Few counties in New Jersey have a longer, better-documented history of flood loss than Passaic County. From the historic mill city of Paterson on the Great Falls of the Passaic River to the riverside neighborhoods of Wayne, Pompton Lakes, Little Falls, and Clifton, property owners here have dealt with recurring flood disasters for more than a century. GB Claims LLC is a licensed public adjusting firm representing Passaic County policyholders on fire, water, storm, and flood claims — with no upfront fee.
Local Risk Profile and Building Stock in Passaic County
Passaic County’s building stock skews old, particularly in its urban core. In Paterson, the county’s largest city, the median home was built around 1935, and 22.6% of the city’s footprint sits within a mapped flood zone — the highest share of any municipality in the county (Passaic County Risk Report). That older housing includes dense rowhouses and multi-family mill-worker housing near the Passaic River and the Great Falls, much of it built long before modern flood-resistant construction standards existed.
The county’s flood history is severe and well documented. The Great Flood of 1902 left parts of Paterson under five to seven feet of water, with contemporary accounts describing the city as a “modern Venice” (Paterson history archives). Just a year later, the Passaic Flood of 1903 dropped 11.4 inches of rain in 24 hours, sent the Passaic River cresting at 17.5 feet, and caused roughly $7 million in damage — equivalent to about $245 million in 2024 dollars (Passaic Flood of 1903). Since then, federal disaster declarations tied to Passaic River flooding have been issued repeatedly: 1968, 1971, 1972, twice in 1973, 1975, 1984, 1992, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, and again during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 (Great Swamp Watershed Association).
More recently, Hurricane Irene in 2011 pushed the Passaic River to a 100-year flood level, and Paterson’s mayor at the time reported roughly 6,000 residents impacted and four of the city’s five bridges over the river underwater (The New York Times). The 2025 Passaic County Hazard Mitigation Plan found that 20,905 residents — about 4% of the county’s population — live within the 1% annual chance floodplain, with Paterson having the most residents in flood-prone areas (7,846) and Wayne having the most residential buildings at risk (783), followed by Pompton Lakes (705) (Passaic County Hazard Mitigation Plan, Flood Chapter). Pompton Lakes sits at the confluence of the Ramapo, Pequannock, and Wanaque rivers, making it one of the most flood-exposed communities in the county alongside Wayne, Wanaque, and Ringwood.
Types of Losses We Handle in Passaic County
- River and flash flooding: Claims involving the Passaic, Ramapo, Pequannock, and Wanaque rivers, particularly in Paterson, Wayne, and Pompton Lakes.
- Fire and smoke damage: Structure fires in Paterson’s dense, aging rowhouse and multi-family housing stock, including smoke migration between attached units.
- Storm and wind damage: Roof, siding, and tree-fall damage from nor’easters and tropical storm remnants moving through the county.
- Pipe failures and water damage: Losses tied to aging plumbing infrastructure common in homes built before 1960.
- Theft and burglary: Documentation and valuation support for stolen property and break-in damage.
- Business interruption: Lost income claims for commercial tenants along Paterson’s Route 20 corridor and Wayne’s retail centers after a covered loss.
How the Public Adjusting Claim Process Works
GB Claims LLC begins every case with a free, no-obligation inspection to assess the damage and review your policy. Once retained, we document the full scope of the loss with photographs, moisture readings where relevant, and a detailed line-item estimate; identify coverage provisions — including flood, ordinance-or-law, and additional living expense coverage — that are frequently overlooked or underpaid; and negotiate directly with the insurance company’s adjuster on your behalf. Public adjusting claims are handled with no upfront fee, so you pay nothing unless we recover a settlement for you.
Licensed and Local to the Region
GB Claims LLC is a licensed public adjusting firm authorized to handle property claims in New Jersey, as well as New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. We operate out of 71 Lafayette Ave, Suite 203, Suffern, New York, a short drive from Passaic County via Route 17 and I-287, and we routinely travel to Paterson, Wayne, Clifton, Pompton Lakes, and surrounding communities for inspections. You can verify any public adjuster’s license or file a complaint with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance through its licensee search or consumer resources page, or by calling 1-800-446-7467.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Paterson flood so often?
Paterson sits directly along the Passaic River near the Great Falls, and the surrounding terrain funnels heavy rainfall into the river quickly. The city has been the site of federal flood disaster declarations more than a dozen times since 1968 (Great Swamp Watershed Association).
I live in Pompton Lakes near where three rivers meet — is my flood risk different?
Yes. Pompton Lakes sits at the confluence of the Ramapo, Pequannock, and Wanaque rivers and has one of the highest concentrations of at-risk residential buildings in the county, according to the 2025 county hazard mitigation plan.
My home in Paterson is very old — will that complicate my claim?
Older homes, common throughout Paterson where the median home dates to around 1935, often raise questions about depreciation, code-upgrade costs, and pre-existing conditions. A public adjuster reviews your policy to make sure legitimate coverage isn’t left on the table.
Do you help with business interruption claims for Passaic County shop owners?
Yes. We document lost income and extra expense claims for commercial tenants in Paterson, Wayne, and Clifton whose businesses were forced to close or slow down after a covered property loss.
If your Passaic County home or business has suffered fire, water, or storm damage, call GB Claims LLC for a free claim review at 845-456-6699 — no upfront fee, no obligation.