Sarasohn & Company, Inc.

09/24/2026

⛈️ WHEN HAIL DAMAGE ISN’T JUST “COSMETIC”

Your insurance company may call hail damage cosmetic—but that doesn’t necessarily end the conversation.

A recent court decision highlights an increasingly important issue for property owners: cosmetic hail damage exclusions.

The key question may not simply be whether a roof is dented or visibly damaged. Depending on the language of the policy, the real question can be whether that damage affects the roof’s ability to perform its intended function over time.

Has the hail damage altered drainage?
Has a seam, coating, flashing, or fastener been compromised?
Could the damage lead to corrosion or premature failure?
Has the expected service life of the roofing material been reduced?

Those are very different questions from simply asking whether the damage “looks cosmetic.”

And this case demonstrates something every policyholder should understand:

📌 Evidence matters.

Photographs of dents may not be enough. Proper documentation, knowledgeable inspections, qualified experts, and a careful reading of the policy can all become critical when an insurance company invokes a cosmetic damage exclusion.

Insurance policies are contracts, and sometimes a single definition can make an enormous difference in how a claim is evaluated.

At Sarasohn & Company, we’ve been representing policyholders since 1924. We review the policy, document the damage, and help make sure the full extent of a loss is properly presented to the insurance company.

We don’t work for the insurance company. We work for you.

If your home, business, condominium, or association property has suffered any property damage, call us before settling your claim.

Sarasohn & Company, Inc.
Public Adjusters Since 1924

📖 Read the full article from Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog:
https://www.propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com/blog/cosmetic-hail-damage-exclusions/

Cosmetic damage exclusions can bar hail claims. Learn why policy language, roof functionality, and qualified evidence determine coverage.

09/14/2026

🏢 WHO PAYS WHEN A CONDO IS DAMAGED — THE HOA OR THE UNIT OWNER?

It sounds like a simple question. Unfortunately, insurance claims involving condominiums are rarely that simple.

A common assumption is that anything damaged inside the unit belongs to the unit owner, while anything outside the unit is automatically the HOA’s responsibility.

But that can be a costly assumption.

A recent article from the Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog highlights an important point: determining responsibility after a condominium loss may require reviewing several things together:

🔹 The association’s declarations and governing documents
🔹 The CC&Rs
🔹 The HOA’s master insurance policy
🔹 The individual unit owner’s policy
🔹 What property was actually damaged
🔹 How that property is legally classified
🔹 Policy limits, exclusions, deductibles, and other coverage provisions

Perhaps most importantly, the party responsible for repairing something is not necessarily the same party whose insurance is responsible for covering the loss.

That distinction can become extremely important after a major water loss, fire, hurricane, roof failure, or other property-damage event affecting both common areas and individual units.

For condominium associations, property managers, and unit owners, the lesson is simple:

Don’t assume who is responsible for the damage before the governing documents and insurance policies have been carefully reviewed.

At Sarasohn & Company, we help policyholders understand their coverage, document their damages, and navigate complicated property insurance claims so they can pursue the recovery they are entitled to under their policies.

We don’t work for the insurance company. We work for you.

📞 If your condominium, HOA, commercial property, or home has suffered any property damage, call us before the insurer.

Sarasohn & Company, Inc.
Public Adjusters Since 1924

09/01/2026

🤖 Can Artificial Intelligence Replace the Human Touch in Insurance Claims?

AI is rapidly changing the insurance industry. It can analyze documents, organize information, compare estimates, and help professionals work more efficiently.

But there’s a growing problem: when AI is relied upon too heavily, it can also create mistakes, inaccurate summaries, irrelevant arguments, and mountains of unnecessary information that still require an experienced human being to sort through.

A recent article from Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog even raises the question of whether the industry is developing “claimslop” — AI-generated material that looks impressive but ultimately creates more work and confusion.

And that highlights something we strongly believe:

Technology can assist with adjusting a claim. It cannot replace good adjusting.

Every property loss has circumstances that require judgment — understanding how the damage occurred, identifying what may be covered, interpreting policy language, documenting the loss properly, communicating with the parties involved, and recognizing when something simply doesn’t add up.

Those decisions require experience, critical thinking, and a human being who is willing to take the time to understand the claim.

At Sarasohn & Company, Inc., we embrace technology when it helps us better serve policyholders, but we never forget that behind every insurance claim is a real person or business dealing with a real loss.

AI should be a tool in the claims process — not a substitute for professional judgment and the human touch.

If you experience property damage, having an experienced public adjuster representing your interests can make all the difference.

Sarasohn & Company, Inc.
Public Adjusters Since 1924
We don’t work for the insurance company. We work for you.

