The argument
Carrier position: "Damage resulted from deferred maintenance, not a covered event."
What carriers cite
- Visible wear
- Aging systems
- Prior damage or staining
- "Preventable" scenarios
How to counter
Maintenance records
- Recent inspections
- Contractor visits
- Service history
- Photographs of maintenance
Event documentation
- Specific event caused damage (not neglect)
- Sudden failure mode
- Weather or external trigger
- Expert causation report
Policy interpretation
- Maintenance exclusions are narrow
- Cover sudden and accidental regardless of age
- Proximate cause analysis