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Tech Talk

Loss Assessment

April 23, 2024 Written By: Laura J. Poulin, AILP, AINS, AAM, CPIW, CRIS, MLIS, Director of Curriculum and Technical Affairs, MAIA Which coverage does a unit owner need to purchase to cover an Association deductible – building Coverage A or loss assessment coverage? Let’s start with Loss Assessment coverage.  There are three requirements to trigger…

Does a Massachusetts Auto Policy Protect You When Your Injuries Are Caused By Someone Else’s Carelessness?

March 25, 2024 Written By: Laura J. Poulin, AILP, AINS, AAM, CPIW, CRIS, MLIS, Director of Curriculum and Technical Affairs, MAIA No one ever thinks they will be involved in a car accident. Hopefully, your Insured’s plan for it with adequate liability limits. But they can’t control another driver’s behavior or whether they have insurance…

Another Ridiculous COI Request…Involving the HO Policy, No Less!

February 12, 2024 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Consultant, Technical Affairs, MAIA I received an email from an agent regarding a client’s leased land and COI request. The insured owns a camp on leased land owned by the State of NH. The insured has liability extended to…

Snow Removal Issues

January 29, 2024 Written By: Laura J. Poulin, Director of Curriculum and Technical Affairs, MAIA Plowing Snow as a side gig and some things to think about when Insureds consider this business venture… MASS. PERSONAL AUTO POLICY A snowplow or other detachable equipment does not automatically disqualify a risk from a Personal Auto Policy, but…

The MAP: Temporary Substitutes and Use of Other Autos

November 17, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA I always enjoy receiving questions from our agents. I especially like them if I can remotely answer them! Here is one of them: MAP And A Temporary Substitute…Or Not I work mainly in…

BAP Pollution Claim – Covered or Not?

September 25, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA Convention is getting closer…November 2-5 at the Westin Boston Seaport, Boston, MA. As usual, there is a myriad of seminars and things to do! My Friday and Saturday classes are one-hour seminars based…

In Auto Insurance – When Does Insurance Start?

August 22, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA Over the last few months, there have been a few email issues about when auto insurance becomes effective and what happens when the insured doesn’t get the plate “in a timely fashion.” One…

Every Business Has an Auto Exposure, Whether They Own an Auto or Not

June 20, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA Happy …rainy July – a great month if one is a duck! Yet another agent email question seemed like a good tech talk, so here goes. Agent Question: We insure a body shop,…

“Auto Equipment” and the AIB MAP and ISO HO

June 20, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA One of your member benefits is asking questions of MAIA staff. We love answering questions, but sometimes we can provide “an answer” as there might not be “the answer.” The following is a…

The BAP and a Personal Trailer

May 22, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA I have a question… We have a client who owns a pickup in his name, but it’s on his commercial auto policy due to weight/signage. He is buying a camper trailer, and the…

Host Liquor Coverage and the ISO Homeowners Policy

April 19, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA An agent recently asked: We have been questioning if MPIUA has an exclusion for Host Liquor Liability. Someone has brought it to our attention, but we have read the policy form, and we…

TURO, UBER, LYFT, DOORDASH, GRUBHUB, and the Business Auto Policy?

March 22, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA We have had multiple Tech Talks in the past regarding these business activities and the personal Massachusetts Auto Policy. These are business activities that are NOT designed to be covered under the Massachusetts…

How important is an application question?

February 22, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA I receive many insurance emails daily from various business, insurance, and legal organizations and publications. The other day, I read an article about “the importance of underwriting questions in cyber apps.” And then,…

Tech Talk: I’m Protected by the Homestead Act – I Don’t NEED Liability Insurance…

Tech Talk: I’m Protected by the Homestead Act – I Don’t NEED Liability Insurance… By  Irene L. Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW VP Technical Affairs, MAIA That is one of the most FOOLISH statements that I have ever heard, and it is SO UNTRUE! Don’t get me wrong. I think protecting…

Tech Talk: Your client wants to know! A taste of the upcoming October convention …

Tech Talk: Your client wants to know! A taste of the upcoming October convention … By Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, CPIW, LIA VP Technical Affairs, MAIA MAIA’s annual convention …the BIG EVENT … is just a few short weeks away. So, to whet your appetite and to entice you to attend,…

TECH TALK: ANOTHER INTERESTING HOMEOWNER INSURANCE QUESTION

Tech Talk: Another Interesting Homeowner Insurance Question Irene Morrill CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW VP Technical Affairs, MAIA One of your member benefits is getting your questions answered by MAIA staff. My “specialty” is insurance-related questions. One agent emailed me …. Is it building or content? Is it a chicken or a…

I’m renting an auto on vacation out of the country…does my MAP and PUP cover me?

January 18, 2023 Written By: Irene Morrill, CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW – Vice President of Technical Affairs, MAIA I’ve had two emails in the last few weeks about car rentals out of the country, so big vacation weeks are coming up. Let’s take a look at what coverage there might or…

Tech Talk: Another Interesting Homeowner Insurance Question

Tech Talk: Another Interesting Homeowner Insurance Question Irene Morrill CPCU, CIC, ARM, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, LIA, CPIW VP Technical Affairs, MAIA One of your member benefits is getting your questions answered by MAIA staff. My “specialty” is insurance-related questions. One agent emailed me …. Is it building or content? Is it a chicken or a…