08/18/2026

📑 “Just Read Your Insurance Policy” Sounds Simple. The Research Says Otherwise.

When an insurance claim is denied, policyholders are often pointed to a provision in their policy and told the language speaks for itself.

But what happens when that language isn't nearly as clear as it appears?

Courts have recognized for decades that insurance policies are different from ordinary contracts. The insurance company drafts the language, understands how the different provisions interact, and has extensive experience interpreting coverage. The average policyholder does not have those same advantages.

Now, new research is putting data behind that reality.

A recent study found that in several coverage scenarios, homeowners who were actually given the relevant insurance policy language were less likely to correctly determine whether coverage existed. Even more concerning, having the policy language sometimes made people more confident in an incorrect interpretation.

That's an important distinction:

Receiving a policy is not the same thing as understanding a policy.

Coverage can depend on how definitions, exclusions, exceptions, conditions, endorsements, and other provisions work together. One sentence—or one exclusion quoted in a denial letter—may not tell the entire story.

That is why policyholders should never automatically assume that an insurance company's interpretation of their policy is the final word.

At Sarasohn & Company, Inc., we've been representing policyholders since 1924 When property damage occurs, we evaluate the policy, the loss, and the claim as a whole to help make sure our clients receive the benefits they are entitled to under their coverage.

If you experience property damage, call us before the insurance company.

📞 Sarasohn & Company, Inc.
Public Adjusters Since 1924
We don't work for the insurance company. We work for you.

🔗 Read the full article:
https://www.propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com/blog/courts-have-long-known-insurance-policies-are-hard-to-understand-new-research-shows-why/

August 18, 2026 Yesterday, I started this three-part series with “Insurance Experts Can Misread an Insurance Policy: What a Remarkable Virginia Law Review Study Really

08/17/2026

📄 Having an Insurance Policy Doesn’t Mean You Understand Your Coverage

Insurance policies are complicated—and sometimes even the experts get them wrong.

A fascinating study recently published in the Virginia Law Review examined how well homeowners understand their insurance policies. In several scenarios, people who were actually given the policy language were less accurate about whether a loss was covered than those who weren’t.

Even more striking: researchers with insurance-law expertise initially misinterpreted one of the coverage scenarios themselves.

Why? Because insurance policies aren’t always as simple as reading one paragraph. Coverage may be granted in one section, limited in another, restored by an exception, modified by a definition, and changed again by an endorsement.

That’s why you should never assume a claim isn’t covered simply because an insurance company points to one exclusion or provision in your policy.

At Sarasohn & Company, Inc., we have been representing policyholders since 1924. We analyze the entire policy and the circumstances surrounding the loss to help make sure our clients receive the benefits they are entitled to under their coverage.

If you suffer property damage, call us before the insurance company.

📞 Sarasohn & Company, Inc.
Public Adjusters Since 1924
We don’t work for the insurance company. We work for you.

🔗 Read the full article from Property Insurance Coverage Law Blog:
https://www.propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com/blog/insurance-experts-can-misread-an-insurance-policy-what-a-remarkable-virginia-law-review-study-really-shows/

August 17, 2026 I have written before about Professor Daniel Schwarcz’s important work involving homeowners insurance policies and, more recently, about the research he

07/31/2026

The First Inspection Can Shape Your Entire Insurance Claim

When an insurance company sends someone to inspect your damaged property, you may naturally assume that person is fully evaluating and adjusting your claim.

That is not always the case.

The person visiting your property may only be responsible for taking photographs, measurements, or notes. A desk adjuster who never personally sees the damage may later make important coverage and payment decisions based entirely on what was—or was not—documented during that initial inspection.

When damage is overlooked, improperly photographed, excluded from the estimate, or never investigated, the policyholder may be left trying to correct an incomplete claim file after the fact.

That can mean:

✅ Identifying damage the inspector missed
✅ Gathering photographs, records, and repair documentation
✅ Hiring contractors, engineers, or other professionals
✅ Requesting additional inspections
✅ Challenging conclusions already entered into the claim file

Unfortunately, evidence can disappear quickly. Wet materials are removed, temporary repairs conceal damage, water patterns dry, debris is discarded, and the property’s condition changes.

That is why the first inspection should never be treated as a routine formality.

Before the inspection, prepare a written list of every affected area. Preserve photographs and records showing the property’s condition before and after the loss. Have a knowledgeable representative attend, take independent photographs, and document any area the insurer’s representative declines or fails to inspect.

If the inspection was incomplete, request a reinspection in writing before the original report becomes the foundation for the insurer’s claim decision.

At Sarasohn & Company, Inc., we have represented residential and commercial policyholders since 1924. We document the full scope of property damage and advocate for a fair and complete evaluation of the claim.

