Property Insurance Agents: Ever had an insurer refer to you to...

[marindependent]

Have any property insurance agents ever communicated with a Property Insurer about an Underwriting Question and they refer you "google" ? No joke, not kidding:

After I asked a question on one of their quesions on an underwriting form - they stated: "You may want to google this to get the answer to thisquestion."

Is this starting to be a common response?

 

[Allen Trent]

Have any property insurance agents ever communicated with a Property Insurer about an Underwriting Question and they refer you "google" ? No joke, not kidding:

After I asked a question on one of their quesions on an underwriting form - they stated: "You may want to google this to get the answer to thisquestion."

Is this starting to be a common response?

Wow.

Was it their Underwriting standards or a coverage/claim question?

 

[marindependent]

It was a underwriting question for new policy issuance.

 

[Allen Trent]

It was a underwriting question for new policy issuance.

Maybe they meant search the carrier manuals, not Google.....but should have answered for sure

That kind of response is more common with captive carriers

 

[Policy Monkey]

Have any property insurance agents ever communicated with a Property Insurer about an Underwriting Question and they refer you "google" ? No joke, not kidding:

After I asked a question on one of their quesions on an underwriting form - they stated: "You may want to google this to get the answer to thisquestion."

Is this starting to be a common response?

I've gotten lots of double-talk/non-answers from carriers, but never told to "Google it".

A couple of times I have refered clients to google certain policy terms or coverages, but only to confirm what I had already explained to them.

 

[Downeast Agent]

I've gone to underwriters for clarification on certain parts of policy language, and in return I have gotten copy/pastes of the exact policy language in question with no explanation. Maybe I should be the underwriter.

 

[Allen Trent]

I've gone to underwriters for clarification on certain parts of policy language, and in return I have gotten copy/pastes of the exact policy language in question with no explanation. Maybe I should be the underwriter.

Underwriters usually are not supposed to interpret policy language or coverage. Their job is to determine eligibility based on the carriers underwriting manual. It is usually the claims division responsibility to interpret policy language or discuss what if's about coverage.

Dont get me wrong, underwriters do it all the time & later get grilled by claims people, especially when they were wrong. For instance, an Underwriter telling an agent that without a jewelry SPA on an item, there would never be more than $2500 paid. The underwriter was confusing the theft limitation of $2500, but there is no limit on jewelry for fire, etc. Same for an underwriter telling an agent that a client has only 10% coverage for items stored at a storage unit. There is actually no limit on items at a storage unit, there is 10% limit at another insured residence like a seasonal, 2nd home, etc. There may be some limits on perils, etc in the policy language. the irony is that if you use "google", many of the non-carrier websites will say you either dont have coverage at storage unit or it is limited to 10% of the policy.

This happens in the life insurance world too. agents asking underwriters & processors how policy language applies, but most are not licensed & shouldnt be answering any questions other than those pertaining to the clients eligibility to be approved/renewed, etc

 

[Downeast Agent]

Underwriters usually are not supposed to interpret policy language or coverage. Their job is to determine eligibility based on the carriers underwriting manual. It is usually the claims division responsibility to interpret policy language or discuss what if's about coverage.

That is good information to know. Thanks! That definitely makes sense, but you'd think UW would have the resources to direct the questions to someone who would know. But I've come to learn that one hand of a company doesn't always work with the other hand.

 

[marindependent]

Underwriters usually are not supposed to interpret policy language or coverage. Their job is to determine eligibility based on the carriers underwriting manual.

Totally agree - that is why when a question is unclear [and they are often] I send in the information and ask for their interpretation of what the answer is and finally will you take this property.

 

[Al3x Lee]

Have any property insurance agents ever communicated with a Property Insurer about an Underwriting Question and they refer you "google" ? No joke, not kidding:

After I asked a question on one of their quesions on an underwriting form - they stated: "You may want to google this to get the answer to thisquestion."

Is this starting to be a common response?

Yes, underwriters are getting snarky. Some of them pretty much straight up say to figure it out for yourself. I had one this week make me refill a supplemental. Same exact application but the one they originally asked me to fill out had version 9-20 in the corner, they wanted the 9-21 version