Building Codes Policy Coverage

In the insurance world, there’s often a gap between policyholders’ expectations and what insurance carriers actually cover. This gap can arise from a lack of knowledge about local building codes, leading to missed items or omissions in insurance claims. Contractors may unwittingly find themselves performing uncompensated work, either due to not requesting payment for specific items or lacking awareness of allowable expenses.

Understanding Ordinance or Law Coverage

Ordinance or Law Coverage stands as a pivotal component within insurance policies, particularly when building regulations influence reimbursements for construction and repairs. The Insurance Information Institute informed policyholders that “building codes are updated periodically and may have changed significantly since a home was built. In the event of damage, a policyholder may be required to rebuild their home to the new code’s standards.” Homeowners’ policies usually include limited building ordinance coverage, which can be extended through an endorsement. This coverage requires carriers to approve repairs following local building codes, compelling contractors to address often-excluded elements like ice and water shields, drip edges, house wraps, and flashings.

Research and Communication

Empowerment lies at the heart of effective insurance claims management. This begins by investing time in comprehending local building codes and manufacturer specifications, coupled with proactive engagement with Building Inspectors. Armed with such knowledge, policyholders gain a more authoritative position when negotiating with insurance carriers. This ultimately ensures equitable compensation for essential repairs, transforming potential challenges into opportunities for a fair resolution.

Navigating Your Policy’s Stance on Ordinance or Law Coverage

One of the most prudent steps policyholders can take is a comprehensive review of their current policy to determine whether Ordinance or Law coverage is included. Overlooking this coverage could lead to unforeseen out-of-pocket expenses or suboptimal repairs that fall short of complete replacement. To locate this part of your policy coverage, “review your declarations page and the policy fine print.  Not all policies list code upgrade coverage in the same way,” as advised by United Policyholders. If your policy lacks this coverage, our Premier Claims team is here to guide you toward incorporating it. We understand the significance of such coverage and its role in safeguarding your interests.

Seeking Assistance with Denied or Underpaid Claims

Navigating insurance claims can sometimes be a complex journey, especially when they’re denied due to local codes. It’s in these moments that policyholders need a steadfast partner. At Premier Claims, we stand ready to assist, armed with adept knowledge, empathy, and professionalism. Our commitment is to guide you through the claims process, ensuring that you receive the rightful compensation you deserve. Facing denied claims due to local codes is not a solitary battle when you have Premier Claims by your side.

In the realm of property insurance claims, knowledge is indeed power. Premier Claims’ dedication to education and assistance reflects our commitment to fostering a more informed policyholder community. By unveiling the intricacies of building codes and insurance coverage, we aim to empower you to navigate claims with confidence. Let our expertise serve as your beacon, ensuring that you not only understand but also assert your rights within the insurance landscape. Connect with us today to embark on a journey of knowledge, empowerment, and fair claims resolution.

 

Coronavirus & Business Interruption Insurance Coverage

The Coronavirus global pandemic has significantly impacted not only individuals throughout the world but businesses and their employees’ livelihoods. The United States pledges almost $1 trillion to bail out big businesses and banks, aiming to soften outcomes. However, this action will only help limited small businesses and won’t safeguard the future of everyday working Americans. With an uncertain timeline ahead for the economic impact, many businesses will experience interruption and may fail, resulting in an ever-growing unemployment rate, and a frightening time for those directly affected.

For businesses grappling with prolonged closures due to COVID-19, Premier Claims, a National Public Adjusting Firm, brings hope. We stand by policyholders, advocating for property and business insurance claims. While policies usually cover direct physical loss, extensions might also cover lost revenue during a business interruption. There may also be further coverage for business interruption based on a civil authority shutdown.

Business Interruption Coverage

This coverage typically allows for the recovery of lost income and associated extra expenses.  This coverage requires the interruption resulting from direct physical loss or damage of the insured property caused by a covered peril.  As many states mandate businesses too close, they are specifically referencing that this is being done, at least in part, due to the damage the virus is doing to the property.  This is opening up the door to potential business interruption claims.

Civil Authority Coverage

This coverage is designed to apply when access to an insured’s property is hindered by a civil authority’s order due to physical damage. The damage must result from an insured peril affecting nearby property. This coverage also is opening the door to potential claims.

Whether or not you are going to have coverage is very dependent on your policy.  Many policies have an exclusion of loss due to viruses or bacteria.  These exclusions generally mean that the carrier will not pay for loss or damage caused or resulting from any virus, bacterium, or other microorganism that induces or is capable of inducing physical distress, illness, or disease.  If your policy has this type of exclusion, then recovery under business interruption or civil authority will generally not be a possibility.

Across the nation, states propose bills for COVID-19 business interruption coverage, despite virus exclusion concerns. While questioning their constitutionality, the application of these coverages remains uncertain. The best thing you can do right now, is to review your insurance policies and see if coverage is available.  If an exclusion does apply, then you should monitor some of these bills if applicable to your state.

During this time our firm will be conducting complimentary policy reviews and assessments to assist those affected by these business closures. In addition, Premier Claims is dedicated to reducing our fees in handling the claim in cases where coverage exists, and a claim can be filed.  We’re here to let businesses and commercial property owners know that we are a resource.

Don’t lose hope. We’re here to help. 

Written by Nick Andersen, General Counsel