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 does Georgia bad-faith insurance law do if my carrier will not pay a claim?

All FAQs

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

Georgia law gives a policyholder a specific remedy when an insurance carrier refuses to pay a covered claim without a reasonable basis. Under O.C.G.A. 33-4-6, a policyholder can make a written demand for payment on a covered claim. If the carrier does not pay within 60 days of that demand, and a court later finds the refusal to pay was in bad faith, meaning the carrier lacked a reasonable basis for denying or delaying the claim, the carrier can be ordered to pay a penalty of up to 50 percent of the loss or 5,000 dollars, whichever amount is greater, on top of the claim itself, plus the policyholder's reasonable attorney fees.

The 60-day clock only starts once the written demand is made and delivered to the carrier; a claim that is simply pending or under review, without a formal written demand, does not trigger the statute's penalty provision. For example, a business that files a windstorm claim for roof and inventory damage, waits several months without a decision, and then sends the carrier a written demand for payment, starts the 60-day period at the point the demand is received, not at the original date of loss.

The bad-faith remedy is separate from the underlying coverage question. A court still has to find the claim was in fact covered under the policy before the bad-faith penalty applies; a carrier that denies a claim for a genuinely excluded loss, such as flood damage on a policy that excludes flood, has a reasonable basis for the denial even where the policyholder disagrees. This is why what a commercial property policy actually covers, addressed in is commercial property insurance required in Georgia and does commercial property insurance cover flood damage in Georgia, matters before a bad-faith claim is evaluated.

A policyholder who believes a claim has been wrongly delayed or denied can also file a complaint with the Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire at no cost, separately from any court action. A coverage review does not resolve an active claim dispute, but it can confirm what a policy is supposed to cover going forward and connect a business with carriers available through Olive Cover; see commercial property insurance and the current carrier list.