Articles by Bill Wilson

Wilson, CPCU, ARM, AIM is the founder and CEO of InsuranceCommentary.com and the author of the book "When Words Collide: Resolving Insurance Coverage and Claims Disputes." His column, "Is It Covered?", is published in Insurance Journal Magazine.

The Problem(s) With Hail Claims – Part 3

My previous two columns (May and June 2024) addressed issues with hail and windstorm claims regarding the discovery and reporting of damage, actual cash value versus replacement cost valuation and 180-day reporting conditions, percentage deductibles, special cosmetic damage limitations, and …

The Problem(s) With Hail Claims – Part 2

In last month’s column, we began our examination of hail and windstorm claims issues by focusing on the pervasive problem of whether delayed discovery and reporting of hail damage meets the conditional requirements of most homeowners policies to report damage …

The Problem(s) With Hail Claims, Part 1: A Cautionary Tale for Insureds and Insurers

Last year while I was out of town, a roofing company showed up at my home and told my wife there had been a hailstorm recently, so they were visiting impacted neighborhoods and providing free inspection services. She let them …

Designated Premises, Operations and Projects Endorsements

In 2017, I developed a webinar called “Raiders of the Lost Coverage: Insurance Jones and the Temple of Exclusions.” It evolved from an earlier seminar I did with the late John Eubank, CPCU, ARM, called “Horrible Commercial Lines Policy Forms …

How Do You Know If It’s an ISO Policy Form?

Since its official inception in 1971, Insurance Services Office Inc. (ISO) has been the national insurance industry standard setter for policy form language. Many insurers use pure ISO forms, usually along with proprietary endorsements of their own. Even insurers who …

Wear and Tear and Mechanical Breakdown Exclusions Under Auto Policies

In my September 2023 column, I wrote about wear and tear exclusions in property policies and how these exclusions are sometimes improperly cited to deny claims. Most property policies have a series of exclusions that apply to wear and tear, …

Illinois Supreme Court Applies ‘RTFP!’ Principle to Faulty Workmanship Claims

As reported by attorney Randy Maniloff in his Coverage Opinions newsletter, the Illinois Supreme Court has finally addressed coverage for construction defects, joining what is probably a slight majority of legal jurisdictions in finding that faulty or defective workmanship CAN …

5 Worthy New Year’s Resolutions

I conceive that the great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by false estimates they made of the value of things.” – Benjamin Franklin Last year, I participated in a panel discussion on property undervaluation at …

Revisiting Terrorism Issues

Yesterday was my son’s 12th birthday but he didn’t spend it unwrapping presents or gorging on ice cream and cake. Most of our evening was spent solemnly observing unspeakable horror and devastation as the events of Sept. 11, 2001, unfolded.” …

Viewpoint: Logic & Language, Forms & Facts – Revisiting Terrorism Issues

“Yesterday was my son’s 12th birthday but he didn’t spend it unwrapping presents or gorging on ice cream and cake. Most of our evening was spent solemnly observing unspeakable horror and devastation as the events of September 11, 2001 unfolded.” …