03/15/2021
From Texas Department of Insurance, regarding
Bulletin B-0010-21 further states that property policies of homeowners, renters, and others:
“may include provisions that loss caused by freezing is covered if the policyholder took ‘reasonable care’ to maintain heat or shut off the water supply and drain pipes.”
- Whether the frequency and length of power outages which prevented many policyholders from maintaining heat in their homes and other covered properties. “This was beyond the control of policyholders.”
- Whether policyholders may have been told that power outages would be short and intermittent, making it less likely for policyholders to believe shutting off water was necessary.
- Whether renters may not have had access to water mains or have any control over the power of water supplies to their unit.
- Whether confusion on best practices for caring for pipes in freezing weather may have been caused from listening to differing advice and sources,
- Whether icy conditions may have created a risk of injury if policyholders had attempted to shut off the water at a water main.
https://lnkd.in/e_Wj6M2
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) expects insurers to consider the severity and unprecedented nature of the February 11-19, 2021, weather event when adjusting claims for frozen pipes and communicating with policyholders. Reasonable care provisions Homeowners, renters, and other property poli...
