Mick
05-23-2004, 08:06 AM
I thought someone might be interested in this or at least find it amusing:
I’ve had my General Liability policy through the same company since I started plowing snow in 2000. Basically a $300,000 policy for Residential only. I had clarified this to be for driveways and private roads, only. Then a couple years ago, I got a chance to bid on a public school. I didn’t get the school, but after some sweating, the Underwriter decided the school would be covered, along with anything in this area besides hospitals or large malls. Since I was also limited in scope of operations to 25 miles from my “base of operations”, this was a moot point, anyway.
Since then, the mileage limitation has been removed and I clarified that I was covered anywhere in the United States.
I got a ruling that I would be covered for the Library, which is a private concern and in a rural setting.
There was never any contention that I would be covered for Municipal work, which would cover any streets, roads or government offices.
There have been no claims, either to the GL or Commercial Vehicle.
Since I retired in November, I am wanting to expand and this has led to several contacts with the insurance agent for several adjustments my policy. First was to increase the coverage amount, which is no problem - just add money. Second was to expand include businesses (Retail). This is where it got tricky and then amusing.
When I stopped into the window glass repair store, the owner asked if I’d be interested in plowing and sanding for him next winter. I then contacted the insurance agent to have Retail added to the policy. She indicated that this would likely increase the policy significantly - 2x or 3x the current rate. The worst was that she said the Underwriter might not want to rewrite the policy at all - just for inquiring about retail - and if they did, they’d want a statement that I wasn’t plowing anything involving public access. I still wanted to find out (how else was I going to know for sure) and just sweated for the next few days. Then I got the following from the agent who had contacted the Underwriter. In “” are direct quotes from the letter:
“I have obtained the following information from” (the Underwriter) “regarding your snowplowing operations.”
“1.Your current liability policy will allow Residential & Retail plowing. As long as number of retail plowing jobs is less than the residential plowing jobs.”
“2. Your current liability policy will not allow any plowing jobs for municipalities. (schools, towns, cities, etc)”
It goes on with other business we’d discussed. Notice that schools, which had specifically been addressed two years ago, are no longer allowed.
I think the main point is when people come here and ask about insurance, they need to discuss their needs with the agent, get specific rulings from the Underwriter rather than the agent, review the policy often as conditions seem to change without notice and GET IT IN WRITING. I hadn’t even tried getting the few retail jobs in this area because I’d “understood” this would need to be added to the policy and would cost about twice my current rate.
I’ve had my General Liability policy through the same company since I started plowing snow in 2000. Basically a $300,000 policy for Residential only. I had clarified this to be for driveways and private roads, only. Then a couple years ago, I got a chance to bid on a public school. I didn’t get the school, but after some sweating, the Underwriter decided the school would be covered, along with anything in this area besides hospitals or large malls. Since I was also limited in scope of operations to 25 miles from my “base of operations”, this was a moot point, anyway.
Since then, the mileage limitation has been removed and I clarified that I was covered anywhere in the United States.
I got a ruling that I would be covered for the Library, which is a private concern and in a rural setting.
There was never any contention that I would be covered for Municipal work, which would cover any streets, roads or government offices.
There have been no claims, either to the GL or Commercial Vehicle.
Since I retired in November, I am wanting to expand and this has led to several contacts with the insurance agent for several adjustments my policy. First was to increase the coverage amount, which is no problem - just add money. Second was to expand include businesses (Retail). This is where it got tricky and then amusing.
When I stopped into the window glass repair store, the owner asked if I’d be interested in plowing and sanding for him next winter. I then contacted the insurance agent to have Retail added to the policy. She indicated that this would likely increase the policy significantly - 2x or 3x the current rate. The worst was that she said the Underwriter might not want to rewrite the policy at all - just for inquiring about retail - and if they did, they’d want a statement that I wasn’t plowing anything involving public access. I still wanted to find out (how else was I going to know for sure) and just sweated for the next few days. Then I got the following from the agent who had contacted the Underwriter. In “” are direct quotes from the letter:
“I have obtained the following information from” (the Underwriter) “regarding your snowplowing operations.”
“1.Your current liability policy will allow Residential & Retail plowing. As long as number of retail plowing jobs is less than the residential plowing jobs.”
“2. Your current liability policy will not allow any plowing jobs for municipalities. (schools, towns, cities, etc)”
It goes on with other business we’d discussed. Notice that schools, which had specifically been addressed two years ago, are no longer allowed.
I think the main point is when people come here and ask about insurance, they need to discuss their needs with the agent, get specific rulings from the Underwriter rather than the agent, review the policy often as conditions seem to change without notice and GET IT IN WRITING. I hadn’t even tried getting the few retail jobs in this area because I’d “understood” this would need to be added to the policy and would cost about twice my current rate.