Local claim risks
- Nor’easters
- Coastal surge (flood)
- Wind & falling trees
- Roof & siding damage
- Burst pipes
Housing mix
Staten Island is mostly detached and semi-detached one- and two-family homes, with townhouse developments, older frame houses on the North Shore and bungalows near the East Shore beaches.
Areas we visit
Midland Beach, New Dorp, Tottenville, Great Kills, St. George, Todt Hill, Oakwood, Port Richmond
The East Shore and Sandy
No part of New York City was hit harder by Superstorm Sandy than Staten Island’s East and South Shores. On October 29, 2012, surge swept through Midland Beach, South Beach, New Dorp Beach, Oakwood Beach and parts of Tottenville, and most of the city’s storm deaths occurred in the borough. Afterward, New York State offered buyouts in some of the hardest-hit low-lying areas, such as Oakwood Beach, and much of that land has been left to return to open space. For homeowners who stayed and rebuilt, the lesson was that flood, wind and rain intrusion are separate claims with separate rules.
Houses we see and how they get priced
Staten Island’s housing is closer to the suburbs than to the rest of the city: detached colonials and high-ranches, semi-detached two-families, townhouse rows from the 1980s and 1990s, and older Victorian and frame homes around St. George and Stapleton. Vinyl siding, asphalt shingles and finished basements are common, and so are matching problems. An insurer may approve one slope of shingles or one wall of siding when the product is discontinued and the house cannot be made to look uniform.
What owners push back on
- Siding and roofing approved in patches that will not match.
- Wind damage dismissed as “wear and tear” after a nor’easter.
- Water from wind-driven rain treated as flood.
- Semi-detached homes where the scope stops at the property line but the damage does not.
- Recoverable depreciation that is never released because paperwork stalls.
Older homes on the North Shore, around St. George, Stapleton and Port Richmond, add plaster, wood clapboard and steep, complicated rooflines to the mix. Those houses often sit on hills with limited access, which affects staging and labor. On the South Shore, many homes that were rebuilt or elevated after Sandy now have newer materials but different access challenges, with living space well above grade and long stair runs for crews.
Illustrative example: an estimate that replaces one slope of a discontinued shingle while the other three slopes stay in place may be thousands of dollars below the cost of a roof that actually matches.
Deductibles, depreciation and getting paid
Many Staten Island policies carry a percentage hurricane or windstorm deductible, generally between 1% and 5% of dwelling coverage, that applies only when the event matches the policy’s definition. Replacement-cost policies often pay actual cash value first and release the holdback after repairs. Our ACV and RCV holdback calculator can help you track what is still owed. We work in St. George, West Brighton, Port Richmond, Mariners Harbor, Grymes Hill, Todt Hill, Dongan Hills, New Dorp, Great Kills, Eltingville, Annadale, Huguenot and Tottenville. For storm work, see hurricane and nor’easter appraisal.
Appraisal services for Staten Island properties
Every New York Insurance Appraiser service is available in Staten Island and across Richmond County, including:
- Appraisal Clause Representation
- Homeowners Claim Appraisal
- Co-op, Condo & Commercial Appraisal
- Roof & Hail Damage Appraisal
- Windstorm & Tornado Appraisal
- Hurricane & Nor’easter Appraisal
- Water Damage Appraisal
- Fire & Smoke Damage Appraisal
Staten Island claim questions
Was the damage to my home flood or wind?
It can be both. Surge and rising water are generally excluded from homeowners policies, while wind and wind-driven rain often are covered. Clear documentation of how water entered is what separates the two.
Can I use appraisal if my insurer only approved a partial roof?
If you and your carrier agree the loss is covered but disagree on the scope or cost, appraisal is often available. Read the appraisal clause in your policy for the steps.