Q: Part of my home burned, and I'm repairing the large burned section of the home. County building codes require upgrades from what was originally there. Does my homeowners policy cover this added expense?
A: It depends. If your policy has what's called "law and ordinance coverage" -- it's often referred to as "L&O" or "upgrade coverage," then yes, your policy would address the added costs to make the required upgrades.
As a precaution, ask your agent or insurer if you already have the coverage or if you can add it to your policy.
Note: This is one of a series of common -- or in some cases, particularly unusual -- questions received by our consumer advocacy staff, who answer questions from consumers.
Got a question or insurance problem of your own? If you live in Washington, feel free to give us a call, toll-free at 1-800-562-6900. We'll do our best to help. (And if you live in another state or territory, here's a handy map that lists the contact info for your local insurance regulatory office.)
Insurance and fallen trees
Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 6:30 AM
Q: Will my insurance pay to repair my neighbor's home if my tree falls on his home?
A: It may not have to. Typically, a homeowner's own insurance coverage pays for such damage, unless you were negligent and your negligence caused the tree to fall.
Say the tree was obviously diseased or damaged and posed a clear risk to your neighbor's home, for example. In such cases, you could be found negligent and your insurer would cover the claim.
Note: This is one of a series of common -- or in some cases, particularly unusual -- questions received by our consumer advocacy staff, who answer questions from consumers.
Got a question or insurance problem of your own? If you live in Washington, feel free to give us a call, toll-free at 1-800-562-6900. We'll do our best to help. (And if you live in another state or territory, here's a handy map that lists the contact info for your local insurance regulatory office.)
A: It may not have to. Typically, a homeowner's own insurance coverage pays for such damage, unless you were negligent and your negligence caused the tree to fall.
Say the tree was obviously diseased or damaged and posed a clear risk to your neighbor's home, for example. In such cases, you could be found negligent and your insurer would cover the claim.
Note: This is one of a series of common -- or in some cases, particularly unusual -- questions received by our consumer advocacy staff, who answer questions from consumers.
Got a question or insurance problem of your own? If you live in Washington, feel free to give us a call, toll-free at 1-800-562-6900. We'll do our best to help. (And if you live in another state or territory, here's a handy map that lists the contact info for your local insurance regulatory office.)
Insurance: When a car is burglarized
Monday, April 23, 2012 at 6:06 AM
Q: My clothes, camping gear, camera and guitar were stolen from my car. Will my auto insurance pay for these things?
A: Maybe, but there may well be dollar limits for things like clothing, sports equipment, etc. that might be incidental to an outing or vacation. Your auto policy would specify those limits. (We had an odd fraud case a couple of years ago involving a man who kept claiming that his $33,000 collection of silk neckties was being stolen from his car.)
For things that are generally considered personal property, rather than auto-related property like a spare tire, jack, or roadside emergency kit, you might be able to file a homeowner's or renter's insurance claim. Talk to your agent or insurer -- and think about your deductibles. If you have a high deductible, it may not be worth it to file a claim for a small loss.
Note: This is one of a series of common -- or in some cases, particularly unusual -- questions received by our consumer advocacy staff, who answer questions from consumers.
Got a question or insurance problem of your own? If you live in Washington, feel free to give us a call, toll-free at 1-800-562-6900. We'll do our best to help. (And if you live in another state or territory, here's a handy map that lists the contact info for your local insurance regulatory office.)
A: Maybe, but there may well be dollar limits for things like clothing, sports equipment, etc. that might be incidental to an outing or vacation. Your auto policy would specify those limits. (We had an odd fraud case a couple of years ago involving a man who kept claiming that his $33,000 collection of silk neckties was being stolen from his car.)
For things that are generally considered personal property, rather than auto-related property like a spare tire, jack, or roadside emergency kit, you might be able to file a homeowner's or renter's insurance claim. Talk to your agent or insurer -- and think about your deductibles. If you have a high deductible, it may not be worth it to file a claim for a small loss.
