The property and casualty insurance market can provide a slippery slope for co-ops and condos in the New York metropolitan area. Insurance companies can be your best friend or worst enemy. Fortunately, co-ops and condos have a great deal of…

They torched cars and set fires throughout the park and around our building in 50 mile-per-hour winds. And, yes, the fire spread to unprotected areas. It may sound like a scene from a war zone, but that's actually a local resident's…

Sometimes bad things happen to good buildings. It's just a fact of life. And sometimes, bad things happen to good buildings with an unforeseeable and unavoidable frequency. That is also a fact of life. Usually, when those bad things happen,…

Insurance can be a hassle to deal with when it comes to your property, but failing to pay attention to the details of your policy could cost you money now and in the future. Knowing the specifics of your building's insurance policy, and als…

The world of insurance, although not necessarily simple, is usually cut and dry, not the stuff of excitement. While condos and co-ops have insurance for the common areas like roofs, stairways, lobbies and often the apartments as well, th…

Simply put, insurance equals protection. Insurance will help protect your investment if your building is damaged or destroyed by fire or other causes. Public liability coverage will protect you if someone is hurt in the building and sues yo…

Q Our new condominium contains, as part of its common elements, an atrium and courtyard. What do I need to know about instituting rules and regulations for these common areas in light of the fact that the board would like to afford res…

Q I am looking for information regarding service contractors (i.e. cable, TV, phone) needing to set up a prior appointment to access equipment that is installed on owners’ terraces. Does the unit owner have to be at home to let the work…

Q I am a shareholder in a co-op that has 400-plus units in our building. We have an outside management company that has an office in our building and handles the general operation of the building. I would like to know if there are an…

Q I have lived in a co-op in Little Neck, New York for 21 years. The shareholder-elected board of directors use their authority to mistreat the shareholders. They write letters that are nasty, rude and potentially derogatory. They’v…