Commercial storm damage insurance claims can involve far more than determining whether wind or hail affected a property. Moisture intrusion, environmental concerns, pre-existing conditions, and questions surrounding the cause of damage can overlap, requiring expertise across multiple disciplines to develop an accurate understanding of the loss.
Following a severe storm, YA Group was engaged to evaluate a commercial property where the insurance claim involved alleged hail and wind conditions, moisture intrusion, and potential environmental concerns. To address the different components of the claim, YA brought together experts from business consulting, environmental, forensic meteorology, and forensic engineering.
Challenge Overview
The primary challenge of the investigation was determining which conditions at the property were attributable to the storm and which were pre-existing or otherwise unrelated to the event. Reaching that determination required evaluating the physical evidence alongside weather conditions, environmental concerns, and the costs associated with the claimed loss.
Rather than relying on a single expert to assess issues outside their primary area of expertise, YA assembled specialists who could independently evaluate each component while contributing to a coordinated investigation.
YA Group’s Area of Impact
Forensic engineers assessed the property’s physical conditions surrounding alleged wind and hail concerns, while forensic meteorologists analyzed the weather event to help determine whether observed conditions were consistent with the storm. Environmental specialists evaluated moisture and related environmental concerns, and business consulting provided additional support in assessing the claim.
Together, the four service lines developed a more comprehensive understanding of the loss. The investigation determined that some of the property’s resulting conditions were attributable to the storm, while other claimed conditions were unrelated to the event.
By combining specialized expertise within a single coordinated engagement, YA provided the client with an evidence-based assessment that distinguished supported claim items from pre-existing or unsupported conditions. The approximately $30,000 engagement demonstrates how bringing the right experts together can provide greater clarity and a more defensible basis for claim decisions.
