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Corey Said:

Pipe burst in my condo and flooded my condo and condo below me. What now?

We Answered:

Oh my. Why do people answer questions on here when they don't know what they're talking about?

If the pipe break was sudden and accidental, you have no liability for repairs to your neighbor's unit, They should have a condo-owners policy to take care of their damages. That is just part of the problem with condo living.

Not knowing what state you are in, limits the information I can give for this question. In general terms, usually the condo assn. is going to be responsible for the damages behind the walls. Your condo policy will pay for damages to your personal property (contents), floor & wall coverings and the like.

Call your condo-owners insurance company and report the claim and let them sort it out. Do not offer to pay for anyone elses damages. You are not responsible for that, as long as you didn't do something to create the leak.

Marion Said:

If you own a condo, what type of insurance covers floors and fixtures?

We Answered:

Your insurance is called "studs in" in the industry. Think of it as similar to the insurance a renter would get on their stuff. It's cheap, right? Probably $150 per year or less.

The insurance for the damage you describe should be from the policy that's part of your condo dues, even though that's technically "studs out" insurance (i.e. the exterior).

Contact your condo association's carrier. I think you're covered or at least you should be.

Lee Said:

Do I need additional insurance for my condo ?

We Answered:

Your LIABILITY coverage would cover anything you are LIABLE for. If you CAUSED that leak, you're going to be liable. If you did NOT cause that leak, you are not liable, and your policy won't pay - he'll have to file under HIS property coverage, just like you would, if there was a leak from the unit above YOU.

If you DELIBERATELY caused the leak, it voids liability coverage. The VAST majority of leaks, are NOT something you can be held liable for. So yes, YOU are covered. The guy below you, is NOT "covered" by your insurance.

Katrina Said:

Homeowners and Condo Insurance - How does this work?

We Answered:

You do not pay the insurance company $500 in any case. If it is all covered by the Condo Assoc, then you pay nothing (that is why you pay condo assessment fees). The $500 only comes into play if your home owners policy (condo owners policy form) has to pay out. Then what happens is this: if they say that the work will they will cover will cost $1500, then they pay $1500 less your $500 deductible; that is, they pay $1000. If the condo assoc is paying to have it fixed, they can choose any one they please to do the fixing. If you do not like what your insurance adjuster says, then you can hire another adjuster to look at the issue again. However, if you have a reputable insurer, the the adjuster will give you a fair adjustment. If your insurer is paying for the work, then you can choose whatever contractor you want to do that work. However, the adjuster will figure the amount of the claim based on whatever is the going rate in your area for supplies and labor. If you choose someone who is more expensive than most everyone else in your areal, then you will have to pay the difference.

The claims adjuster figures out how much the repair should cost. If you don't like his figure, then you can hire your own adjuster and try to get a better settlement. However, it will probably cost you more to hire your own adjuster than you will be able to get over the original estimate. In addition, if your repair actually costs more than the adjuster originally estimates, then you can submit your bill to your insurer to see if they will allow for more (they might or they might not). Your claims adjuster does not tell you whom to hire. You choose this yourself. Your condo assoc should want the best for everyone involved. A good condo assoc will not just want to plaster over problems since this will hurt them in the long run. If they do just plaster over things instead of fixing them, then you need to do one of two things: get on the condo assoc board so that your voice can be heard; find a different condo - this place is not for you.