Ask Tim

​ Photo ​by Staff Sgt. Sharida Jackson, U.S. Air ForceUsed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license​Ever since Tropical Storm Ida dumped huge amounts of rain on the New York City area earlier this month, we've been receiving questions from members about insurance coverage for water damage losses. Unfortunately, homeowners insurance will not cover most of these losses. This seems like a good time to remind you that New York State law​ requires insurers to inform their homeowners and dwelling policyholders that their policies do not cover flood damage, and that coverage is available from the National Flood Insurance Program. Some of the insurers you represent may…

​As I write this, Tropical Storm Henri​ is aiming at Long Island. With more than three months left in the traditional hurricane season, this seems like a good time to bring up the subject of flood insurance.The Insurance Information Institute has two good pieces that you can use to educate your clients (and yourselves, if you don't feel like you're up to speed on flood coverage):In case of a flood​Facts about flood insuranceThese can be useful for raising your clients' awareness of the threat posed by flood waters and the lack of coverage under personal and commercial property policies.We also have links to a number…

​Several years ago, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) made insurer form, rate and rule filings accessible to the public online. The records go back only to 2010, but they are a treasure trove of information. Want a copy of a specific carrier's Businessowners Policy form or additional insured endorsements? With a little digging, you should be able to find them.Click the image below for a slideshow tutorial in PDF format on how to use this valuable tool. ​ ​SERFF-tutorial.pdfSource