Auto Coverage

Liability Coverage

The liability coverage of the personal auto policy provides protection against legal liability arising out of the ownership or operation of an automobile. The insuring agreement agrees to pay damages for bodily injury or property damage for which the insured is legally responsible because of an automobile accident.

The liability limit can be written as a single limit that applies to both bodily injury and property damage. The policy can also be written with split limits in which the limits of insurance for bodily injury and property damage are stated separately.

The insuring agreement also states that in addition to the payment of damages for which the insured is legally liable, the insurer also agrees to defend the insured for all legal defense costs. The defense cost is in addition to the policy limits.

Medical Payments Coverage

The insuring agreement states that the insurer will pay all reasonable and necessary medical and funeral expenses incurred by an insured because of bodily injury caused by an accident. Payment can be made for expenses incurred within three years from the date of the accident. The insured is the named insured and family members, and any other person injured while occupying a covered auto. Pedestrians or cyclists are also considered the insured when struck by a vehicle. These payments are made without regard to fault.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

This insuring agreement pays for bodily injury to an insured who is injured by an uninsured motorist, a hit-and-run driver, or a driver whose insurer becomes insolvent. Some states offer coverage for property damage as part of the uninsured motorist coverage. Usually when property damage is added a deductible would apply.

Underinsured Motorist Coverage

This coverage can be added to the policy to supplement the uninsured motorist coverage. The coverage must be added to all automobiles listed on the policy, and it must be added for the same limit as the Uninsured Motorist Coverage. Underinsured motorist coverage applies when a negligent driver has liability limits at the time of an accident, but the liability limits carried may be insufficient to pay for damages that the negligent driver is responsible for. This is when the insured's underinsured motorists coverage would apply and payment for the difference could be made. The two coverages are mutually exclusive and do not overlap or duplicate each other. An insured can collect under one coverage or the other depending on the situation, but not under both.

Physical Damage Coverages

Collision Coverage

This coverage provides protection against the upset of your auto or non-owned auto or a collision with another vehicle or object. Collision losses are paid regardless of fault.

Comprehensive Coverage

This coverage provides protection against any loss or damage to a covered auto resulting from loss other than a collision or upset, or a loss specifically excluded. This coverage also provides for supplemental payments for transportation expenses in the event of total theft of a covered auto or a non-owned auto. The auto must be insured for comprehensive or specified cause of loss coverage. Coverage begins forty-eight hours after a theft of a covered auto. Payments end when the auto is returned to use or the insurer pays for its loss.

Endorsements

Extended Transportation Expense Coverage (Rental Reimbursement)

This coverage applies when a covered auto or non-owned auto is withdrawn from use more than twenty-four hours due to a loss, other then theft. The insuring agreement agrees to pay up to the stated amount for expenses incurred in renting a vehicle. The coverage usually carries a per day limit and a maximum amount limit.

Towing and Labor Coverage

This coverage pays for towing and labor cost each time a covered auto or non-owned auto is disabled, up to the stated amount.

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Homeowners Coverage

The homeowners policy provides protection against the financial consequences of personal losses. A homeowners policy is a combination of property and liability coverages. The homeowners policy is tailored to meet the needs of a homeowner. The following is a basic outline of the homeowners (HO-3) policy and the endorsements most widely used on the HO-3 policy.

The HO-3 policy provides coverages for one or two family dwellings that are owner occupied. The HO-3 policy provides coverage against risks of direct physical loss to real property, except for those causes of loss that are specifically excluded. Personal property is covered against direct physical loss caused by a specified peril. In addition to the coverages stated under Section I, several additional coverages are included. Some of the coverages included are; debris removal, fire department charges, reasonable repairs charges, property removal charges, and coverage for trees, shrubs and plants. Coverage is also included for loss involving credit cards, forgery, and counterfeit money. These additional coverages are included to provide protection for the insured following a covered property loss. Each additional coverage has limitations and is subject to certain conditions.

Dwelling

This amount of insurance applies to the dwelling and attached structures. The limit of insurance for the dwelling is based on the value of the home and what it would cost to replace the home.

