Insurance for Community Associations Articles
Property & Casualty Articles
- Condo Director Term Limits Questioned (FL) October 14, 2024Q: Our condominium association hasn’t held elections for many years due to a lack of more applicants than available board seats. We are considering amending how we handle board terms and adding term limits at the next annual meeting. Should we implement staggered terms for continuity and fair rotation, or should board members be allowed to serve terms longer than 8 years? Read the Q&A………………………………..
- Australia: My rules for a good meeting: recording decisions in meeting minutes October 14, 2024Why is this important? If it is recorded in the minutes it is evidence of what occurred: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar HCA 17. Recording of meeting attendees is evidence that they were present and took part in the meeting: R v Staples (1893) 19 VLR 457 Read the article…………………………….
- Finding sensible solutions to Florida’s condo safety challenges October 14, 2024Florida’s condominium and homeowner associations have long been cherished for the sense of community, security and amenities they offer to millions of residents. But that is quickly changing. As a recent Tyson Group poll confirmed, the rising costs of living in these communities, driven in part by new safety regulations born after the Surfside condo collapse, are placing a growing burden on homeowners, many of whom are also now grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and soon, Hurricane Milton. ...
- Pokin Around: Homeowners’ associations can no longer ban chickens; a coop quickly goes up (MO) October 14, 2024Because Jamey Murphy wanted his two daughters to experience caring for six chickens in their backyard, I’m writing today about the fact that homeowners’ associations across Missouri can no longer prohibit residents from having six or fewer chickens. As a result, having chickens in the backyard — in locations where there is a homeowners’ association — is now an issue right here in Greene County. Read the article…………………………….
Property & Casualty Article Archives
Directors & Officers Insurance Articles
- What You Need To Know About Directors & Officers Insurance September 23, 2024Directors and officers of a community regularly make decisions that impact the lives of fellow residents and the association itself. They put forth their best efforts to make the right choices to make the community a wonderful place to live. Unfortunately, sometimes a resident or two disagrees with a decision and makes a claim against the board. Read the article…………………………….
- The Role of Fairness and Empathy in Homeowners Association Boards September 5, 2024Homeowners Associations (HOAs) play a crucial role in maintaining the harmony and aesthetics of residential communities. At the heart of every successful HOA is an effective Board of Directors entrusted with the responsibility of making decisions that impact the lives of community members. In this blog post, we’ll explore how embracing fairness and empathy can lead to greater success for HOA boards. Read the article…………………………….
- D&O 101 — Protecting Your Board August 27, 2024At the heart of volunteerism is the notion of doing something for the common good. For many, choosing to live in a co-op or condo community is also choosing to volunteer for board service, helping to guide and govern the community they call home. But with that impulse to serve the common good lurks the possibility of liability – a concern that stops many from wanting to participate in the governance of their building or association. Fortunately, that’s where directors ...
- Directors & Officers Insurance: The Lowdown on D&O (NJ) August 22, 2024At the heart of volunteerism is the notion of doing something for the common good. For many, choosing to live in a co-op or condo community is also choosing to volunteer for board service, helping to guide and govern the community they call home. But with that impulse to serve the common good lurks the possibility of liability – a concern that stops many from wanting to participate in the governance of their building or association. Fortunately, that’s where directors ...
Directors & Officers Insurance Article Archives
Condominium Insurance Law
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Condominium Insurance Law Archives
General Liability Insurance Articles
- The Body of Water Doctrine (FL) October 10, 2024We too often here about a child drowning in a body of water. So many of our beautiful communities are built next to a natural lake or contain man-made lakes. It begs the question…..Can a developer face liability if a child drowns in a river or other body of water? That question was answered in Feliciano v. Rivertree Landings Apartments, LLC, 387 So.3d 422 (Fla.App. 2 Dist., 2024) where a Personal representative for a child who drowned in a river ...
- Lay of the Land: Has Washington State Resolved the Condo Liability Problem? October 9, 2024Major residential condominium construction has seen a decade-plus lull, due in part to an onerous warranty statute applicable only to condos. The Washington State Legislature significantly changed that statute in 2019, and the statute of limitations has now expired on the first condos subject to the new changes. Listen to the podcast…………………………..
