Private Mortgage Property in Foreclosure
*This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on April, 2026 Question I’ve got a little bit of a tricky one! So, a friend of mine did a private mortgage for someone and they have defaulted and now she is foreclosing on them! She obviously has a financial interest in…
50%-50% Accident Result + Waiver of Deductible
*This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on March 25, 2026 Question This might be outside your bailiwick, but I thought I should ask. As a result of an accident, one of our companies decided the fault is 50%-50%. Coverage-wise, our insured has a waiver if the deductible is…
Homeowners Insurance Claim – Animal Damage
*This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on March 31, 2026 Question In regards to a home policy, can you tell me if a raccoon does damage to a home is that covered? Also, would squirrels be as well? Answer Laura Poulin: The answer can vary depending on the…
Carvana/Carmax
*This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on April 1, 2026 Question I’m reaching out as we’ve seen an uptick in calls from clients purchasing vehicles through Carvana and CarMax. In many cases, these dealers are unwilling to provide a copy of the title, which makes it difficult for…
Ice Dam
*This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on March 3, 2026 Question We have a client with Unit Owners Special Coverage A on their condo who was denied for an ice dam claim. I have always thought this endorsement specifically protected condo owners for ice dam claims. Could you…
Rental Properties and Snow & Ice
*This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on December 30, 2025 Question My client asked a question: He has two- and three-family rental properties. If the town ordinance says the landlord is responsible for removing snow, but he has tenants remove it, would his DP3 liability coverage cover him…
Reselling and Delivery Exposures – Auto, Homeowners, and Workers’ Comp Considerations
*This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations, & statutes in effect as of October 1, 2025. Question I had a question about personal lines, Mass Auto, and reselling. More customers are reselling from yard sales or Facebook marketplace, and I’m wondering what kind of coverage they should have for that exposure. Should they…
Unlisted HHMs
*This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect as of October 2025. Question We have an instance where a customer called to get a quote to add their daughter to their auto policy. They said she was moving back home and would be using their vehicles. He then said that…
Home Health Aid Using Own Vehicle
This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of July 2025. Question Could you direct me to resources for considering a home health aide who uses their own vehicle? Answer Laura Poulin: You’re right to be cautious here; this is a gray area that requires thoughtful consideration. At a…
House Put In Trust
This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of July 2025. Question I have a client for whom I have a homeowners’ insurance policy. I just received information from an attorney’s office that the house was put in a trust. But at the same time, they sent me the…
Auto Coverage for Child who Moved Out on Mom & Dad’s Policy
This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of July 2025. Question I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to reach out with a question regarding a recurring situation I’ve encountered in the Private Client department. Many parents are eager to ensure their children’s well-being, often extending their care…
Condo Association – Parking Space Rented to Others
This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of July 2025. Question We handle the Master Policy for a condo association in Boston. They have a unit owner that is looking to rent out her parking space; this would be separate from her unit that she also rents out.…
Use of Other Auto Endorsement and UM/UIM Coverage
This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of May 2025. Question Hope all is well. I was curious what the benefit of buying the Use of Other Autos endorsement and including it for Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist would be if you have a company vehicle in MA? Would it only…
MAP Trailer Liability – Business-Use Consideration
This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of May 2025. Question It’s trailer season! Wondering if we need to be concerned about GVW and/or the use of our clients’ trailers? For example, we have a client who purchased an ice cream trailer. They wish to put the trailer…
HO4 with Pet Damage
This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of April 2025. Question If my client has a tenant with an HO4 policy, and their pet cat causes damage to the property, will the HO4 pay for the damage? Answer Laura Poulin: The ISO HO-4 provides Coverage E – Personal…
Non-Owned Policy & License Requirement
This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of April 2025. Question I have a question about auto insurance, and I would appreciate it if you could share some of your knowledge with me. Is a Massachusetts driver’s license required for a non-owned auto policy? To be more specific,…
Camper Trailer & the Auto Policy
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of February 2025. Question This is a first for me. I’m working with an insured to add a camper trailer to their auto policy. I’m wondering if there is a resource you can advise for camper trailers that talks about where…
Death of Insured – Follow-Up
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of February 2025. Question With regard to the “death of insured” QOW 2/5/25, here is something I wanted to share with you. This is an email I sent to the carrier with regard to a client and fire claim that just…
Coverage for Golf Carts in Gated Communities
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of February 2025. Question I am sending you an insurance question below. I have run it by my underwriter, but no one seems confident about a response. Would you please share your thoughts with me on this? “We are spending a…
MAIP & Ride Share
