Rental Cars and Insurance: I Was Wrong (Sort of)
When your insured rents a car is the coverage provided by his/her personal auto policy primary or excess? The reality is, there is no one answer. The answer is a…
Personal Lines
Three Personal Auto Questions Every Agent Must Know How to Answer
Regardless what the commercials tell us, personal auto coverage is not one-size-fits-all. Every insured has unique arrangements and exposures. These lead to uneasiness and questions – hopefully. This article attempts…
Why Ask the Underwriter
When agents have coverage questions, they sometimes ask the underwriter for a coverage interpretation. Interested and concerned members of the VU faculty want to know why in the world you…
Additional Living Expense: Be Careful the Advice You Take
Additional Living Expense is specifically limited in the HO policy; however, at least one group that undertakes to provide “expert” opinions believes that there is no limit. Be careful the…
Lawyers Are Reckless: Reasonable Recommendations Result in Uncovered Loss
No need to sugar-coat my opinion about lawyers. But, lest you think I’m just being mean, the crux of this article is that lawyers make reasonable and even good recommendations…
When Does the Carrier’s Duty to Defend End?
Although it seems reasonable that the carrier’s duty to defend ends when no insurable allegations remain in the suit – this is not necessarily always true. Some courts have a…
Lawyers Dwell On Small Details: Court Defines “The” — The Sometimes Overlooked Issue
Attorney Randy Maniloff introduces us to the difference between “the” insured and “an” or “any” insured in the insurance policy. Many ignore these little words (“the,” “an” or “any”) in…
Valued Policy Laws: What is a “Valued Policy”
Valued policy laws require the insurance carrier to pay the face amount of the policy if the structure is a “total loss.” In these situations, it does not matter if…
Personal and Advertising Injury: Another Case Where ISO May Be Broader
Proprietary coverage forms are not always better than Insurance Services Office (ISO) forms. Careful comparison is required to confirm the insured is not harmed by non-ISO language. A recent Illinois…
Duty to Defend – In the Words of the Court
Generally, an insurer’s duty to defend flows from the facts alleged in the lawsuit. When the pleadings alleged damage or injury that is covered by the policy, the insurance carrier…