Ice Dam Causes Uninsured Damage at Windham County Condo Complex

J.L. from Windham County, Connecticut writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

An ice dam resulted in my fascia boards rotting. The insurance company says I have no coverage, what should I do?

Thanks!

Mister Condo replies:

J.L., I am sorry for your non-covered insurance damage. Rotted fascia boards may or may not be a sign of underlying damage but are usually a simple repair. As for insurance coverage, it can be tricky as to who is exactly responsible. If you have not already done so, alert your association via mail that you have had damage to your unit caused by an ice dam. Document the damage with photos and include any letter of denial of coverage from your own insurance claim. If the association has a Master policy that covers the damage caused by an ice dam, they may be able to submit a claim to cover the cost of repair. If they do not have such coverage and your by-laws do not address damage caused by ice dams, you may be on the hook for the cost of the repair, which is really no different than any other homeowner with similar insurance. The difference for you is that you may need to allow the association to select the contractor who will handle the repair and replace the damaged fascia with similar material and color so as to maintain the association’s architectural compliance. Good luck!