By The Restoration HQ desk · · filed under Coverage Law
Florida court: demo before you report, lose the claim
In Global Approach v. Scottsdale (S.D. Fla., June 1, 2026), the court sided with the insurer: a six-week reporting delay plus demolition and repairs done before notice violated the prompt-notice clause and barred the whole claim.
FORThis ruling is a gift if you use it. It makes "we report and document before we cut anything" a selling point that protects the homeowner's check and your invoice.
AGAINSTCarriers now have fresh case law to deny legitimate emergency mitigation as "pre-notice repairs." Doing your job fast can be turned against the policyholder, and you're the one left unpaid.
Consensus vs. contrarianConsensus: document everything. Contrarian worth owning: the real lesson is sequencing: notice first, photos before demo, and a written carrier acknowledgment before the saw comes out. Speed without that sequence is now a liability, not a virtue.
Sources Property Insurance Law Observer (Cozen O'Connor), Court Bars Coverage for Late Notice and Pre-Notice Repairs (published )
Terms in this story: IICRC