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 owe anything if damage was the result of a meth lab?
A dock is damaged by a covered peril but the carrier denies the claim, citing the “piers, wharves, docks” exclusion. You argue that his language applies to permanent docks, not portable docks like the one damaged. Who’s right and, if the insurer is correct, is there a solution for this coverage gap?
A toilet overflows in a 4-story frame condo building and causes damage to structural components on all floors. Does the ISO CP 10 30 Special Causes of Loss cover this? What about their BOP policy? Would an ISO HO-3 cover a similar loss in a home?
A home is located on a lake that is covered in ice during the winter. In the spring, when the ice breaks up, a strong wind “pushes” ice across the lake and the backyard and into the dwelling. Is this damage covered by an HO policy? If it’s a commercial building, is it covered? What…
Sometimes we come across policy exclusions that shouldn’t be there but, due to human error, they’re there. If such inappropriate exclusions are used to deny a claim, what should be done? One view is to sue, sue, sue those greedy insurance companies. Another view is resolve the problem without litigation and work to change the…
A homeowner has his vinyl siding painted a darker color. Direct or reflected sunlight then causes the siding to warp. Does his HO policy cover this damage? If liable, does a neighbor’s HO policy cover a liability claim that the damage was due to reflected light from the neighbor’s windows? To answer the question of…
In July 2015, on the campus of UCLA, a 30-inch water main had some sort of catastrophic failure, causing a massive geyser of water, estimated to be around 30-feet high, to erupt from under the road. Over 20,000,000 gallons of water gushed into campus buildings and lower levels of parking decks, stranding over 1,000 cars.…
A boat dock was damaged by boats blown in a windstorm. The adjuster has denied the claim, citing the “water damage” exclusion reference to water damage “whether or not driven by wind.” Does this exclusion apply in this non-ISO homeowners policy?
A squirrel entered a community center building that had just undergone a $2 million renovation. It either gnawed some wiring or otherwise came in contact with the electrical system, causing a major power surge. Three newly installed HVAC systems were severely damaged, along with parts of the boiler system. Estimated damage was $300,000. Is this…
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 is whether a “landslide” is covered by most homeowner policies. And, since this may have been more of a “mudslide” than a landslide, is it…