We don’t work for the insurance company. We work for you.

Read the full article:
https://www.propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com/blog/incomplete-insurance-claim-inspection/

An incomplete insurance claim inspection can leave policyholders documenting damage, hiring experts, preserving evidence & more.

07/29/2026

Is Florida’s property insurance market truly improving for policyholders?

Reports of a stabilizing insurance marketplace may sound encouraging—but the real measure of progress is not simply whether insurers are becoming more financially secure. It is whether Florida policyholders are receiving:

✅ Fair and sustainable premiums
✅ Meaningful coverage when disaster strikes
✅ Timely and thorough claim investigations
✅ Full and fair payment for covered property damage

A healthier insurance marketplace should protect both insurers and the people who pay premiums expecting protection in return.

The article below raises important questions about what changes in Florida’s property insurance market actually mean for homeowners and business owners. Regardless of how the market evolves, policyholders must remain informed. Insurance policies are complicated, exclusions matter, and the insurance company’s estimate is not necessarily the final word on the value of your loss.

At Sarasohn & Company, Inc., we have represented residential and commercial policyholders since 1924. We thoroughly document property damage, prepare claims, and negotiate with the insurance company on behalf of our clients.

Before accepting a claim decision or settlement, make sure your interests are being properly represented.

We don’t work for the insurance company. We work for you.

Read the full article:
https://www.propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com/blog/florida-property-insurance-marketplace-policyholders/

Florida property insurers are reporting strong profits, but policyholders still face high premiums, large deductibles, & narrower coverage.

07/24/2026

⚠️ Is Your Small Business Properly Insured—or Just Barely Covered?

A recent Insurance Journal article highlights a serious concern for business owners: 73% of small businesses may be underinsured for the risks they currently face.

The survey also found that:

▪️ 25% of small businesses have no insurance at all
▪️ 14% are unsure what their policy actually covers
▪️ 84% have recently prioritized other expenses over insurance
▪️ 46% say the cost of covering all their risks contributes to inadequate protection

For many businesses, being “insured” does not necessarily mean being adequately insured.

As a company grows, its risks can change significantly. New employees, equipment, technology, inventory, renovations, locations and revenue can all affect the amount and type of coverage a business needs. Unfortunately, insurance policies do not automatically adjust as a business evolves.

Business owners should regularly review their policies with a qualified insurance professional and ask:

✅ Are our building, equipment and inventory values current?
✅ Is our business-income coverage sufficient?
✅ Are there exclusions or limitations we do not fully understand?
✅ Could we afford to recover if a major property loss occurred tomorrow?

After property damage occurs, the language, limits and documentation requirements within your policy can have a major impact on your recovery.

At Sarasohn & Company, we represent policyholders—not insurance companies. Before navigating a complicated commercial property claim alone, contact an experienced public insurance adjuster who understands how to properly document, prepare and present your loss.

Public Adjusters Since 1924.

Read the full Insurance Journal article here:
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2026/07/23/878652.htm

New small business owners are more likely to have proper business insurance than those that have been operating longer. Even so, a majority of small

07/23/2026

https://www.propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com/blog/full-value-property-insurance-claim/

Learn how to determine the full value of a property insurance claim by analyzing coverage, proof, prior payments, costs, risk & net recovery.

07/16/2026

🏠 Wind mitigation can protect your home—but insurance discounts alone may not be enough.

A recent study examining more than two decades of Florida property insurance data found that stronger roof connections, impact-resistant windows, hurricane shutters, and other protective improvements can reduce storm damage and help homeowners qualify for valuable insurance discounts.

The challenge is that rising insurance premiums do not affect every homeowner equally.

While financially secure households may be able to invest in protective upgrades, families already under financial pressure may be forced to choose between paying higher premiums and making the improvements that could strengthen their homes.

This is why programs such as My Safe Florida Home, mitigation grants, and affordable financing options are so important. Protecting Florida’s housing market requires more than increasing premiums—it requires giving property owners a realistic way to make their homes safer and more resilient.

Property owners should:

✅ Confirm that every eligible wind mitigation credit is being applied
✅ Keep permits, invoices, inspection reports, and photographs of improvements
✅ Review policy deductibles, limitations, and exclusions before damage occurs
✅ Make sure coverage reflects the current cost of repairing or rebuilding the property

When property damage happens, understanding your policy and properly documenting the loss can make a significant difference in the outcome of your claim.

Read the full article from Insurance Journal:
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2026/07/08/876550.htm

Sarasohn & Company, Inc.
Public Adjusters Since 1924

We don’t work for the insurance company. We work for you.