Short answer
After a loss at a community association, the general order is: protect people, take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage when it is safe to do so, document conditions, notify the appropriate insurance professionals promptly and preserve records.
1. Protect people
Evacuate and restrict access where conditions may be unsafe. Contact emergency services for fire, gas, structural, electrical or medical concerns. Secure hazards such as downed lines, standing water near electrical equipment and unstable structures.
2. Prevent additional damage when safe
Reasonable mitigation — water extraction, board-up, tarping, shutting off a supply line — is generally expected of a property owner. Keep the work proportionate and documented, and do not put people at risk to perform it.
3. Document conditions
- Photograph and video the damage widely and in detail before moving anything
- Note the date, time and, where known, the cause and point of origin
- Keep damaged materials or components where practical and safe
- Record which buildings, units and common areas are affected
- Log every vendor who attends the site and what they did
4. Notify promptly
Report the loss to the appropriate insurance professionals promptly, even when the extent of damage is not yet known. Late reporting can complicate a claim. If unit owners are affected, they should also be told to contact their own insurers.
5. Preserve records
- Invoices, proposals and receipts for mitigation and repairs
- Correspondence with vendors, adjusters and owners
- Inspection and engineering reports
- Board decisions and meeting minutes related to the loss
6. Be careful with permanent repairs
Avoid making permanent repairs before the necessary documentation has been completed, unless the work is required to protect life or property. Emergency mitigation is different from full reconstruction.
7. Communicate consistently
Designate one point of contact for the association. Share factual updates with owners and avoid statements about whether a loss is covered or what will be paid — those determinations are made by the carrier based on the policy and the facts.
These are general considerations, not claim-specific coverage instructions. Coverage and claim-handling requirements depend on the policy, the facts of the loss and applicable law.
Coverage depends on the specific policy language, endorsements, facts of the loss and applicable law. This page is general information, not legal advice or a statement that coverage applies.
Written and reviewed by The Duncan Group Community Association Practice. Last reviewed September 2026.