On March 14, 2018, Caribbean Adjusters International hosted the “Condominium Insurance Forum” at the Marriott Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The forum was divided in two groups of panelists formed by adjusters, brokers, producers and local attorneys with special guest speakers such as Puerto Rico’s Insurance Commissioner (via Skype) and our own William “Chip” Merlin. Important topics were discussed related to claim issues for condominiums on the island.Continue Reading Caribbean Adjusters International Hosted Condominium Insurance Forum in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s 2003 Condominium Act has established how to proceed in circumstances where the responsibility for maintenance and repairs is unclear. As I mentioned in my prior blog, the Board of Directors is responsible for the insurance and repairs of general common areas in condominiums such as stairs and lobby. All unit holders are responsible for their own insurance coverage, maintenance and repair of the unit’s interior.Continue Reading Water Leak Repairs Under Puerto Rico’s 2003 Condominium Act

It was winter of 1996 when my family and I moved from New Jersey to Puerto Rico. Since then, I have witnessed how Puerto Rico has struggled to establish better construction codes and plans for home improvement and insurance. These attempts have been challenged by politics, economic issues and natural disasters. Puerto Rico does not have statutes or ordinances requiring homeowners to have property insurance; it is only a requirement for property owners with mortgages. Puerto Rico’s Insurance Code defines insurance as “the contract whereby a person is obligated to compensate another or to pay or to provide a specific or determinable benefit to the occurrence of an uncertain event foreseen there, the term safe includes reinsurance.”1Continue Reading Puerto Rico’s Condominium Act: Recovery After Hurricane Maria