If you ever wanted to see an illustration of the how the vagaries of insurance terminology can be used against even large companies, look no further than a recent ruling against First Tennessee Bank. In order to understand why that ruling matters to policyholders, we need to look at the original case against the bank.…

In a recent appellate case, Freeze v. Tenn. Farmers Mut. Ins. Co., the Tennessee Court of Appeals again analyzed the effect of misrepresentations in applications for insurance. The Court began by referencing Tenn. Code Ann § 56-7-103), which provides that misrepresentations on an application will not void the policy unless the misrepresentation is made with…

Water damage is a leading cause of property damage claims, right behind fire damage. It can be caused by a burst pipe, a sprinkler systems malfunction, a tree limb that crashes through a window in a storm, water overflow from a neighbor’s property, and so on. The cost to repair the damage can be steep,…

One of the questions we hear a lot from policyholders whose claims have been denied is, “Can I sue to recover my money?” The short answer to that question is “yes, but.” The simple truth is that many claim denials are appropriate, and in those cases any lawsuit that is filed would likely be unsuccessful.…

You buy homeowners’ insurance for the same reason you buy any kind of insurance policy: to protect you in the event of a misfortune of some kind. While there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” insurance policy, homeowners’ usually covers the following: Structural damage. First and foremost, your policy covers physical…