Mangonia Park, Palm Beach County reader edition: Navarre Beach Condominium Association Claims: A Guide for Boards

Give the board a coordinated claim record

For a condominium association in Navarre Beach, a property claim is an organizational task as well as an insurance review. The board needs a reliable record of common-element damage, access to affected areas, communications with residents, and the documents supporting the master-policy submission. Start by identifying the association’s authorized contact and keeping one controlled record of estimates and insurer correspondence.

PAJOE Public Adjusters can assist an association with policy review, damage documentation, estimate preparation, and insurer communications within the engagement. The association’s representation is distinct from representation of individual unit owners. Contact PAJOE about the proposed scope rather than assuming that a master-policy engagement includes every owner’s separate claim.

Keep Santa Rosa County lease records with the governing documents

Santa Rosa County’s official Navarre Beach lease amendment resource identifies a county-commission lease-amendment process and requests a master lease, assignment, or latest conveyance document. It provides primary-source confirmation of the county’s administration of Navarre Beach leasehold matters, not a reason to treat the community as a separate city government.

For an association with a leasehold interest, collect the actual master lease, assignments, and amendments alongside the declaration, bylaws, and policy. Confirm names and property descriptions. Do not assume all properties have identical lease terms or that a lease obligation establishes insurance coverage. Questions about lease interpretation or authority should go to qualified counsel.

Use the current statute without oversimplifying it

The official 2026 text of section 718.111(11) addresses residential condominium insurance. Paragraph (a) requires adequate association property insurance as determined under that paragraph. Paragraph (f) describes primary coverage for specified condominium property, including originally installed property or like-kind-and-quality replacement under the original plans and specifications, and qualifying alterations or additions.

That does not mean the master policy insures every item inside every unit. Paragraph (f) excludes specified unit-related property, including personal property and listed finishes, fixtures, appliances, cabinets, countertops, and window treatments within unit boundaries serving only that unit. The exact statutory language, policy, and property facts must be considered; “inside the unit” alone is not a reliable coverage boundary.

Insurance responsibility, maintenance responsibility, reconstruction authority, and allocation of uninsured expenses are different questions. Do not settle all four by labeling something a common element. Obtain legal guidance where the declaration, statute, or allocation of costs is disputed. This article does not prescribe a special assessment or decide responsibility for an individual loss.

Assemble the master-policy file before comparing estimates

Collect the complete master policy, schedules, endorsements, declarations, current insurance valuation information, and relevant correspondence. Identify the buildings and property insured, applicable deductibles, limits, exclusions, and loss-settlement terms. A certificate of insurance is not a substitute for the policy.

Keep the declaration and available plans accessible to the reviewer. They can help identify original components and later alterations, but they do not eliminate the need to inspect and document actual damage. Preserve prior maintenance records and earlier condition reports so new damage is not confused with an existing issue.

Record who is authorized to communicate, approve submissions, and retain professionals under the association’s governing process. This is a file-management recommendation, not a statement that one particular board approval procedure fits every association.

Document common areas systematically

Assign a location identifier to each building, elevation, roof area, corridor, stair, equipment room, and other affected common area. Use the same identifier in photographs, reports, and estimates. Wide views establish location; close-ups show the condition being discussed.

• Separate observed damage from a proposed cause.
• Identify whether an area was accessible and note inspection limitations.
• Preserve evidence of temporary protection and emergency expenses.
• Request itemized proposals distinguishing removal, repair, replacement, and finishing.
• Keep any written code or permit requirement with the associated estimate item.
• Track revised quantities and explain why they changed.

Do not assume all buildings sustained identical damage. If sampling is used in a professional investigation, preserve the report’s scope and limitations rather than presenting sampled findings as a complete inspection of every component.

Coordinate with owners without merging their claims

Give owners a consistent way to report unit conditions, with dates, photographs, location descriptions, and safe access arrangements. Explain who receives reports and how updates will be shared. Avoid telling owners that the association’s claim automatically resolves their contents, living-expense, or other individual coverage questions.

Maintain a component-level record when damage crosses a unit boundary. For example, a hypothetical leak may affect an assembly, a finish, and personal belongings. Those items should be documented separately before insurance responsibility is assigned. Do not duplicate the same repair expense across submissions without explaining the overlap.

Owners seeking their own policy perspective can use the Perdido Key unit-owner guide. Keeping that material separate allows this guide to focus on board coordination rather than repeating an HO-6 overview.

Keep financial and communication records understandable

Track claimed amounts, insurer estimates, payments, deductibles, invoices, and proposed work separately. A contractor’s price is not necessarily the insured amount, and an initial insurer payment is not necessarily a final accounting. Ask for explanations of depreciation, omitted items, and coverage positions before characterizing every difference as unpaid covered damage.

Maintain a dated decision log and protect personal information when sharing owner reports. Refer disputes over legal allocation, releases, or governing-document interpretation to counsel. PAJOE can present supported claim positions but does not provide legal advice, perform or arrange repairs, or decide coverage. See the fee section below for agreement terms and the Navarre Beach service-area page for the location reference.

Frequently asked questions

Does the association policy cover everything inside a unit?

No blanket statement is appropriate. Section 718.111(11)(f) includes specified property and excludes listed unit-related items. Review the actual component, statutory language, and master policy rather than using the unit boundary as the sole test.

Can owners’ photographs help the master claim?

Yes, organized photographs can help identify conditions and access needs. Preserve dates, locations, and original files. Owner observations should remain distinguishable from professional findings and should not be treated as proof of cause without support.

Does retaining PAJOE for the association include each owner?

Do not assume it does. The engagement identifies the represented policyholder and scope. Individual owners may have separate interests, policies, and questions requiring their own review or legal advice.

Contact PAJOE Public Adjusters

Request a free initial claim review or call (850) 842-6424.

PAJOE Public Adjusters
Florida Public Adjusting Firm License # W894577
Joseph Whitefall | Florida Public Adjuster
Individual License # E166230

Fees

Our public adjusting fee is contingent on a recovery. Before you retain PAJOE, we explain the agreed percentage and the payments to which it applies. Fee terms are set out in our signed agreement. Any outside expenses require separate written authorization consistent with applicable Florida law.

PAJOE provides public adjusting services and does not provide legal advice. Coverage and recovery depend on the applicable policy, the facts of the loss, and supporting evidence. No particular coverage decision, payment amount, additional recovery, or resolution timeframe is guaranteed. Fees and authorized expenses are governed by the applicable written agreements and Florida law.

Sources

• Florida Statutes (2026) — s. 718.111, condominium association insurance
• Santa Rosa County — Navarre Beach lease amendment request