When the carrier goes quiet

The question I hear most from boards is why the carrier went quiet. Pipes freeze and burst after an ice storm. The board reports it the same week and nearly a year goes by with no scope from the carrier. Then someone on the board notices the policy has a deadline to file a lawsuit. I'll tell you what's usually happening on the other side because it's not what the board thinks.

So when a file goes quiet, there could be many reasons.

There could be coverage issues that are being identified and looked at.

There could be an adjuster that has left or staffing issues.

Or there could be investigation that needs to be done, such as damage estimates or photos

that need to be obtained so that the adjuster can properly investigate the claim, determine

liability, and set the reserve.

So do this.

Find your policy suit deadline today and write it on the board calendar.

not this month today. It is the one line in the policy and it's the only date that can end the

claim without anybody deciding anything. Late notice and a missed suit deadline are the two carrier

arguments a board creates on its own. They are also the two that cannot be fixed afterward at any

price. A manager who reports first and calendars the deadline has taken both off the table and if

you own the building you don't have a board slowing you down so there's no excuse. Report it, calendar

the deadline, then decide. And if you own your house or home, same rule on the house. If the

carrier goes quiet, the deadline in your policy is still running.