All Forum Posts by: Eric Belgau

@Lawrence Rutkowski James is right...  There are companies that will cover everything.  I don't write in Texas, but I have clients with multi-state exposures, and I have markets for them.

Don't be afraid to use the AllState rep in San Antonio as a resource.  I have a good relationship with an AllState agent here, and he frequently has me quote stuff up for him.  There is a certain amount of roulette in insurance rating, and good agents want their clients to have the best policy for their needs, even if that means placing them with another agent.

@Lawrence Rutkowski 

Your Allstate agent in NY should be able to refer you to an Allstate agent in your area in Texas.  

The insurance marketplace is regulated at the state level, and most captive agents (Allstate, State Farm, etc.) only get licensed in the state where their office is.  However, you can still keep your properties with Allstate if you like the service/rates or your NY agent, and sometimes the multi-policy discounts will apply even to risks distributed between states.

Many brokers, who represent multiple insurance companies, are licensed to write in multiple states.  When you call brokers in Texas, your first question should be "are you licensed to write in New York?"

Good luck.

Absolutely let them do it and facilitate it.  It is more than possible that their pediatrician brought up mold as a possibility, and with a baby involved you're way out on a liability limb if you obstruct it.

If I were in your shoes I would do the Home Depot test myself and let them know that they're welcome to get a more expensive test done on their dime.

What about establishing the bases for rent increases at the beginning of tenancy?  We did a substantial amount of research on the area before becoming landlords, so we had plenty of empirical data to show trends in the cost of living.  That allowed us to say at the outset, "You can expect an increase of X at the end of the lease term due to expected increases in our costs."  

When that time came up and we offered to extend the lease, we made sure the increase was a little less than X, so the conversation was more like "Oh, that's less than I expected" and less like, "Ugh, jerk landlord wants more money."

I realize this work as well for an inherited or existing tenant.

I find Safeco is highly competitive in this space.  Unless the rentals are infrequent, it's written on a commercial basis, which includes better liability coverage and property enhancements that can be beneficial, especially if you're actively buying additional properties.

DISCLAIMER:  I write with Safeco.  I also write with a lot of other companies, and I find that Safeco is a highly competitive market for vacation properties.

@Account Closed

I'm not a lawyer, and this isn't legal advice.  I do write a lot of insurance in the cannabis space, and restricting commercial activity and smoking is how I'd chisel out your exposure.

@Brandon Turner It's not bad out here in Olympia.  Here's a link to an Oly equipment rental place if you need a pump.  There probably isn't a run on them here.  (I'm not affiliated, except as a customer.)

http://lewrentswest.com/equipment.asp?action=category&category=75

@Nat C. Is there an established, local building supply place in the area where you're doing your work?  These are often a little more expensive than the big box stores, but they also tend to be well integrated into the building community.  And a bit more customer-focused, as a result of having a smaller pool.  If you source your materials there, you can get an inside scoop on plenty of contractors in the area, and it's a good way to get connected with a good one.

I'm an insurance agent.  I have a local public adjuster's info handy on my phone.  I would refer a client to him without hesitation if a claim was going sideways because I know he's good at what he does and fair in the way he adjusts a claim.

The problem is that the systems of adjusting a claim have progressively changed, become more automated, and grown increasingly susceptible to data-driven generalizations that often work against the Insured.  In general, younger adjusters have less training in real-world damage analysis and can be too reliant on automation.  This can be an issue with an insurance company adjuster, and it can also be an issue with a less experienced public adjuster.  

There are good, well-trained, ethical adjusters working for insurance companies.  On the other hand, some insurance companies do encourage adjusters to control claim costs, and some make you work harder than others for your settlement.

An experienced public adjuster - someone whose knowledge of insurance precedes automation, someone who knows the law inside and out, and someone with a long list of quality references - will be able to assess your claim and compare it to your coverage reasonably.  It may be that your roofer is wrong, but if you're getting shut down on a claim you should get a second opinion.  And it never hurts to have a good public adjuster in your contact list.  

@Robert D. Builders' risk insurance is a property policy, and although many policies have a premises liability portion attached it will almost certainly specifically exclude workers. 

If you're hiring people - even independent contractors - then you should have a Workers Comp policy set up.  If your workers are legitimately independent contractors, then simply having WC in place won't trigger the kind of problems you're concerned about.  

It would probably be a wise move to sit down with your insurance agent and your tax accountant/attorney to detangle those issues before the guy falls off the bathtub and breaks his leg.