Note: This is one of a series of common -- or in some cases, particularly unusual -- questions received by our consumer advocacy staff, who answer questions from consumers.
Got a question or insurance problem of your own? If you live in Washington, feel free to give us a call, toll-free at 1-800-562-6900. We'll do our best to help. (And if you live in another state or territory, here's a handy map that lists the contact info for your local insurance regulatory office.)
Dogs and insurance
Friday, April 20, 2012 at 6:21 AM
Q: Am I covered if my dog bites someone else visiting my home, or when we're at a city park or campground?
A: Generally yes. Your homeowners policy will typically cover the incident at home or away from home, but once your insurance company knows that your dog caused an injury, the company may take a second look at you as a risk. The company may not want to continue coverage, or could raise its rates, since it's hard to guarantee that the dog will never bite someone again.
Note: This is one of a series of common -- or in some cases, particularly unusual -- questions received by our consumer advocacy staff, who answer questions from consumers.
Got a question or insurance problem of your own? If you live in Washington, feel free to give us a call, toll-free at 1-800-562-6900. We'll do our best to help. (And if you live in another state or territory, here's a handy map that lists the contact info for your local insurance regulatory office.)
A: Generally yes. Your homeowners policy will typically cover the incident at home or away from home, but once your insurance company knows that your dog caused an injury, the company may take a second look at you as a risk. The company may not want to continue coverage, or could raise its rates, since it's hard to guarantee that the dog will never bite someone again.
Note: This is one of a series of common -- or in some cases, particularly unusual -- questions received by our consumer advocacy staff, who answer questions from consumers.
Got a question or insurance problem of your own? If you live in Washington, feel free to give us a call, toll-free at 1-800-562-6900. We'll do our best to help. (And if you live in another state or territory, here's a handy map that lists the contact info for your local insurance regulatory office.)
Job openings: Actuary, financial examiner, analyst, technician, receptionist
Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 3:02 PM
Due to retirements, a promotion, etc., we have several jobs that we're looking to fill. It's been quite a while since we've had this many openings.
The jobs are listed below, along with a few highlights. For the official job listing and specifics, including duties, salaries, required qualifications, etc., please click on each job's link below. Application deadlines vary -- these are listed under each job description -- but the earliest is next Monday.
Actuary: We're looking for someone to review health and disability insurance rate filings submitted by insurance carriers to our office. This person will also provide assistance to our company supervision division's work, which includes analysis of the finances of insurers, holding companies and other entities.
Financial examiner: These positions work out of our office in downtown Seattle. Among other duties, our examiners audit the operation of insurers.
Analyst: We're looking for a life- and health insurance compliance analyst to work in our consumer protection division, which is located in our main building in Tumwater. The job involves helping consumers with insurance questions, problems and complaints.
Insurance technician: This position involves answering consumer hotline calls and routing them to staff in various divisions, including agent/broker licensing and consumer advocacy. It also entails some IT support work.
Office assistant: This person will provide receptionist services and first-line help to phone and walk-in customers, as well as a variety of complex clerical duties.
The jobs are listed below, along with a few highlights. For the official job listing and specifics, including duties, salaries, required qualifications, etc., please click on each job's link below. Application deadlines vary -- these are listed under each job description -- but the earliest is next Monday.
Actuary: We're looking for someone to review health and disability insurance rate filings submitted by insurance carriers to our office. This person will also provide assistance to our company supervision division's work, which includes analysis of the finances of insurers, holding companies and other entities.
Financial examiner: These positions work out of our office in downtown Seattle. Among other duties, our examiners audit the operation of insurers.
Analyst: We're looking for a life- and health insurance compliance analyst to work in our consumer protection division, which is located in our main building in Tumwater. The job involves helping consumers with insurance questions, problems and complaints.
Insurance technician: This position involves answering consumer hotline calls and routing them to staff in various divisions, including agent/broker licensing and consumer advocacy. It also entails some IT support work.
Office assistant: This person will provide receptionist services and first-line help to phone and walk-in customers, as well as a variety of complex clerical duties.
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