Other Structures

This coverage limit applies to detached structures such as a garage or storage shed. The limit of coverage is set at 10% of the dwelling. The insured can purchase a higher limit.

Personal Property

Coverage C provides worldwide coverage for personal property of the insured. Special limits apply to some types of property, and some property is excluded from coverage. The overall limit for coverage C is 70% of the dwelling limit. Coverage C can be modified in several ways with endorsements.

Loss of Use

This coverage applies in the event of a loss under Coverage A. If the insured was to temporarily lose use of the dwelling this coverage would apply. Payment would be made for expenses incurred to live elsewhere following a loss that makes the home unsuitable for living. Another method used to determine payment for loss of use is fair rental value, which is the amount of rent that could reasonably be charged for the premises, less any expenses that do not continue while the premises are unsuitable for living.

Personal Liability

Section II of the homeowners policy provides liability coverage for personal loss exposures. The insuring agreement under Coverage E provides liability coverage if a claim is made or suit is brought against an insured because of bodily injury or property damage. Coverage is provided for the residence premise as well as any other premises used by the insured, as a residence, permanently or temporarily. Liability coverage is provided for the named insured and members of the named insured's household who are relatives. Personal liability has a basic limit of $100,000 per occurrence, which the insured may increase for an additional premium. In addition to the basic limit, Coverage E also provides additional coverages for expenses such as defense cost, expenses incurred providing first aid to others, damage to property of others and loss assessment charges. The additional coverages provided under Section E are subject to limitations and certain conditions.

Medical Payments

This coverage will pay the necessary medical expenses for bodily injury of others. Coverage applies to accidents that occur on the insured premises or any location when caused by action of the insured. The coverage has a basic limit of $1,000 per person. The insured may select higher limits.

Endorsements

Inflation Guard Endorsement

When this endorsement is added to the policy, it increases the limit of coverage for A, B, C, and D. The insured selects the percentage of increase for the year and the limits are automatically increased at certain dates throughout the year.

Earthquake Coverage Endorsement

Earthquake coverage is excluded under Section I of a homeowners policy. Adding this endorsement removes the exclusion and adds earthquake coverage which is subject to a deductible for each coverage under Section I.

Scheduled Personal Property

The scheduled personal property endorsement is used to provide coverage for risk of direct loss for such items as jewelry, furs, cameras, musical instruments, silverware, golfer's equipment, fine arts, postage stamps and rare coins. Scheduled property can be insured for any amount the insured requires. Personal Property Replacement Cost

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The Personal Umbrella Policy was designed to provide coverage in the event of a catastrophic claim, lawsuit, or judgment. Personal umbrella policies provide excess liability insurance over the insured's basic primary policies, such as the homeowners, personal auto and boaters policies.  Coverage is provided on a worldwide basis for the entire family. Umbrella policies pay only after the limits of the underlying primary policies are exhausted. Coverage is usually broader and applies to some loss exposures not covered by the primary policies. A typical umbrella policy will provide coverage on a single limit occurrence basis. Coverage is provided for bodily injury and property damage liability. Defense costs are also covered, normally in addition to the liability limit, and sometimes included as a part of the total limit. A self insured retention must be met when certain losses are covered under the umbrella policy but not covered under the primary policy. The insurer requires the insured to carry certain minimum amounts of liability insurance on primary policies. Coverage under a personal umbrella policy can vary depending on the insurer since there is not a standard personal umbrella policy form.

Self Insured Retention

The self insured retention is the amount of the loss the insured must pay before the umbrella policy would be required to respond. The retention would only apply when a loss is excluded from coverage under the primary policy, but not excluded under the umbrella policy.

Required Underlying Limits

This is a requirement of the insurer, it requires the insured to have certain minimum amounts of primary liability insurance before the umbrella policy can be written. Usually the required limits are $250,000 per person and $500,000 per occurrence on bodily injury liability and $100,000 for property damage liability under the auto policy. The personal liability insurance limits must be at least $300,000 under the homeowners policy. Insured's that have a watercraft liability exposure are usually required to carry at least $500,000 in liability coverage. However, these required underlying limits can very among insurers.

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