December 29, 2011

Washington Court Rules that Condo Association's Insurance Covers Tenant

A Washington appellate court recently decided that a condominium association’s insurance policy covered a unit owner’s tenant as a coinsured party because the lease did not specifically state otherwise. This is significant because associations’ insurers may not attempt to shift the cost of repairing damage caused by a tenant’s negligence or misconduct to that tenant if he or she is covered by the association’s insurance policy. Washington community associations should consider requiring leases to state that the tenant is not covered by the association’s insurance policy. This could help those associations avoid higher insurance premiums in the future.

Community association insurance can be a difficult subject to grasp, but boards must confront it in order to fulfill their legal duties. Identifying and understanding the portions of the governing documents and state law that govern insurance is the first and most important step. An attorney who focuses on representing Washington condominium and homeowners associations can make this complex area more accessible.

December 13, 2011

My Twitter Account Is Another Source of Useful Information for Condo Boards

It is wonderful to live in a time when information can be shared in so many ways. Given the many personal and professional demands on my time, it can be difficult to find the time to write blog posts that meet my high standards in terms of content and style. However, it is usually possible for me to spend a few minutes each morning reading the day's news in general and what other condominium attorneys around the country have written on their blogs in particular. The best stories and posts are included on my Twitter account.

Some attorneys focus their Twitter accounts exclusively on their practice area. I decided to give my account a broader scope that reflects my interests in a more comprehensive way. News and posts relating to condominium and homeowners associations play a major role, but I also include anything else that I think is interesting and deserving of wider attention. Entries about the real estate market, the economy, science, and technology are plentiful. The last five entries provide a good indication of the account's "flavor":

Money Beagle: The wild-card risk of buying a condominium unit.

Seattle Times: Rental-property managers find themselves in a sweet spot.

Yahoo: Futuristic Taiwan Tower will borrow its design from a tree.

AP: Rabbi to become army chaplain, beard and all.

Seattle Times: Bellevue's Kindering is oasis for special needs kids.

If you would like access to more news regarding community associations and related topics than is provided on this blog, then following my Twitter account may be just what you are looking for. And, as an added bonus, you'll learn a lot about the continuing exploration of our solar system.