Author Archives for Swerling Milton Winnick

About Swerling Milton Winnick

If you’ve had a fire, flood or other property loss resulting in an insurance claim, and need a public insurance adjuster in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New England or anywhere in the U.S. or Caribbean, call Swerling Milton Winnick. We are the oldest and largest public adjusting firm in New England, and our team of experts will give you personalized, 24/7 attention to successfully resolve your residential or business insurance claim.

Property Managers: Do You Know Why You Need A Public Adjuster For Your Property Insurance Claim?

February 20, 2024 1:46 pm Published by Leave your thoughts As a property manager, you will have many decisions to make in the first few weeks after a building loss. Public adjusters (PAs) are the sounding board for all your difficult decisions and can give you immediate guidance on most topics. PAs also expedite the process. This is critical, because if you’re managing a property… View More

Don’t Start Repairs Until Your Public Adjuster Has Scoped The Cost Of Your Claim

January 16, 2024 1:28 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Take it from us: Starting a property loss claim without representation or an understanding of the scope and cost of repairs never goes well. As public adjusters (PAs), we get a lot of calls from home and business owners who have experienced a property loss. Ideally, these clients call us immediately when the loss occurs… View More

Cyber Insurance: Part I

January 2, 2024 1:45 pm Published by Leave your thoughts What’s the single most talked about topic in the boardroom of most companies? Cyber security. This is certainly understandable. When you read the news, you’re apt to find stories about various large organizations – everyone from Best Buy to leading hospitals – suffering high-profile cyber attacks.   The costs of such an attack can be… View More

Key Points From Our 2023 Blogs

December 19, 2023 1:47 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Here are a few key takeaways from the blogs we wrote in 2023.   ITEL: Part 2 – Click here to read If your property was just built, your building plans are a great source to show your insurance company the materials used in the course of construction. Have your restoration company set aside a… View More

Our Most Read Blogs of 2023

December 5, 2023 2:07 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Take a look back with us at our most popular blogs of this past year. ITEL – Click here to read Why do insurance adjusters use an independent lab to test your damaged property? To produce accurate pricing for the lost items and to find the best available match for replacement materials. As PAs, we… View More

Think Your Replacement Cost Policy Will Pay To Replace Your House? Think Again

November 28, 2023 1:33 pm Published by Leave your thoughts In Massachusetts, after a loss, the insurer first tries to determine the Actual Cash Value (“ACV”) of the damaged property. This generally allows the insurance company to apply depreciation in calculating what it initially owes. This ACV amount is due whether or not the policyholder actually repairs or rebuilds the property. But policies usually offer… View More

Homeowners Beware: Don’t Let Your Thanksgiving Turkey Fry Turn into a Fireball of Property Destruction

November 21, 2023 1:56 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Here at SMW, we love turkey and we love Thanksgiving. And though oven roasting is an endorsed technique, we are not without affection for the savory, oil-filled repast that you can get from deep-frying your holiday turkey. It’s delicious. It’s also, however, incredibly dangerous. Do you doubt us? We have seen the damage firsthand –… View More

Assignment of Benefits

November 14, 2023 1:57 pm Published by Leave your thoughts When homeowners suffer a property loss, one of the first things they do – even before they know the amount of coverage they will receive from their insurer – is call a contractor. The contractor looks at the damage, and estimates the likely cost of repairing the property. Maybe that estimate is greater than the… View More

Subrogation

November 7, 2023 2:03 pm Published by Leave your thoughts If a third party damages your property, the first thing you do is go to your homeowners or commercial insurance policy and check your coverage. Sometimes you will find that you are underinsured, and don’t have enough insurance to cover all your losses. What happens then? You look for a third party who may have… View More

Vacant vs. Unoccupied

October 31, 2023 1:01 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Trick or Treat? Or, perhaps more relevant for homeowners: Vacant or unoccupied? What’s the difference?  For insurance coverage purposes, “vacant” means without goods or personal property, while “unoccupied” means that no one is living in the premises. This is a critical distinction, because if a property is vacant for more than 60 days, you do… View More