Insurance loss of income

Insurance loss of income

Member since 2022 · 14 posts · 3 votes

Hi everyone!

I posted in December about our pipes freezing due to negligence by our rental company. Our heat also went out. Fast forward and we have been dealing with claims and insurance coverage for the repairs. It's been a nightmare to say the least. Anyways our policy with Farm Bureau includes $5000 per month lost income. We had a management company when the issue happened but had given them notice that as of January 4th we would take over management. We planned to paint and redo the floors then post as self managers. Now our insurance company is telling us we can only get reimbursed for bookings that were on the books. Our damage happened between Christmas and New Years which was before we took over so we had no one on the books because we hadn't posted it yet. So now the insurance is saying we get nothing except what was already booked. We know we were booked through January 3rd but the management company has ghosted us so we don't even know how much those bookings were. We would have had bookings in February and March but we never had the chance to book. 
My question is, do you think the insurance company should be legally obligated to pay for lost income considering we were planning to list it for rent? I plan to ask the insurance company for the detailed policy language. We just found out today that they are saying we won't get anything. Thank you in advance for any replies. 

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Investor · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 754 votes
3y

I would be trying hard to get a list of the bookings you had from your PM 

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  • Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3y

    Wow. I am on the same path you are on.  Renovation now due to my frozen pipes from  Christmas Eve.  My insurance company told me that once we are finished with all repairs they want me to submit what last years income was for that same time frame to provide them a basis of how much lost income they will cover for me.  So not sure yet how that will turn out but that sounds much different than what you are hearing from your ins company. 

  • Member since 2022 · 14 posts · 3 votes
    3y
    Quote from @Ken Boone:

    Wow. I am on the same path you are on.  Renovation now due to my frozen pipes from  Christmas Eve.  My insurance company told me that once we are finished with all repairs they want me to submit what last years income was for that same time frame to provide them a basis of how much lost income they will cover for me.  So not sure yet how that will turn out but that sounds much different than what you are hearing from your ins company. 


     We didn't own our place last year we so don't have income to show. We closed May 25th. 

  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    3y

    Do you have any screen shots of the PM's bookings.

  • Investor · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 754 votes
    3y

    I would be trying hard to get a list of the bookings you had from your PM 

  • Real Estate Agent · Smoky Mountains, TN · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 984 votes
    3y

    Read the fine print on your policy. It should define each covered loss. 

  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    3y

    Hey @Denise Harmening, so do you have actual lost bookings due to the repairs?

    I guess the insurance company doesn't want to pay for bookings that don't exist. If you had bookings for the time the repairs were happening, then I can see them paying for those as you had to turn guests away due to the damage.

    I am not sure the insurance company should/would want to pay for bookings you don't actually have. Like Ken had pointed out, he had something to base the possible revenue off of.  Not sure how that would work actually. Past performance is no guarantee of future success.

    It's kinda like asking to get paid for an accident that didn't happen but you intended to go driving and could have had one.

    At least that is what I am getting from your post. Please add more info if you can. 

  • Property Manager · Miami, FL · Member since 2023 · 21 posts · 3 votes
    3y

    This is how insurance companies get away with not paying out in full or at all. Definitely get a lawyer or someone who understands legalese to read through the contract to see if you have any wiggle room. May be you could show them how many bookings you had the previous year and use that as a base to calculate loss of income. You may have those reports with you

  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    3y

    @Denise Harmening

    Have you tried going after the property managers insurance? It also sounds like the unit was not ready for rent and if you cannot prove their bookings during this time that could be listed in the policy.

    Typically insurance companies only cover actual damages- what does your policy say?

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  • Member since 2022 · 14 posts · 3 votes
    3y

    Our policy includes lost income but I don't see specific language about how it's calculated. We did not own the cabin last year so we don't have rental property income to show historic values. We had given notice to the PM that we would manage after January 3rd so the calendar was blocked off and no one could book. We planned to paint and install floors then take new pictures so we did not have a listing up yet. 

  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Denise Harmening:

    Our policy includes lost income but I don't see specific language about how it's calculated. We did not own the cabin last year so we don't have rental property income to show historic values. We had given notice to the PM that we would manage after January 3rd so the calendar was blocked off and no one could book. We planned to paint and install floors then take new pictures so we did not have a listing up yet. 

    Hey @Denise Harmening, so if you had the time blocked and didn't allow any bookings, I don't think the insurance company is on the hook for that time.

    I don't see how you can force them to pay for time that you didn't have it listed. You should get the full value of the repair of course.

  • Jason BottPro Member
    Insurance Agent · Nationwide · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Michael Baum:
    Quote from @Denise Harmening:

    Our policy includes lost income but I don't see specific language about how it's calculated. We did not own the cabin last year so we don't have rental property income to show historic values. We had given notice to the PM that we would manage after January 3rd so the calendar was blocked off and no one could book. We planned to paint and install floors then take new pictures so we did not have a listing up yet. 

    Hey @Denise Harmening, so if you had the time blocked and didn't allow any bookings, I don't think the insurance company is on the hook for that time.

    I don't see how you can force them to pay for time that you didn't have it listed. You should get the full value of the repair of course.


     Michael is correct.  You need to establish the lost income with either past tax returns or proof of future income scheduled to to come into the unit that had to be cancelled due to the covered loss.

    If you can find the PM you could have a claim against their Professional Liability policy for mishandling the situation.   

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