Property

We are all aware of the human tragedy involved in the landslide which buried homes in Darrington, Washington in March 2014. From the perspective of our industry, the first question…

An insured’s party guest wore spiked high heels that left major dents in his home’s hardwood floors. The adjuster has denied the damage, citing the “marring” and “wear and tear”…

What if snow that accumulates on a roof over time results in collapse? Could the carrier deny the claim, citing the “Neglect” exclusion in the HO policy due to the…

An insured suffered severe water damage to the interior of the second floor of a dwelling. A heavy rain storm caused water to accumulate on a second floor deck which…

A contractor built a new inground pool for the insured. After the pool was installed, an underground leak was discovered in a water line between the house and pool after…

A large, ornate wooden bowl was scheduled on the insured’s HO policy. The bowl was accidentally broken and the insurer denied the claim citing the exclusion for “breakage of art…

A number of years ago, ISO added “concurrent causation” exclusionary wording to its personal and commercial lines property forms. This was done in response to several onerous court decisions that…

While it’s an unpleasant topic to consider, sometimes people pass away in their homes and their bodies are undiscovered for weeks. Decomposition can lead to decay and loss of body…

A boulder dislodged from a hillside and ended up inside a home at the bottom. Is this excluded as earth movement or would it be covered as a falling object…

If the volume of “Ask an Expert” questions we get is any indication, the “wear and tear” exclusion in auto and property policies–both personal and commercial lines–is one of the…