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of February 2025. Question Could you tell me if MAIP would insure a vehicle that was being used in a peer-to-peer rental service like Turo? And if not covering for the Turo usage, would MAIP write the policy but exclude the…
Death of Insured
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of January 2025. Question I need your help clarifying some issues that have come up with customers who have passed away. Is there a time limit on how long it takes a spouse to reregister a vehicle in their name from…
Flood: First Floor Height
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of October 2024. Question Did FEMA change the rules to determine the number of floors? In the past, if the house had a basement, the basement was considered the 1st floor. We called the insurance company because it seemed the number…
Lightning Struck a Tree
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of October 2024. Question Laura, I’m just a little confused. I mostly do auto insurance. I want to make sure that I understand this. I know this is a lightning issue, but what about wind? I guess it’s a big question:…
Named Non-Owner Policy
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of October 2024. Question I have a customer looking to have a person who borrows his car to have their own liability policy. The person doesn’t own a car or a home or apartment (or I would try and obtain an…
HO-6 Policy
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of October 2024. Question I was wondering if you could clarify something for me. I have a client who is purchasing a condo policy, and I am putting together the HO6. It was an older three-family converted ted to condos, and…
HO6 Condo Coverage A
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of August 2024. Question My client inherited a condo in Maine from their parents. When the parents lived there, they added a screened-in porch off the back of the unit. My client is saying the parents were allowed to add the…
Coverage for Tree Struck by Lightning & Debris Removal
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of August 2024. Question Lightning struck a tree. I know a home policy covers the tree itself for $500, but is there full coverage to remove the dead tree? Answer Laura Poulin: With respect to the ISO HO forms, the limit…
Motorized Wheel Chair
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of August 2024. Question Good Afternoon. I have an insured who recently got a chair to assist his wife with mobility through Medicare. He is with his Insurance on an HO3 form. He is concerned if there is any coverage under…
Oil Remediation
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of August 2024. Question Do you have any articles on oil remediation and common endorsements regarding the Homeowners’ Policy? Or an online course? Answer Laura Poulin: The unendorsed ISO HO0003 policy excludes losses to an insured’s property arising from pollutants unless…
Funeral Expensed Under the Auto Policy
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of August 2024. Question Unfortunately, we have an insured who passed away in a car accident. Obviously, we know that PIP will pay for funeral expenses. He also has $5,000 in Medical Payments. When you read the coverage section, it sounds…
Golf Cart for Street Use
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of June 2024. Question Do you happen to know of a carrier that will write a golf cart for street use in MA? I called the carrier and they will do it if they are writing another vehicle. I am trying…
Traveling Nomad
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of June 2024. Question We currently write an HO4 for an insured with MPIUA (due to claims). His legal residence is in Leominster, where he has some personal property. He also has some personal property in a storage unit in Leominster.…
Off Premises Power Loss and Resulting Power Surge
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of May 2024. Question We have an insured that had a loss back in March from the last snow storm. A tree fell on a pole and caused a power surge to his house. The pole was off premise. Carrier is…
In-Law Apartment vs. Two-Family
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations, and statutes in effect as of May 2024. Question Hope all is well – we are having a lively discussion in our office and can’t agree, so I said I will ask MAIA, “What is the difference between a one-family with an in-law apartment and a…
Earth Movement Exclusion & Blasting Operations
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations & statutes in effect as of May 2024. Question We had an interesting call last week from a prospect. The individual lives near a quarry where blasting takes place on a regular basis. If the blasting causes any damage to his home or pool, would it…
HO-3 Coverage
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations & statutes in effect as of April 2024. Question Here’s a story and just trying to see if there is any chance of HO-3 coverage. Policyholders’ 9 yr old is visiting his 15 yr old cousin in Brockton (postage stamp lots). The older kid (that lives…
MA Fair Plan
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations & statutes in effect as of April 2024. Question I hope you are well! We quoted some MPIUA homes last week, and today, two were rejected because they said we didn’t use the new RCT info from 2/24. Coverage A went up over $300K on one!…
Assisted Living Coverage
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations & statutes in effect as of March 2024. Question I have a client. He & his wife are both Named Insured (NI). He is now in a nursing home. Policy on HO 00 05 05 11. I believe the HO 04 59 05 11 Assisted Living…
Coverage for MAIP Policy on Imported Vehicle
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations & statutes in effect as of March 2024. Question I have a question regarding a personal auto policy. One of my clients plans to import a 1995 Nissan ATLAS from Japan for personal use, with no business involvement. The vehicle weighs 6000 pounds and has the…
Flood Coverage for Storage Unit
*This question was answered based on current rules, regulations & statutes in effect as of January 2024. Question Would Flood contents coverage extend to a storage unit? Also, been out of the Flood game for a while…can you cancel prorate or is it fully earned? Answer Laura Poulin: To answer your questions, I assume you…