At a minimum, the board should know who is insuring them, when the policy expires (in case it happens during the storm) and how to submit a claim.  I recommend a thought-out procedure to deal with the Storm.  I have drawn up a list of suggestions in order to reduce an Association’s exposure to potential liability.

1.       An Association should KNOW who is insuring them for Wind/Hail.  A hard copy of the insurance policy providing Wind coverage should be on-hand.  If not on-hand with the property management company, the Board should request a copy from their agent.  Since there are different property insurance policy configurations that could be confusing, request a precise inquiry with the agent for these documents.  At this point, it is the responsibility of the Association Agent to figure out and send over the correct policies.

2.       KNOW when the policy expires:  If the Master Policy or part of it is expiring in 3-4 days, the Association should stay in close contact with their agent and request a written confirmation that coverage is bound.  The Association should also make sure their premium check (or down payment) has been received by their agent in order to guarantee coverage during the storm.

3.       UNDERSTAND how to submit a claim.  Every major agency has a Claims Department that will need to be contacted to start the claims process.   The Association should contact the insurance agent or agency and inquire about how to file a claim prior to a predicted major storm.  Some agencies require a faxed incident report and some will take a claim by email.  Bear in mind that after a storm, the agency will probably be swamped with contacts from other customers who also suffered damage.  If that occurs, the Association should know what steps to take to report the claim in a timely fashion.

4.       ASSIGN responsibilities for after the storm.  Different areas of responsibilities should be assigned to individuals who will implement their area of responsibility to inspect the property, document any losses, and work to ensure that any damage is mitigated.

5.       IDENTIFY a member of the property management staff or volunteer to act as a Claim Liaison on behalf of the Association after the storm.  The Association should appoint a volunteer (board member, unit owner or property manager) to be the point-of-contact for all claims-related information.  This person will receive many inquiries after the storm from residents and will coordinate appointments with the insurance company adjuster and contractors for repairs.  There may be confusion after a loss; multiple people dealing with a single issue may distract rather than help.

6.       LIST who is currently living in the community.  An Association-wide master resident list should be maintained and verified to determine if there are residents with special needs (especially medical) and which units are empty.  A master pet list could also help animal owners in case animals get lost during the storm.

7.       PAY ATTENTION to news reports and weather warnings.  Keep informed by monitoring the news.  A Hurricane Watch means the storm is 48 hours away - Be ready to act.  A Hurricane Warning means it's less than 36 hours from hitting - Be ready to evacuate if ordered by authorities.  Part of this process is ensuring that a system of communication has established so information can be disbursed to all residents.

8.       POST STORM CHECK LIST: An action Plan should in place to secure the property and well -being of residents, including several options depending on damage caused by the storm (electricity & phones working or not).  Identify a crisis management center where residents can come to find out any information or consult with the board.  Include an Action List with a list of pre-approved contractors/vendors who can assist with repair estimates and damage remediation.  In addition, a list and maps of local hospitals and shelters is a pro active move for the community in case of medical emergency or phone lines are down.

9.   CONFIRM unit owners' personal property has been removed from outdoor areas.  A team of volunteers should survey the community and ensure that all deck furniture and other items that could damage the buildings or vehicles have been secured by unit owners.  If ordered to evacuate by authorities, a team of volunteers should help authorities determine that all residents have departed (including pets).

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