Back when my husband and I first got married, we did what many newlywed couples did- we made purchases to enhance our brand new condominium unit. One of these was a large 50 gallon fishtank complete with a wooden cabinet stand. We spent a great deal of time picking out accessories for our fishtank and setting it up. My husband filled it with water and set up the pumps. Then, we followed the instructions that said we should let it sit for a few days before adding any fish. The following day, my husband I went off to work.
We returned home that evening to find a DISASTER! The Condominium Association had broken into our apartment because of complaints from the unit below that water was pouring down from their ceiling. The fishtank glass had somehow burst and our unit was flooded with shattered glass and water. Our furniture and carpeting was ruined! Not only that, but water had seeped through the wall behind the fishtank and had destroyed clothing, books and other items! The wall had significant amounts of water damage, not to mention the damage on the flooring and to the roof and wall of the unit below us. We were devastated. We contacted the manufacturer of the tank and they sent out a public adjuster to assess the amount of damages. The numbers that he claimed were extremely low and not enough to even come close to repairing the damage to our unit and the unit below us. At the time, my husband and I weren’t aware that we were entitled to have our own public insurance adjuster represent us. We didn’t realize that the insurance adjuster that had come out to our home was representing the best interests of the fishtank manufacturer, not us.
By: Jamie Yonan
