17:36-8. Official certificate of search required

No insurer issuing fire insurance policies in this State shall pay any claims for fire damages in excess of $2,500.00 on any real property located within a municipality having adopted an ordinance pursuant to section 2 of this act, unless or until: the insured person submits an official certificate of search for municipal liens pursuant to R.S. 54:5-12, certifying that all taxes, assessments or other municipal liens or charges, levied and assessed and due and payable against said property have been paid and, if required by an ordinance adopted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of that section, an official certificate, on a form prescribed and certified by the municipality, that demolition is not required or that the cost of demolition have been paid; or the municipality submits a certified copy of a resolution adopted pursuant to section 4 of this act. If the demolition has not yet occurred on the date of receipt by a municipality of a request for execution of the certificate required by this section, the insured shall provide on that certificate an estimate of the anticipated costs of demolition. The insurer on notice to the insured shall pay the anticipated cost of demolition to the municipality, which shall hold the funds in an interest bearing escrow account in a State or federally chartered bank, savings bank or savings and loan association in this State.

Any request, pursuant to this section, for an official certificate of search for municipal liens shall specify that the search concerns fire damaged property.

L. 1978, c. 184, s. 1. Amended by L. 1979, c. 369, s. 1, eff. Feb. 4, 1980; L. 1984, c. 244, s. 1, eff. Jan. 3, 1985; L. 1985, c. 519, s. 1, eff. Jan. 21, 1986.