As an apartment or condo association, your board has to make some tough decisions. One of the toughest – what property management option to choose. And anyone who’s been put through the paces by an incompetent or untrustworthy manager understands the risk the wrong choice can be.
Take the example of Ohio-based condo association Lakewood Condominium Association, which is suing their property management group on allegations of stealing over $830,000 and allowing overdue association bills to go unpaid. The property management group is charged with, among other things, lying about the association having over $217,000 in CDs in the bank. The CDs, according to court documents, were withdrawn in January 2006, and over $378,000 in reserve funds remain missing.
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It’s no secret that foreclosures are crippling the condominium industry. Record numbers of unit owners are in or dangerously close to foreclosure. Many condo associations are struggling to keep occupancy levels up and wondering how to deal with so many vacant units at once. And amid this foreclosure crisis comes yet another – condo owners are delinquent on their condo fees. In some cases, the delinquencies total in the hundreds of thousands.
Such is the case for one Florida-based condo association, whose association board announced recently that its residents are delinquent to the tune of $675,000. That figure represents half of the West Palm Beach-based Palm Beach Grande association’s resident population. With 106 of its 304 units facing or in foreclosure, it’s a crisis situation for the condo association. Read more…
Suppose your condo association has no employees to speak of. Suppose all work is performed by contractors carrying their own liability insurance. Suppose all condo association members are volunteer. So why would you need workers compensation insurance?
Some states take a very broad view of the definition of “employer-employee” relationship under workers compensation coverage and claims. If your association has any volunteers on staff, you could be setting yourself up, in appearance, for the law to define your relationship as employer-employee. Your volunteer is instructed by your board to complete work that causes injury to the volunteer. Your general liability policy will more than likely not cover such activity because under the general liability description on your condo association insurance policy, those completing work for your association are generally not included or may be specifically excluded. Read more…
Much has been written about condo and apartment association insurance versus insurance carried by condo / apartment unit owners. The two main types of coverage offered to condo associations are:
1) Bare Walls In – policies covering all real property from the exterior framing inward, excluding fixtures or other installations within the unit.
2) All In – policies covering all fixtures, installations, or additions within the interior surfaces of the individual units.
Obviously the best one for your unit owners would be the All In condo association insurance policy, which would limit the need for owners to purchase additional coverage. Condo associations buying Bare Walls In coverage leave a bit more loss exposure for their unit owners. Most condo associations will advise unit owners on which policy is covering the premises. But what about deductibles? Read more…
Your apartment association board took bids, shopped around, and worked with a broker to come up with the most suitable association insurance package imaginable. And that’s great. But for how long is that going to hold true?
Even the most comprehensive apartment or condo association insurance package can become less so, as the association’s needs change. Today your association may have a set agreement in place, but amendments, additions, and changes to that agreement, as well as changes in the state of the property or to the grounds themselves could leave your apartment or condo association uncovered as a result of these changes. Read more…
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