The title of this month’s column is obviously a cinematic play on words, referencing the well-known catchphrase from the movie “The Sixth Sense.” For those of you who saw the movie, you were probably shocked, or at least surprised, the …
A consumer contacted me via email with an interesting coverage inquiry: “Two questions, please: “I have an in-home ‘business’ involving the manufacturing and distribution of toys for children. I do not charge for these toys and earn no income from …
In over 30 years of assisting agents and others in resolving insurance claims, some issues just keep coming up over, and over, again. One such dilemma involves “matching” issues, especially in homeowners insurance claims where hail or windstorm cause damage …
To paraphrase Sir Walter Scott, “Oh what a tangled web we weave when we try to figure out coverage under multiple insurance policies.” This month, I’d like to feature a real-life coverage scenario involving both personal and commercial lines policies …
Sometimes, in responding to coverage requests or loss exposure identification, we make decisions that may result in unintended (often bad) consequences. Too often, these decisions involve what I refer to as “premium games.” More on this later. To illustrate, one …
A question that often arises in homeowners insurance is whether a structure is insured under Coverage A – Dwelling or under Coverage B – Other Structures. The answer can impact both the limit and valuation method that applies. With regard …
A book I’m considering writing, probably next year, is about how to make insurance more understandable, not only to policyholders, but also to the industry itself. For example, whether the use of a vehicle, from lawn mowers to watercraft and …
It’s now boating season in most parts of the country, so let’s explore some watercraft coverage issues under homeowners insurance. For the educational and illustrative purposes of this article, we’re using the 2011 ISO HO 00 03 (hereinafter, the HO3). …
Over the past 20-plus years, I have answered many hundreds of questions about certificates of insurance (COIs). The first webinar I did on COIs sold out 1,000 connections and a second session had to be scheduled. About 7,000 people attended …
On a recent insurance social media page, an agent was looking for a market for a $2 million home that had experienced a $540,000 plumbing leak claim and the carrier had nonrenewed. A few weeks earlier, another agent had been …
