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Why Do I Need A Snow & Ice Contract In Puget Sound?
Many HOA and condo boards ask themselves every year if they need a snow contract? After all this is Seattle, it will melt off by noon. Let’s look at a few issues before deciding. There are 1 million slip and fall claims every year, in the US. The average slip and fall claim is $48,000. What is your association liable for? Are you insured for this?
Liability Control
As a property owner or community association manager, including the board, you are obligated to provide “reasonable care” in providing a safe environment for your homeowners and tenants. Look at your common areas. Do you have steep hills? Lots of stairs? Are your sidewalks flat? Think about the age ranges of your homeowners. Can your elderly population get safely to their car, and out to the public streets? If you decide not to address this, are the board members liable if there is a slip and fall? We live in a very litigious society these days.
Liability control will give you the upper hand in defending lawsuits and will give you the opportunity to decrease insurance costs associated with your facilities.
Slip & Fall Injuries
Slip and fall injuries are extremely common in and around common areas:
- The national safety council estimates that approximately 8.9 million trips are made to emergency rooms annually from slips, trips and falls.
- Secondly, they report that slip and trip falls resulted in 25,000 deaths in 2009 and is listed as the second leading cause of accidental death.
- Slip and falls can lead to increased insurance premiums or cancellations of policies.
- Slip and falls can result in lost sales and damage to the stores bottom line.
- Slip and falls can also lead to the loss of key employees during critical industry time frames.
Custom Risk Management Plans
Be sure to have a strategic risk management plan in place. As each association is different, customization is important.

By Transblue
Chapter Happenings Sponsor, August 2022
Transblue has created a 150-point check list that once in place will allow you to view your assets from the point of “liability control.” Reach out if you’re interested.
Visit us online: transblue.com
Call: (425) 658-0098