Summary

An insurance company can’t sue a condominium tenant in subrogation, even if they were negligent in starting a fire.

The Facts

The Declaration required the association to “obtain and maintain a … policy of all risk property insurance” for the association.  The Declaration also required the policy to name as insureds the unit owners and their bank mortgage holders (Mortgagees) and that “any insurance maintained by the association shall contain [a] ‘waiver of subrogation’ as to the Units and Mortgagees.”  Finally, the Declaration also prohibited the owners from obtaining fire insurance and required all occupants and tenants to comply with the Declaration.

One of the unit owners leased its commercial unit to the tenants (Defendant). The lease did not specify who would carry fire insurance. 
Continue Reading Insurance Subrogation – Not Against A Condominium Tenant

In Illinois, a Court recently ruled on a Condominium Association’s attempt to charge back an insurance deductible to one of its members (Gelinas v. Barry Quadrangle Condominium Association, 74 N.E.3d 49 (2017)). This particular association had a fire originate in an owner’s unit resulting in damage to not only the specific unit, but the entire building. The Association made a claim with its insurance company and received reimbursement for the necessary repairs to be made. The Association then held a hearing and levied an assessment against the Unit Owner in whose unit the fire originated.
Continue Reading Special Assessing an Insurance Deductible Back to a Unit Owner