- HOA Liability for Dog Bites (FL) September 5, 2024Most dogs are friendly and lovable pets. Sometimes, though, they bite and seriously injure someone. In fact, more than 4.5 million people are bit by dogs each year in the United States and almost 20% of them need medical care from the bite. What happens if a dog bites someone in a common area of your HOA? Is the HOA at-fault for this? Read the article…………………………….
- New York Condo Boards and Management Beware: Eshaghour Case in Manhattan Sets Precedent for Individual Liability August 27, 2024A New York Supreme Court decision by Justice Lebovits in Board of Managers of The Promenade Condominium v. Eshaghour could significantly impact the condominium community, highlighting the potential for individual board members and their management companies to face personal liability for their actions. This ruling serves as a stark reminder that board members must act in good faith and within the scope of their authority, or risk facing serious legal repercussions. We expect that their may be an appeal of ...
General Liability Insurance Articles Archives
Insurance – General Articles
- Condo Insurance Explained October 10, 2024Condo living is very unique and can make life a little more simple in the long run with great amenities and help with maintenance and upkeep. However, condo insurance is a little more complex than insurance for homeowners or apartment landlords. Condo insurance is broken into two main areas: individual unit insurance and master insurance for the entire complex. Read the article…………………………….
- Flood insurance and condo associations: Dispelling 5 myths October 7, 2024Flood insurance might not be on the minds of your condominium association clients, but here is why it should be. The 2024 hurricane season rapidly kicked into gear with the arrival of Hurricane Beryl, which became the first Category 4 hurricane on record for June and strengthened into the earliest Category 5 on record in July. The storm was followed by Hurricane Debby in August, and activity has remained fairly quiet. While there may be lulls between storms, The Weather ...
- “How Do We Pay For This Expensive Insurance Policy?” October 3, 2024We have talked ad nauseam about increases in insurance premiums, how they will most likely never go back down to the levels of years past, and how difficult it is for many associations to pay for them. Some carriers allow installment payments, but not many. Most banks will not provide a loan to pay for insurance premiums. Read the article…………………………….
- Hard Market Causing Delays in Co-op and Condo Insurance Renewals (NY) September 30, 2024There’s a huge question on the minds of co-op and condo boards and their property managers these days: Why are our insurance proposals and renewal information being delayed, sometimes until the day of expiration? Read the article…………………………….
Insurance – General Articles Archives
Owners Insurance Articles
- Water Damage Legal Liability Insurance October 8, 2024Water damage legal liability insurance is a critically important coverage for owners of both residential and commercial condominiums, especially if the units are multi-level or stacked units. Water damage legal liability insurance provides protection to a person or business entity that unintentionally causes water damage to another property. Read the article…………………………….
- Gov. Green Issues Second Proclamation Relating to Condominium Insurance Stabilization (HI) October 5, 2024NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSH GREEN, M.D., Governor of the State of Hawaii, hereby determine and proclaim that an emergency or disaster contemplated by section 127A-14, HRS, has occurred in the State of Hawaii. I hereby authorize and invoke the following emergency provisions, if not already effective by virtue of this Proclamation: Read the article (PDF)…………………………….
- Florida’s Biggest Insurer Cuts Over 600K Policies After Hurricane Helene October 4, 2024A property insurer of last resort in Florida is set to hand over hundreds of thousands of policies to the private sector later this month due to overwhelming demand. Earlier this year, regulators in the Sunshine State approved proposals that would allow private insurers to take policies from the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Read the article…………………………….
- State Farm, Citizens Brace for Losses From Hurricane Helene October 2, 2024State Farm General Insurance Co. and Citizens Property Insurance Corp. are bracing for the insurance industry’s largest losses from damage caused by Hurricane Helene, which is quickly becoming one of the costliest storms in US history. State Farm was the leading provider of home and car insurance in Georgia and South Carolina at the end of 2023, according to the most recent data from AM Best, and has significant exposure in Florida and North Carolina. Read the article…………………………….