Coinsurance

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Coinsurance is a provision in the insurance industry which allows an insurance company and its policyholder to potentially apportion between them any loss covered by the policy. This is usually according to a fixed percentage of the value for which the property is insured. In property insurance policies, the coinsurance clause provides that property must be insured for a specific percentage, usually 80% to 100% of its value. This means that the insurance company can shift part of the risk of loss back to the policyholder if the property is not insured to a certain ratio of the value of the property at the time of a loss. If the value of the property times the coinsurance percentage is greater than the limit of insurance for the property, then the insurer may apply a coinsurance “penalty” and may not pay the full value of that loss. Associations and all policyholders should periodically review their policies to determine if they are subject to a coinsurance percentage and to ensure that they are adequately insured for the value of their property according to any coinsurance percentage. This “penalty” can be huge for associations suffering a large loss in the event of a large catastrophe like a hurricane.Continue Reading Associations Should Review Their Policies To See If Their Insurers Have Made Them Responsible For A Share Of The Risk Of Loss – This Is Known As Coinsurance

In a previous post, Failing to Obtain Regular Appraisals Can Hurt Associations After A Large Loss, I wrote about the negative effect that a coinsurance provision can have on an association’s ability to recover after a large loss. Equally as problematic, almost all policies issued in Florida contain a separate deductible which applies only in the event of hurricane damage. Instead of a small deductible, most “Hurricane Deductibles” are based on a percentage of the policy limits. These deductibles vary, depending on the policy and the association’s choices when purchasing the policy, and they can rise as high as 10%.Continue Reading Is Your Hurricane Deductible and Coinsurance Provision Enforceable?

The second named storm of the year has crossed Florida, and it will only be a matter of time before another tropical system strikes the state. While there are many problems that an association can face after a loss, few are harsher than the effect of a coinsurance penalty that reduces the amount paid on an otherwise valid claim. Many policies, especially large commercial polices, contain coinsurance provisions. Unfortunately, many directors and managers do not understand what they mean or the effect that they can have.Continue Reading Failing To Obtain Regular Appraisals Can Hurt Associations After A Large Loss