renters policy and the claim for lost rent all come into it.
Attached rows. When one house in an attached row burns, smoke and firefighting water often reach the homes on both sides. Each owner files on their own policy, and the repairs have to be coordinated across the row.
Garden apartments. Low-rise buildings joined around courtyards share roofs, basements, laundry rooms and boiler rooms, so one roof leak or backup can reach apartments in several buildings. In Jackson Heights, many garden apartments sit in a historic district, so most exterior repairs need Landmarks Preservation Commission approval first.
Prewar walk-ups. In Astoria, Sunnyside and Ridgewood, many prewar walk-ups still run on old steam heat and original risers. One failed valve or pipe sends water down through several apartments, and the plaster ceilings and trim need matching repairs, not patches.
Stores under apartments. Along Main Street in Flushing, Roosevelt Avenue and Jamaica Avenue, stores and restaurants sit below apartments. One kitchen fire or leak can mean a business claim and several residential ones at once. Commercial claims
Basements and Flooding
Queens basements take on water three ways, and each one is insured differently.
The remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021 showed how fast a cloudburst can fill Queens basements, from Hollis to Flushing. In southeast Queens, including Jamaica, St. Albans and Laurelton, homes went up faster than the storm sewers, and flooding can linger for days after heavy rain. Along Jamaica Bay, Broad Channel, Howard Beach and the Rockaways also face tidal and storm-surge flooding.
- Sewer backup. Water forced up through a floor drain, toilet or sink. Many policies cover it only with a backup endorsement, often with its own limit. Sewer backup claims
- Surface flood. Water pouring in from the street, a driveway or window wells is flood. Standard homeowners policies exclude it; it takes a separate flood policy, usually through the National Flood Insurance Program.
- Groundwater. Water seeping up through the floor slab or foundation walls is usually excluded by homeowners policies.
One storm can cause all three. Photos of where the water came in, the water line on the walls and the drains help show which policy should pay.
Finished basements. Even a flood policy covers little below ground. Federal flood policies cover items like the furnace and water heater in a basement, but not finished floors and walls, built-ins or most belongings.
During a flash flood warning, NYC Emergency Management tells people in basement apartments to move to a higher floor right away, without waiting to see water.
Co-ops and Condos
In a Queens co-op or condo, two policies share the loss.
Queens has garden co-ops around shared courtyards, high-rise co-ops along Queens Boulevard, and newer condo towers in Long Island City and Flushing. In each, the building's master policy and your own policy cover different parts of the same loss, and the proprietary lease or bylaws draw the line. Boards can hire us too: we handle the building's own claim under the master policy. See how condo and co-op claims work
First Steps
Get safe, stop the water, then start the record.
2
Stop the water if you can do it safely.
Close the main shutoff, usually near the water meter in the basement, or call the super in a co-op, condo or rental building.
3
Report it in writing.
Notify your insurer promptly, tell your tenants or managing agent, and keep every claim number, letter and email together.
4
Document before cleanup.
Photograph the water line, the drains, each damaged room and every item before it goes to the curb. Keep receipts for pump-outs, drying and hotel nights. How to document water damage before repairs
What we've recovered for New York owners
The photos show the kinds of damage Queens owners face. They are examples, not photos from a claim Triboro handled in Queens.
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.
How It Works
We take the claim from the first inspection to the final settlement.
1
Inspect.
We come to the house, apartment or store and go room by room with you, basement included.
2
Document.
We record every affected area with photos and measurements and collect the mitigation company's moisture readings and drying logs.
3
Estimate.
We write a line-by-line repair estimate that matches what's actually in the building, from plaster to cabinets.
4
Negotiate.
We submit the claim to your insurer, meet its adjuster and keep pressing until the claim is resolved.
Where We Work in Queens
Based in the Bronx, inspecting in person across Queens.
We help homeowners, landlords, co-op shareholders, condo owners, boards and businesses throughout Queens, and just over the city line in Nassau County: Nassau public adjuster Based in the Bronx, serving New York City and New York State.
Queens Claim Questions
What Queens owners ask us first.
Do you inspect in person in Queens?
Yes. We're based in the Bronx, and we inspect homes, co-ops, condos and businesses in person anywhere in Queens.
Water came into my basement during a storm. Which policy pays?
It depends on how it got in. Water forced up through a floor drain or toilet may be covered if you have a sewer backup endorsement. Water that poured in from outside is flood, which needs a separate flood policy. Water seeping up through the floor or walls is usually excluded. Photos of where it came in help show which one it was.
My tenant's apartment was damaged too. What can I claim as the owner?
Your policy can cover the whole building, including the tenant's apartment, and may pay the rent you lose while it's repaired. Your tenant's belongings and hotel costs fall under the tenant's own renters policy.
I live in a garden co-op. Who covers the roof and the basement?
Usually the co-op, because proprietary leases typically make the corporation responsible for the building itself, though leases differ. Your own policy covers your belongings and improvements. The condo and co-op claims page walks through how the two policies divide a loss.
Do you handle claims for stores and restaurants?
Yes. A fire or leak in a store or restaurant can mean claims for the building, your fixtures and improvements, and your stock and equipment. If your policy includes business income coverage, it can also pay the income you lose while you're closed.
The insurer already paid or denied my claim. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Send us the insurer's estimate or denial letter. We check it against the damage and your policy, then tell you whether there's more to pursue. Policies set deadlines, so don't wait.
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.
Claim Services
Help for the loss, the property, and the claim.
Queens 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
What to do before you accept a low estimate →