Texas General Lines — Property and CasualtyProperty and Casualty Insurance BasicsHard

An insured owns two identical commercial buildings, each valued at $1,000,000. Building A is insured by Company X for $800,000, and Building B is insured by Company Y for $800,000. Both policies contain a 90% coinsurance clause. If Building A suffers a $100,000 covered loss, and Building B suffers a $100,000 covered loss, how much will the insured receive for the loss to Building A, assuming no deductible?

  1. A$80,000
  2. B$90,000
  3. C$88,889
  4. D$100,000
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C. $88,889

The required insurance is $1,000,000 (value) * 90% (coinsurance) = $900,000. The insured carried $800,000. The penalty is (Amount Carried / Amount Required) * Loss = ($800,000 / $900,000) * $100,000 = $88,888.89, which rounds to $88,889.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. This calculation is incorrect for the given scenario.
  • B. This would be the payment if the coinsurance requirement was 80% or if the insured carried exactly $900,000.
  • D. This would be paid if the coinsurance clause was met or did not apply.

Coinsurance Penalty Calculation

A formula used to determine the amount paid for a partial loss when the insured has not carried the required percentage of insurance to value.

  • Formula: (Amount Carried / Amount Required) x Loss Amount.
  • Amount Required = Property Value x Coinsurance Percentage.
  • Applies to partial losses only.

Memory trick: CAR/AR * LOSS = Payout. Remember the 'CAR' you drive to get paid.

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