Five Corners Plaza – St. Croix
Location: St Croix, USVI
Date of Loss: September 17, 2017
Type of Loss: Wind (Hurricane Maria)
Initial Offer: $250,000
SLC Settlement: $725,000
Increase Over Initial Offer: +$475,000
Overview
Challenges
Stark Loss Consultants was contacted by the property owner of Five Corners Plaza to assist with this insurance claim in December 2017. After his insurance company failed to respond to numerous requests to appraise the damages. The SLC team evaluated, prepared and submitted a comprehensive claim to the insurance carrier within one week of initial contact.
Due to ambiguous language in the tenant lease agreement, it was difficult for the insurance company to determine whether the interior damage was the tenant’s responsibility or the building owner’s.
As part of SLC’s service agreement with the insured, SLC retained their commercial lease expert to evaluate each lease agreement. SLC then advised their client and his tenants of their rights under the leases as it relates to the insuring agreement. SLC’s expertise in interpreting commercial insurance policies combined with the report from the lease expert, resulted in both the insured and his tenants ultimately receiving the proper compensation for their respective damages.
Results
The insurance carrier initially offered $250,000 to settle this claim, which was substantially less than the repairs would cost the insured. Over the course of several months of communication with the insurance company’s adjuster and multiple site visits to the damaged property, SLC successfully settled the claim for $725,000, which allowed the insured to completely repair the property.
The insured subsequently revised all of his lease agreements to one standard form in hopes of avoiding future problems should another insurance loss occur.
