OAKLAND, Calif. _ The landlord of the Ghost Ship warehouse where 36 people died in a fire on Dec. 2 has avoided prosecution, but she's set to collect at least $3.1 million in insurance payments, according to an insurance document obtained exclusively by the Bay Area News Group.
Claims Adjusting Group has reserved $3.1 million to pay Chor Ng, who owns the Fruitvale District warehouse and adjacent properties, to cover her property and liability policy. The document indicates she has received more than $670,000 so far, likely to cover her attorney's fees and facility security costs.
However, Ng's $6 million liability insurance maximum will likely never make its way to the dozens of victims suing her and other agencies for the deadly fire, one insurance expert says.
"Everything will likely be exhausted long before they go to trial," said Karl Susman, owner of Susman Insurance Agency and expert insurance witness, who reviewed the Ng document. "And then she personally might declare bankruptcy."
The insurance document was obtained Tuesday, and on Wednesday Derick Almena, master tenant at the former unpermitted arts collective, and his second-in-command Max Harris pleaded not guilty to 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Ng and her family have not been criminally charged in the case, however they are defendants in dozens of civil claims.
The insurance claim document shows two Ghost Ship related claims resulting from the Dec. 2 fire. Ng's policy covers a block of properties she owns there, from 1305 to 1313 31st Ave. and 3065 to 3073 International Blvd.
Ng paid $2,265 this year for a policy that includes $1.6 million for property damage coverage on the warehouse, according to the record, and $1 million of basic liability coverage. The policy includes $5 million in extra liability coverage. Such a low premium is not unusual for commercial warehouse insurance, Susman said.
"When you think about it what's going to happen at a warehouse?" he said. "The only real exposure is in the event of something like this happening which is unusual."
According to the document, the insurer has estimated it will have to pay Ng more than $2.1 million for the property damage, citing as a description of the claim: "Building intended for warehouse use may have facilitated a Rave or other unintended/unauthorized activity by the tenant."
Susman said he was "puzzled" why the insurance company was willing to pay out $2.1 million for the building when the policy only covers $1.6 million for property damage.
The insurance company has already activated Ng's basic liability coverage of $1 million, according to the record, and has paid more than $670,000 to her already. Susman said that money has likely been spent on attorneys, public relations consultants, warehouse security and other costs.
A judge ordered Ng to hire around-the-clock security at the burned out warehouse and at a debris dump site to secure possible evidence from the fire. Her attorneys have been working with public relations consultant Sam Singer since the fire.
Singer said he would check with Ng's attorneys Wednesday to see if they had a comment on the insurance revelations.
Outside Alameda County Superior Court on Wednesday, Harris' attorney Curtis Briggs was incensed over the insurance claims. Ng "became a triple millionaire" overnight but has not given condolences or "even a dollar to any victim family," he said.
Briggs questioned why prosecutors are going after his client and Almena, whom he described as "artists with no money."
With Ng avoiding prosecution, Susman said it was unlikely Claims Adjusting Group would fail to honor its policy. An insurance policy is a contract between two private parties, he said, so they will be paid, unless they find fraud or criminal intent.
If Ng is later charged with a crime, the insurance company could subrogate, or move to get its claim money back, from the landlord, he said.
County records show Ng owns properties along 31st Avenue, including an open lot, the Ghost Ship warehouse, an auto body shop and multiple adjacent properties around the corner on International Boulevard, subdivided into three parcels. According to county assessor documents, the properties were valued collectively at $1 million in 2017-18.
Ng and her husband purchased the properties in 1988 and she was awarded the buildings through a divorce in 1997, according to county records.
The landlord has not spoken publicly since the fire. Multiple attempts to reach her at her East Oakland home have been unsuccessful. Her few comments have come through her civil attorney Stephen Dreher and Singer.
