Which clause in a property policy protects the insurer from over insurance?

Co-insurance may appear on the declaration page of your farm, commercial, or home insurance policy. If you see this clause, your insurance coverage may be limited.

How? Well, let’s dive in.

Definition

Co-insurance, simply, is an agreement between the policyholder and the insurance company advising that a minimum amount of insurance must be purchased to replace property in the event of a loss. Otherwise, the policyholder becomes a “co-insurer” and assumes some of the risk on their property. If you look at your policy declarations page, you might see co-insurance next to a percentage, it’s generally a number between 80% and 100%.

The co-insurance clause safeguards the policyholder by asking them to make a realistic evaluation on their property and the costs to replace it. This method also provides the insurance company with an accurate picture of the value of the property for a fair premium.

How does Co-Insurance Work?

Co-insurance is calculated based on the amount of insurance you have on the property compared to the amount of insurance you should have. The two examples below outline the same loss and how the co-insurance clause applies if you are underinsured or properly insured. Note, these are examples only, and are meant to help you understand co-insurance and how an accurate valuation of your property is so important.

Example 1

Let’s say a farm policyholder experiences a fire, and loses an entire barn storing a variety of farm-related contents. After review, it is determined the policyholder is covered for the loss, but underinsured, this means the co-insurance clause will activate.

Building and Contents Value…………….$300,000
Co-insurance Requirement……………….80%
Required Amount of Insurance…………$240,000
Actual Amount of Insurance……………..$120,000
Amount of Loss……………………………….$200,000

(Actual amount of insurance) x Amount of Loss = Amount of claim to be paid by the policyholder.
(Required amount of insurance)

($120,000) x $200,000 = $100,000
($240,000)

Example 2

However, if the farmer DID insure to 80% of the building and contents value, the calculation would change. In this scenario, the policyholder is fully covered, and the co-insurance clause does not activate.

Building and Contents Value…………….$300,000
Co-insurance Requirement……………….80%
Required Amount of Insurance………….$240,000
Actual Amount of Insurance……………..$240,000
Amount of Loss………………………………..$200,000

($240,000) x $200,000 = $200,000
($240,000)

As you can see in the first example, the policyholder becomes a co-insurer in the loss because they have not purchased enough insurance. This means partial costs of rebuilding the barn falls on the policyholder. In the second example, the property is insured to the appropriate value so, the cost to rebuild falls on the insurer.

Contents of your property are usually not covered. You have to purchase a separate or additional policy for home contents.

 

What Does Home Contents Insurance Cover?


It covers the contents of your apartment/unit, including:

  • Appliances
  • Furniture
  • Ornaments
  • Computers
  • Kitchenware
  • Books
  • Personal Effects
  • Fixtures & Fittings which do not form part of the building

This policy is also applicable to tenants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Home insurance is expensive

 

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Having the HDB Fire Insurance or policy arranged by my bank is good enough

 

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I use the purchase price of my house to determine the insured value

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All home insurance coverage is the same

Fact: The kind of coverage you get depends on your insurer and policy. There are normally two types of coverage – Insured Perils and All Risks. Regular insured perils are:

In a typical commercial property insurance policy, a coinsurance clause ensures that you carry adequate coverage to protect your possessions. Say your office building is valued at $200,000. To protect that property for its value, you would need at least $200,000 in property insurance coverage. If your policy has a clause with a coinsurance percentage of at least 80%, that means you must insure the building for at least $160,000.

If you purchase less coverage (e.g., a policy with only $150,000 in business property protection), the insurance company can penalize you. In other words, when you make a claim for damaged property, the company may not pay out the full value of your damages, even if they fall within the limits of your policy.

For instance, a fire causes $100,000 worth of property damage and you make a claim. Your property insurance policy has a limit of $150,000 and a $5,000 deductible. Per your coinsurance clause, you were supposed to purchase at least $160,000 in coverage.

Because you failed to meet your coinsurance percentage of 80%, you will face a coinsurance penalty. Your penalty is determined by the ratio of the amount you carried divided by the amount that was required: $150,000 / $160,000 = 0.937. So if your loss was $100,000, your insurer will only pay you $93,700 minus your $5,000 deductible. Your total penalty will end up being $11,300.

What is the insuring clause in insurance?

One is the insuring clause, in which the insurer agrees to pay on behalf of the insured all sums that the insured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury, sickness or disease, wrongful death, or injury to another person's property.

What is the purpose of a coinsurance clause?

Coinsurance is a clause used in insurance contracts by insurance companies on property insurance policies such as buildings. This clause ensures policyholders insure their property to an appropriate value and that the insurer receives a fair premium for the risk.

What is the meaning of average clause?

1. : a clause in an insurance policy that restricts the amount payable to a sum not to exceed the value of the property destroyed and that bears the same proportion to the loss as the face of the policy does to the value of the property insured compare coinsurance.

What is the liberalization clause?

Liberalization Clause — a provision that extends to persons already insured under a particular policy the broadened coverage features that may be introduced in subsequent editions of that policy form.