- Staff
- #1
- 102
This article exposes a *major blind spot* in how insurers handle wildfire claims—and it could blow up into the next big liability crisis. We've spent years focused on covering fire and structural damage, but what about the toxic cocktail of chemicals left behind in homes that didn't burn?
The industry isn't ready for what's coming. Consider it: insurers routinely deny claims for smoke damage unless there's visible destruction. But if homes that *look fine* are health hazards, we're setting ourselves up for lawsuits. Policyholders will start asking: *"Why am I paying premiums if my home is making me sick and insurance won't cover it?"*
We're not just talking about soot on the walls. We're talking *benzene, heavy metals, and long-term exposure risks.* It's only a matter of time before we see class-action lawsuits over toxic indoor air left after wildfires—and insurers will be caught flat-footed if we don't start adapting coverage now.
Should carriers be offering smoke-specific endorsements? Should regulators step in to mandate more comprehensive coverage? Or will insurers ignore this growing health risk and hope it doesn't come back to bite them?
Thoughts?
Read the full story here...
The industry isn't ready for what's coming. Consider it: insurers routinely deny claims for smoke damage unless there's visible destruction. But if homes that *look fine* are health hazards, we're setting ourselves up for lawsuits. Policyholders will start asking: *"Why am I paying premiums if my home is making me sick and insurance won't cover it?"*
We're not just talking about soot on the walls. We're talking *benzene, heavy metals, and long-term exposure risks.* It's only a matter of time before we see class-action lawsuits over toxic indoor air left after wildfires—and insurers will be caught flat-footed if we don't start adapting coverage now.
Should carriers be offering smoke-specific endorsements? Should regulators step in to mandate more comprehensive coverage? Or will insurers ignore this growing health risk and hope it doesn't come back to bite them?
Thoughts?
Read the full story here...
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