BTIS Artisan Contractor Insurance

JCK818

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Just a heads up. I just found out the hard way, their Plumbing General liability policy EXCLUDES water damage. A plumbing policy that excludes water damage. :goofy:

Not sure what other claim can a plumber possibly have, but be careful. I didnt read the fineprint when i got the policy and now i have an E&O claim on my ass. Even though, not in a million years did I imagine that water might be excluded,
 
Just a heads up. I just found out the hard way, their Plumbing General liability policy EXCLUDES water damage. A plumbing policy that excludes water damage. :goofy: Not sure what other claim can a plumber possibly have, but be careful. I didnt read the fineprint when i got the policy and now i have an E&O claim on my ass. Even though, not in a million years did I imagine that water might be excluded,

I got very cautious about writing contractors with BTIS. The first red flag was their pricing, they were way too cheap on every one of their classes, the second red flag was all the "designated work" endorsements I saw in their policies, the third was their sunset option they push.

I'm sorry to hear this happened and hope there is a way around an E&O claim for you.

I don't recommend their Victory contractor program to anyone anymore.
 
What's the "sunset" option? Who's BTIS? If it excludes water damage liability, why would anybody write plumbers w/ them? Are they E&S?

What's your E&O claim?
 
For the last two months I have started to rewrite all my BTIS renewals to others carriers that offer better forms. I once pushed them as an easy, inexpensive placement for small artisan contractors. But then I attended a GL contractor class from IRMI. Eye opening for sure. Many of their forms are trouble. They use the 2006 ISO gl policy which is only 16 pages, right? Then they add their forms - dozens of them. Many ways for them to deny coverage. For reference, I have attached one.

What was their specific denial of coverage based on? Pick a form, any form...

Would other carriers have paid this loss?
 

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  • BTIS GL Forms.pdf
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The funny thing is, in their price indications it doesn't say all the things that are excluded. It's just amazing, the one peril that a plumber needs coverage for is excluded. I'm about to move all my business away from them.
 
What's the "sunset" option? Who's BTIS? If it excludes water damage liability, why would anybody write plumbers w/ them? Are they E&S?

What's your E&O claim?

They have both admitted and non admitted, and from what I can tell, it basically makes the GL a claims made policy with a 3 year reporting period.

I actually bound one of these today, it was a no-SSN artisan contractor type who just wanted the cheapest thing out there. I didn't bother offering the option with sunset endorsement and removed ale many exclusions as they allowed for. It was still really cheap, for what it was. I wouldn't recommend them either, but in this case it is what it is.
 
It's not just BTIS.

Most CGL forms have exclusionary language for "that particular part..." and "your work..."

This is perhaps the most widely used/abused get out of jail free card for insurers.
 
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The CGL exclusions generally only apply to your work meaning they wont pay for the work you did but any subsequent damage they will pay for.

They consider your work as a cost of doing business so there not going to pay for the screw up
 
^ is that where contractors e&o steps in? when work is done wrong, there's no damage..however it needs to be ripped out & redone?
 
The CGL exclusions generally only apply to your work meaning they wont pay for the work you did but any subsequent damage they will pay for.

They consider your work as a cost of doing business so there not going to pay for the screw up

That is the intent but an insurer's narrow interpretation can and often leads to a declination. This exclusion has been litigated ad nauseum leaving courts across the country struggling to deal with the scope of this language.
 
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