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.

A Mystery Flood on The Cape

February 1, 2022 1:56 pm Published by Leave your thoughts ‘Tis the season of frozen pipes – and a good time to revisit an SMW homeowner water loss from Falmouth, MA.  While the homeowners were wintering in Florida, they received the unpleasant news that water was pouring out of the front door of their Cape Cod home. The basement had filled with over six feet… View More

Condo Property Managers: Know What to Do After a Catastrophic Property Loss – Part 2

January 25, 2022 1:45 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Scott also offered some “lessons learned” from the experience of reconstructing the Reading condo building. “What I’d do differently,” he says, includes the following advice for other property managers: Set a Dedicated Resource for Communications Previously, Scott underscored the importance of communications. And that priority received appropriate attention. Next time, though, Scott believes it would… View More

Condo Property Managers: Know What to do After a Catastrophic Loss – Part 1

January 18, 2022 2:09 pm Published by Leave your thoughts With more than 20 years of experience in property management, Scott Wolf is an expert in meeting the needs of a condominium community. His company, Brigs LLC, is the premier full-service property management company in the Northeast. They’ve seen just about every kind of property disaster, and they know how to minimize disruption for their… View More

The Broad Evidence Rule

December 28, 2021 1:42 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Property insurance policies provide for payment of a claim on an Actual Cash Value (ACV) basis until the property is repaired or replaced. Determining the ACV of the loss can be problematic due to the fact that the term “actual cash value” is not defined in most property policies. Therefore, determining ACV may fall to… View More

Read The Full Policy!

December 21, 2021 3:54 pm Published by Leave your thoughts RTFP – Read the Full Policy! This is sage advice.  We were reminded of the importance of reading the full policy on a claim we handled a couple of years ago.  Leading insurance consultant Bill Wilson spoke at the 2019 NAPIA mid-year convention, and it was instructive.  Bill’s take was a tad more colorful –… View More

Commercial Collapse

December 14, 2021 1:42 pm Published by Leave your thoughts In a previous blog, we discussed the Collapse coverage from the standpoint of a homeowner’s insurance policy.  In this blog, we will discuss Collapse in the Commercial policies. The two policies that cover most commercial properties are the Businessowners Coverage Form (BP 00 03) or the Causes of Loss – Special Form (CP 10 30). … View More

Understand Your Loss of Use Coverage

December 1, 2021 2:23 pm Published by Leave your thoughts Protect your property – that’s the fundamental reason for purchasing insurance. To do so effectively, you need the right coverage. And the only way to truly ensure that you have the right coverage is to understand every provision within your insurance policy. One area policyholders often struggle to grasp is the “Loss of Use” coverage…. View More

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

November 23, 2021 1:09 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

The Weather Outside is Frightful: Insurance Coverage Requirements You Need to Know About This Winter

November 16, 2021 1:54 pm Published by Leave your thoughts This winter, your local fire department will respond to many calls due to burst pipes and water seepage.  If you own a business or a home, this raises an important question: Can I recover from my insurer for damage caused by burst pipes? It depends. As public adjusters, we negotiate with insurance companies every day…. View More

Gifting vs. Loaning: Know the Difference When it Comes to Your Insurance Coverage

November 9, 2021 2:00 pm Published by Leave your thoughts The holidays are a time when family members exchange thoughtful gifts.  In the case of family keepsakes – jewelry, watches, etc. – these gifts require careful management on your insurance policy. Update your policies accordingly! Think about a family example: they have beautiful pearl earrings that family members have handed down through the generations. The… View More