Telematics: Big Brother in the Flesh
Usage-based-insurance, UBI or telematics is here, though not yet widespread. However, eventually carriers will find a way to make telematics part of every driver’s life. Are there any up or…
Personal Lines
Meth Labs, Explosions, and Homeowners’ Insurance
A house exploded in Charlotte, NC. Rumors of a meth lab began to swirl leading to an analysis of the HO policy to answer the question, does the insurance carrier…
A Real-World Insurance Learning Laboratory
Although May is the National Wildfire Awareness month, June is the month that brings back memories for me of the two most catastrophic wildfires in Colorado’s history (based on insured…
3 Underutilized Homeowners’ Endorsements
In the “HO-2000 world,” ISO has promulgated over 145 homeowners’ endorsements. Some of these endorsements take protection away (we want to stay away from those), some apply to specific exposures…
5 Key PAP Eligibility Questions
When writing a PAP, the “risk” must meet specific eligibility guidelines. Five of these eligibility guidelines are discussed in this article.
Kids at College: Does ISO’s Age Limitation Really Apply?
Based on the dictionary meaning of “resident,” is there really an age limitation on kids away at college? Paragraph 5.a.(1) states that an insured is a relative who is a…
Vacation Coverage – Or the Lack of Coverage: A Far-Out Tale of an Eventful Vacation
What coverage does your insured have when they travel for vacation? More importantly, what coverage don’t they have? Although there is worldwide protection for the insured’s stuff, what are the…
News from the Front Lines: Insurance War Stories That Make You Go, “What?”
What an industry we chose! We get to see the good, the bad, the ugly, the stupid and utterly ridiculous. This is the stuff of legend and it reminds us…
Trusts: Watch Out – Lawyers Strike Again
Trusts are often used as a means to avoid some of the issues related to probate and estate taxes. However, the lawyers rarely tell insureds that when a trust is…
Why Defining Actual Cash Value is Amazingly Difficult
The concept of actual cash value (ACV) is far more complicated than “replacement cost minus physical depreciation.” In fact, the meaning of replacement cost differs based on the state. To…
