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.

What can I do if my carrier denies a claim on my vacant Georgia home?

All FAQs

Quick answer: Georgia law lets you make a written demand for payment. If the carrier fails to pay a covered claim within 60 days and a court later finds the refusal was in bad faith, it can owe a penalty of up to 50 percent of the loss or $5,000, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney fees (O.C.G.A. 33-4-6). You can also file a complaint with the Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire.

Georgia law gives a policyholder the right to make a written demand for payment when a carrier denies or delays a covered claim on a vacant home. That written demand starts a clock under O.C.G.A. 33-4-6: if the carrier fails to pay a covered claim within 60 days of the demand, and a court later finds the refusal was made in bad faith, meaning without a reasonable basis, the carrier can owe a penalty of up to 50 percent of the loss or $5,000, whichever is greater, on top of the claim itself, plus reasonable attorney fees.

A policyholder can also file a complaint with the Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire, the state agency that regulates insurers licensed to sell in Georgia and accepts consumer complaints against them. Filing a complaint does not require a lawsuit and can prompt the regulator to review the carrier's handling of the claim.

For example, a carrier denies a burst-pipe claim on a vacant rental home, citing the policy's vacancy provision. The home had been empty for 25 days against a 60-day trigger written into that specific policy, meaning the vacancy provision had not yet suspended coverage when the pipe burst. That is a documentation dispute worth resolving with a written demand letter that lays out the actual vacancy timeline against the policy language, supported by dated photos, utility records, or a property manager's log showing when the vacancy began. If the carrier still refuses to pay a claim that is clearly covered under the policy's own terms, a complaint to Georgia OCI or a bad-faith claim under O.C.G.A. 33-4-6 becomes available.

Understanding when a vacancy provision is actually supposed to trigger is the first step in evaluating a denial; see does Georgia require vacant home insurance for how that provision interacts with lender requirements. A denial tied to a liability claim raises separate questions covered in liability on a vacant Georgia property. Vacant home insurance policies and the carriers that write them are outlined on the carriers page. A coverage review can go through the denied claim's paperwork against the policy language before a written demand goes out.