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Consultant: insurance demand far exceeds carrier’s initial offer; reinspections, FEMA deadline loom
Summary
Keyes Claims Consultants told the New Smyrna Beach Housing Authority its demand is roughly 15 times the carrier’s initial offer and that the carrier has requested a full reinspection; consultants expect inspections by late September and are preparing to pursue mediation or arbitration while also pursuing FEMA/public-assistance options with an Aug. 30 notice deadline.
Mark Glover, public sector lead for Keyes Claims Consultants, told the New Smyrna Beach Housing Authority the private-insurance claim the firm prepared has placed the authority in a "very good position" and that the consultant team has submitted a professional claims package to the carrier. "They did a preliminary quote unquote reinspection," Glover said, and the insurer has now requested a full reinspection — a tactic he described as "oftentimes used to delay."
Glover said the firm's demand is substantially larger than the insurer's first offer: "15 times what was initially offered," he said, adding that the estimate they submitted is supported by "world class experts" and is not an arbitrary figure. He declined to put the exact claim amount on the public record while negotiations are pending. Glover said inspectors are expected to complete the authority's onsite reinspections by the end of September and that the team anticipates mediating before pursuing arbitration if necessary, a process he estimated could take about 45 days. "We're trying to get this done before the end of the year for you guys," he said.
Glover also briefed the board on parallel public-assistance work. He noted a FEMA notice-of-intent deadline of Aug. 30 and described potential hazard-mitigation and elevation projects that could accompany any public-assistance awards. He said the authority may be well positioned to secure additional funds for infrastructure and structural hardening and that consultants are coordinating with staff to ensure deadlines are met.
Board members asked whether the insurer's reinspection would prevent demolition or repairs; Glover advised that the authority must give carriers reasonable access for inspections but that routine site work should proceed if not obstructive. A staff member noted the authority has filed a Section 18 demolition disposition application and that, absent active bulldozers on site, scheduled inspections should not block work.
The presentation concluded with staff and consultants agreeing to keep commissioners informed of inspection dates and the next steps in alternative dispute resolution, and to return with updates on FEMA/public-assistance filings.
