Unfortunately, if their carrier were to deny helping you, the burden to prove the tenant's negligence would be up to you to prove (likely in court/mediation).  

If you correctly navigate it, they'll still send it to mediation. 

Yes to an attorney , in Cincinnati if the property is in LLC name you have to have an attorney or the judge will dismiss case or rule in favor of the other party , if it is in an individual name then can be represented by self .Also if you are in talking terms with the tenant , try to use a management company to mediate for you to get the tenant out without the eviction process , its important to separate yourself from this process for a positive result.

@Suzanne Reilley, yes same advice regardless. it just makes conversations easier and you are less likely to get taken advantage of with tenants, you are just the mediator not the one that makes the decisions, at least that's what I tell them lol 

I want to know what the healthy line of mediation is, and basically I want to remind them that they're in leases so they have to be adults.

I am looking at purchasing a CDW home to re mediate.

How can I mediate against the risk of flooding?

also in most the states I work in if you use the board of realtor / MLS forms there are mandatory mediation clauses in them.. that really helps solve real estate contractual disputes.. keeps the court system from getting clogged up on EM  disputes etc.

@Sean OToole  along with loan mods etc.and with the mandatory mediation meetings with TRUE 3rd party mediators. there is usually a work out of sorts..

Evictions in Seattle are mediated to not show "eviction" on his record, but the courthouse will show there was a filing.