Naples, FL asked in Insurance Bad Faith and Landlord - Tenant for Florida

Q: apt.complex is forcing me to make fraudulent renter's insurance claim

live on 2nd floor unit in building of 30+units/vacant unit below be flooded in early March/ flooding went unnoticed by management x weeks/ apt.manager called on 6/3/20 and states that the plumber found paper towels and baby wipes that caused sewage drain to back up/ I live in building that has 30+ units all on same sewage line. I do not place anything but toilet paper down pipes so I could not have caused this. plumber told me that there is no way to single out what unit of #30 the debris came from. Manager is forcing me to put on my insurance or I will be billed 20K on my rent ledger. I am a healthcare professional with 9 licenses to protect. I do not want to make a fraudulent claim when apt refuses to go through their own insurance bc their rates will go up. Again,the leak went on for weeks before it was noticed by anyone in the management of complex (350 units)

What are my rights? Can they just add a 20K charge and enforce payment?

1 Lawyer Answer
Bruce Alexander Minnick
Bruce Alexander Minnick
Answered
  • Landlord Tenant Lawyer
  • Tallahassee, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: If you have renter's insurance you should make a claim against the policy. Then get out of the dispute and let your insurance company deal with the landlord's insurance company--and all the others too.

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