Author Archives for Bryan Holtzman

About Bryan Holtzman

Bryan Holtzman is Vice President of Swerling Milton Winnick, with more than 15 years of experience helping businesses and homeowners navigate complex insurance claims. He specializes in building estimates and policy interpretation.

ITEL: Part III

July 25, 2023 1:01 pm Published by Leave your thoughts A question we recently received from a subscriber in response to our ITEL blog reminded us of a funeral home’s claim we handled a few years ago.  After a small fire, only the rear portion of the building was damaged. To ensure that the siding would match across the whole exterior of the building, we… View More

ITEL: Part II

July 11, 2023 12:59 pm Published by Leave your thoughts We recently received a question about our ITEL blog from a subscriber in California: Q: I came across your website and was reading a blog post on how ITEL reports vary and how they don’t even use the same sample comparison. I wanted to see further blog posts on how your office dealt with that…. View More

Condo Associations: Make Sure Your Building Code Coverage is Enough for Current Requirements

January 17, 2023 1:57 pm Published by Leave your thoughts In a previous post, we recounted the mold exclusion challenges facing a condominium association after suffering a large fire. That property loss claim had an additional challenge, one that turned out to be a building code nightmare. The claim stemmed from a fire in a multi-structure condominium complex consisting of four older buildings. These condos… View More

Understanding Building Holdback Claims

June 7, 2022 1:36 pm Published by Leave your thoughts In a recent post, we explained the elements of a “holdback” claim, including terms such as “Replacement Cost,” “Depreciation,” and “Actual Cash Value” (ACV). This explanation focused on personal property items such as furniture, clothing, electronics, etc. To round out the discussion, we wanted to give an example of how the Replacement Cost issue plays… View More

It’s All About (Builder’s) Risk

February 15, 2022 1:24 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Builders, developers and businesspeople who “flip properties” are accustomed to taking chances.  After all, the very nature of the real estate renovation business is speculative.  So, they’re comfortable carrying some risk. That doesn’t mean these risk takers should take unnecessary risk, especially when their investments are on the line.  And yet, when it comes to their “Builder’s… View More

Improvements & Betterments

January 11, 2022 1:47 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Over the years, SMW has shared information with our readers about Improvements & Betterments coverage – a complex and important topic to understand when purchasing an insurance policy for your business. We were reminded of the importance of purchasing enough of this particular coverage while adjusting a recent fire loss in the Boston area. This… View More

Absolute Asbestos Exclusion

January 4, 2022 1:53 pm Published by Leave your thoughts This week, we have a “Buyer Beware” reminder for those shopping for an insurance policy. SMW was recently retained on a major fire loss suffered by the owner of a 20,000 sq. ft. commercial property. We immediately got to work, completing a comprehensive policy review, followed by a walk-through of the loss site with the… View More

Adventures in ITEL: When Independent Analysis Contradicts Your Insurance Claim

July 13, 2021 1:01 pm Published by Leave your thoughts When you suffer a property loss at your business or home, your insurance company sends one of its adjusters to evaluate the damage.  This insurance adjuster makes a preliminary determination of the cause of the loss and what your payout will be. When the property damage claim involves items such as hardwood flooring, carpeting, siding… View More