Why does my policy have more than one deductible?

A policy commonly carries a flat deductible for most claims and a separate percentage-based wind and hail deductible in storm-exposed states like Georgia.

Does my own insurance cover me when I stay in an Airbnb or VRBO?

The host's short-term rental policy protects the host, not you. As an Airbnb or VRBO guest, your own homeowners or renters insurance usually covers your belongings and personal liability away from home, within policy limits, while travel insurance covers trip-specific risks neither the host nor your home policy will.

Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage?

No. Standard homeowners policies exclude all flood damage regardless of cause.

What does uninsured motorist coverage do?

If you are hit by a driver with no insurance or not enough insurance, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays your medical bills.

When do we use Selective for flood coverage versus NFIP?

Selective private flood wins for Zone X and moderate AE properties where it beats NFIP on price and offers higher limits with ALE coverage.

How does Georgia bad-faith law protect condo owners if a carrier will not pay?

All FAQs

Quick answer: Under O.C.G.A. Section 33-4-6, you can make a written demand for payment on a covered claim. If the carrier does not pay within 60 days and a court later finds the refusal was in bad faith, the carrier owes a penalty of up to 50 percent of the claim or 5,000 dollars, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney's fees.

Georgia bad-faith law gives a condo owner a path to recover more than the claim amount when an insurer wrongfully refuses to pay. Under O.C.G.A. Section 33-4-6, an owner can make a written demand for payment on a claim that is covered under the policy. If the insurer does not pay within 60 days of that demand and a court later finds the refusal was made in bad faith, meaning without a reasonable basis, the insurer owes a penalty of up to 50 percent of the claim amount or 5,000 dollars, whichever is greater, on top of the claim itself, plus the owner's reasonable attorney's fees.

The 60-day demand is a specific legal step, not just a phone call or an email asking about claim status. A written demand under O.C.G.A. Section 33-4-6 needs to clearly state the amount owed and reference the claim, and it starts the 60-day clock the statute uses to measure the insurer's response. An insurer that pays within that window, or denies the claim with a documented reasonable basis such as a policy exclusion or a factual dispute over the cause of loss, is not automatically exposed to the bad-faith penalty even if a court later disagrees with the denial.

The penalty structure exists because an insurance policy is a contract, and Georgia treats an unreasonable refusal to honor that contract as more than a simple breach. The added exposure of a penalty plus attorney's fees is tied to insurers delaying or denying claims that have no real dispute behind them.

For example, a condo owner submits a claim for water damage from a burst pipe, a peril the HO-6 policy covers. The carrier acknowledges the damage but does not pay or deny the claim for months with no explanation. The owner sends a written demand referencing the policy and the amount owed. If the carrier still does not pay within 60 days and a court later finds no reasonable basis for the delay, the owner can recover the claim amount, the bad-faith penalty, and attorney's fees.

This statute applies to condo HO-6 claims the same way it applies to other Georgia property claims. How a Georgia condo policy is structured, including what is and is not covered, is on the condo insurance overview and Georgia condo insurance page. Related: whether Georgia law requires unit owners to carry their own insurance, whether a Georgia condo policy covers flood damage, and which carriers write Georgia condo coverage through Olive Cover. A licensed advisor can review a specific claim situation in a coverage review.