When a commercial building is damaged, the owner has two problems at once: the building, and everything that depends on it. Tenants calling. Customers gone. A congregation with nowhere to meet. Meanwhile the insurance company sends an adjuster, and sometimes a team of consultants, to measure the loss.
GB Claims LLC is a licensed public adjuster for owners of stores, offices, mixed-use and multifamily buildings, and houses of worship in New York and New Jersey. We represent the policyholder only. Call or text 845-456-6699.
Who we help
- Retail stores and strip centers: building damage, inventory, fixtures and lost income
- Offices and professional buildings: buildout, equipment and the time the business can’t operate
- Multifamily and mixed-use buildings: units, common areas, tenant displacement and lost rent
- Houses of worship, schools and community buildings: sanctuaries, study halls, kitchens, mikvaot, social halls and religious items, which often need specialists to value and restore
- Landlords and property managers with one building or several
Why commercial claims are different
A commercial policy is usually built from several parts, each with its own rules:
- Building coverage, often with a coinsurance clause that can reduce a payment if the building was insured for too little
- Business personal property: inventory, furniture, equipment and tenant improvements
- Business income and extra expense, often with a waiting period and a time limit
- Loss of rents for landlords
- Ordinance or law coverage for code upgrades, which can be large on older commercial buildings
- Equipment breakdown, sometimes a separate policy
Each part is measured differently, and each one is a place where money gets left out.
Where commercial claims get underpaid
- Business income calculated too short. The time to rebuild, get permits and reopen is often longer than the first estimate assumes.
- Code upgrades. Fire alarms, sprinklers, accessibility and electrical work required by the building department once repairs begin.
- Tenant improvements. Who owns the buildout, the landlord’s policy or the tenant’s, has to be sorted out early.
- Specialty items. Commercial kitchens, signage, refrigeration, and in a house of worship, arks, pews, stained glass and religious books.
- Smoke and water spreading between units in a multifamily building.
- Coinsurance penalties that may be applied without a close look at the numbers.
How we work on a commercial loss
- Read the full policy and endorsements and map out every coverage that may apply.
- Inspect the building with you, and bring in engineers, contractors or specialty appraisers where the loss needs them.
- Build a complete, line-by-line claim for the building, contents and income.
- Work alongside your restoration company, contractor and accountant, so they can focus on their own jobs.
- Present the claim and deal with the insurer and its consultants until it is paid.
For larger fires, see fire and large loss claims. Our main page on commercial property damage public adjuster covers more on warehouses and associations. For lost rent after a fire, see lost rent after a building fire.
Where we work
Commercial and multifamily claims across Rockland County, Orange County and Westchester County in New York, including Monsey, Spring Valley, Kiryas Joel, Monroe and Newburgh, and in Bergen County and Passaic County in New Jersey.
Frequently asked questions
Can a public adjuster handle a commercial property claim?
Yes. Licensed public adjusters handle claims for stores, offices, apartment buildings, houses of worship and other commercial property, as well as homes.
Does commercial insurance pay for lost income after a fire?
If the policy includes business income coverage, it can pay lost net income and continuing expenses while the business can’t operate, usually after a waiting period and up to a time limit. Read your declarations page for both.
What is a coinsurance penalty?
Many commercial policies require the building to be insured for a set percentage of its value. If it was insured for less, the insurer may reduce the payment. How it is calculated matters, so it is worth checking.
Who pays for the tenant’s buildout after a loss?
It depends on the lease and on both parties’ policies. Sort it out early so the landlord’s and tenant’s claims don’t overlap or leave a gap.
Are religious items and furnishings covered under a house of worship policy?
Usually as business personal property, subject to the policy’s limits and terms. Many of these items need a specialist to value or restore, so list them carefully.
Should I hire a public adjuster before or after the insurer’s consultants inspect?
Before, if possible. On a commercial loss, the first inspection shapes the whole claim. But a public adjuster can still help after an inspection or after a first payment.
Talk to a licensed public adjuster
Damage to a store, office, apartment building or house of worship in New York or New Jersey? Call or text 845-456-6699 and tell us about the building and the loss.
GB Claims LLC – Licensed Public Adjuster. NY License PA-1988333 · NJ License #3004401530 · PA License #1336704 · CT License #3004375850. We work only for the policyholder, never for the insurance company.