Becker & Poliakoff

Disaster Recovery

The Becker Disaster Recovery Practice Group assists clients with all aspects of catastrophic incidents that may befall a condominium association or any shared ownership community, including hurricanes, windstorms, tornadoes, fires, floods, lightning strikes, mold, pipe breaks, major leaks, sinkholes, etc.Becker attorneys have handled thousands of claims issues, including dozens of hurricanes in Florida, New York, and New Jersey. Our team approach provides a comprehensive set of services for all pre- and post-disaster needs in conjunction with our firm’s esteemed Community Association Practice Group and Construction Law & Litigation Practice Group, which includes board certified construction law experts, specific structural engineering experts, electrical/corrosion engineering experts, general contractor experts, estimators, adjusters, plumbing and other specific experts that know how to find damage and process claims. They are experts in what they do and our substantial experience tells us that to maximize recovery, you are best served by using a team that brings a wealth of experts to your rescue.Our Disaster Recovery Group attorneys can readily assist with document rewrites, contract review, legal opinions for repair and replacement projects, assisting with banking needs including SBA loans, passing special assessments, and more. We can review your current insurance policies to determine whether those policies fully adopt the current statutory scheme in your state or have broader coverage available. We can also arrange a basic investigation for your community, at no cost, sufficient to determine whether you need to take the next step and notify your property carrier. The team offers a Disaster Preparedness and Recovery course that provides information about what to do prior to and after any kind of disaster.We can likewise assist you with any of the following:

  • Arranging documentation of your community (via video, photos and/or memoranda) for building components and critical records in order to facilitate your future insurance claim
  • Contract review to ensure pricing, performance and insurance protections are in place
  • Review of your insurance policies to identify requirements and financial obligations
  • Developing a comprehensive Hurricane Plan
  • Filing a lawsuit should your claim be denied or underpaid
Association Adjusting logoIn addition to our in-house legal services, Becker owns and operates Association Adjusting, a licensed and insured public adjusting firm led by Joseph “Joe Connelly (#E157037). Mr. Connelly has served as Executive Board Officer for the Florida Association of Public Adjusters (FAPIA).Recognized as an authority in the community association industry, Association Adjusting has the expertise and experience to help community associations achieve the most favorable outcome possible. Our team of public adjusters, led by Mr. Connelly, provides clients with only the highest level of professionalism and excellence – whether you’re dealing with a claim that stems from hurricane damage, water damage, theft, fire, mold, roof leak, or any other type of calamity, our singular goal is to ensure your interests are always protected.For more information visit http://www.associationadjusting.com.

Hurricane Preparedness and Recovery Guide

 

The state of Florida is no stranger to hurricanes and other natural disasters. Living in paradise doesn’t come without some risks associated with Mother Nature. The question is never just if our communities, homes and families will be impacted by a windstorm event, but when they will, and how we will prepare for and recover from that event.

The Cover of Becker's Hurricane preparedness and recovery guide

Disaster Preparedness & Recovery: Are You Ready to Weather the Storm? – Online Class

 

Is your community prepared in the event that a hurricane strikes through your city? In this special course we will go over practical tips for developing and implementing a disaster recovery plan for your community…

Watch Now.

Banner for Webinar: Disaster preparedness and recovery

Anatomy of a Water Leak – Online Class

 

Water leaks are a major concern to association boards and unit owners alike. Come join our attorneys as they guide your association through the process of handling a water leak from detection through repair, insurance coverage and reconstruction responsibility, and potential liability claims….

Watch Now.

Banner for Webinar: Anatomy of a Water Leak

Disaster Resources & Links

 

 

Federal Emergency Management Agency for federal disaster response and recovery information

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for information about federal flood insurance

Home Inventory Checklist

Information about Flood Insurance

Flood Insurance Writers

Flood Resources: National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
Contact Information: Phone: 1-888-FLOOD29 or 1-888-356-6329

Flood Claims Process

Filing a Flood Insurance Claim

Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation

Notice of Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation

Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form

Homeowners insurance toolkit

Are you prepared for Hurricane Season?

Disaster Preparedness at Home: Filter Out the Damage

Disaster Prep & Self Storage – What You Need to Know

PA DMV Emergency Driving Tips

Emergency Preparedness for People Requiring Special Assistance

Humane Society – Protect Your Pets

Contacting FEMA

 

Who needs Elevation Certificates and Why

Wind Damage v. Flood Damage

National Assn of Insurance Commissioners Disaster Preparedness

Florida’s Largest Property Insurance Companies

Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS), Division of Consumer Services, which handles all consumer-related questions and problems concerning insurance:

Florida contact information*: 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1- 877-693-5236)
*This is a toll-free helpline number and only available to consumers calling from a Florida number

Florida Division of Emergency Management for the latest emergency information

Information on Sinkholes

Catastrophic Ground Collapse in Florida

Florida Dept of Environmental Protection info about sinkholes

Florida Dept of Environmental Protection frequently asked questions about sinkholes

Property Casualty Insurers Association of America

Insurance Information for Consumers-what it does and how it works

Get quotes for Assn coverage and 7 Steps to Purchasing Insurance for a Condo Association

DISCLAIMER

 

Becker provides access to information on this website page as a public service. Although reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all electronic information made available is current, complete and accurate, Becker does not warrant or represent that this information is current, complete and accurate. All information is subject to change on a regular basis, without notice. Becker assumes no responsibility for any errors in the information provided, nor assumes any liability for any damages incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of the website page. The inclusion of, or linking to, other website URLs does not imply our endorsement of, nor responsibility for, those web sites, but has been done as a convenience to our website visitors.