Scarborough at a glance
- County
- Cumberland County
- Region
- Greater Portland & Casco Bay
- Neighborhoods and villages
- Pine Point
- Higgins Beach
- Prouts Neck
- Blue Point
- Oak Hill
- Dunstan
- Scarborough Marsh
- Housing mix
- Shingle-style summer homes on Prouts Neck, cottages and year-round homes at Pine Point and Higgins Beach, colonials and capes in newer subdivisions, and a large stock of condos and townhouse associations near Oak Hill and Route 1.
- Common claim risks
- Marsh and surge water
- Shorefront wind
- Ice dams
- Condo water losses
Storms on record
- Jan 2024Back-to-back coastal storms. Surge closed every road to Pine Point; crews pumped over a million gallons of sea and marsh water.
- Feb 1978Blizzard of 1978. Portland-gauge record tide of 14.17 ft drove surge into low-lying Casco Bay shorefronts.
- Oct 2017October windstorm. Record statewide outages; trees and limbs down across Scarborough’s wooded subdivisions.
The marsh, the beaches and everything between
Scarborough wraps around the largest salt marsh in the state, and its housing follows the water. Pine Point, Blue Point and Higgins Beach are dense with cottages and year-round homes close to the dunes. Prouts Neck holds large shingle-style summer houses. Inland, Oak Hill and Dunstan have colonials, capes and a growing number of condo and townhouse associations along the Route 1 corridor. A Scarborough insurance appraiser sees every type of Cumberland County claim inside a single town.
January 2024 on Pine Point and Higgins Beach
When the January 13, 2024 storm drove the Portland gauge to a new record, Scarborough’s coastal neighborhoods took moderate to significant damage. Every road to Pine Point closed, and town crews pumped more than a million gallons of sea and marsh water. Higgins Beach homes were battered by surf. The Blizzard of 1978, which set the previous tide record, is the only storm many residents compare it to.
Surge and marsh flooding are excluded under homeowners policies and belong to flood coverage. Wind-torn roofing, broken windows and wind-driven rain are usually property claims. Document each separately, with dated photos, before repairs begin.
Our guide to nor’easter wind versus flood in Maine covers how to sort a mixed loss.
Condo and association claims
Many Scarborough residents live in associations, where a roof leak or burst pipe triggers both the master policy and individual unit-owner policies. The association documents and policies decide who pays which part; disputes over the amount can then go to appraisal under each policy. Ice dams on long townhouse rooflines are a regular winter source of these claims. See our condo association appraisal page.
Pricing what Scarborough repairs really cost
- Shorefront work that needs permits and seasonal timing near dunes and marsh.
- Cedar shingle siding and trim on Prouts Neck and beach cottages.
- Matching siding and roofing across attached townhouse units.
- Contractor scarcity after a regional storm, when every Casco Bay town needs the same trades.
Prouts Neck and the larger shorefront homes bring their own issues: custom millwork, cedar shingle exteriors, high-end finishes and long lead times for materials. Carrier estimates built on standard grades often miss the quality of what was there. On the other end, Oak Hill and Dunstan subdivisions face ice dams, wind-damaged siding and fallen trees, and the questions there usually turn on matching and the full scope of interior damage.
The October 2017 windstorm, with record outages statewide, also brought trees and limbs down across Scarborough’s wooded subdivisions. Whether the loss is wind, water or ice, an insurance appraiser in Scarborough can help only on the amount of loss. For coverage disputes and policy deadlines, consult a Maine attorney.
Appraisal work for Scarborough properties
Every Maine Insurance Appraiser service is available in Scarborough and the surrounding towns, including:
- Homeowner Claim Appraisal
- Nor’easter & Hurricane Appraisal
- Water Damage Appraisal
- Ice Dam & Snow Load Appraisal
- Fallen Tree Damage Appraisal
- Insurance Estimate Review
Scarborough questions
Is Pine Point surge damage from January 2024 covered by my homeowners policy?
Surge and marsh flooding are generally excluded and fall under flood insurance. Wind damage to the roof, siding or windows from the same storm is usually handled under the homeowners policy.
My Scarborough condo leak involves the association and my own policy. Where do I start?
Start with the association’s documents and both policies to see who covers which part. Once that is clear, disputes over the amount can go to appraisal under the relevant policy.
Can appraisal address matching siding on attached townhouse units?
It can address the amount needed to make a reasonable repair, including matching where your policy and Maine practice support it. Coverage questions about matching are for the policy and a Maine attorney.