Our campaign office had its insurance cancelled

[MaineDem]

Our county Democratic office had liability insurance cancelled for being a political organization. The agent sent our chair a letter (not certified or anyrhing) saying that the carrier had decided that political committees don't "fit our guidelines at this time." They said they'd continue the coverage through the weekend. They also said they founf another carrier who would give us the coverage for $500 instead of the $350 which was quoted and that we've paid.

What if our chair didn't get the letter on Friday and didn't know about this come Monday morning?

I've been told this company is owned by a staunch Republican. Of cours I'm seeing conspiracies everywhere lately.

Our Chair has been in touch with the State Insurance office and the State Democratic Party's attorney but the problem has been trying to get a policy to cover the office effective Monday AM.

We're not pleased!

Edited to say the new quote was $500.

[dorktv]

1. That sucks dude.

[Sparky McGruff]

2. They know that the windows will be broken soon?

Perhaps the Republican insurance agent knows something? Hmm...

[imax2268]

4. yea...sound like it to me...

set up some video cameras near the windows and such...just in case...

[NV1962]

3. Look out for armed GOPers from W-Va...

Might not be the first time they "misplace a bullet."

More seriously - that sux the Big One. Hope you get emergency coverage tomorrow.

And perhaps it's worthwhile to ferret out if they have other political organizations (say... more conservative ones...) among their clients. That'd be a grand case for a class action suit.

But that's a worry for later - get coverage now. Good luck! :)

[ClintonTyree]

5. The same thing happened to us.........................

when I was living in Florida. All of the sudden our insurance was cancelled and we were given the name of another company that would insure us at aboutthe same rate you quoted.

I wonder if this is happening to the GOP as well? Probably not. They're good 'Murkins, while we're commie pinko fags.

[prodigal_green]

6. Did they return the $350?

Report them to the Better Business Bureau and whatever trade association they belong to.

This seems like a pretty shady business. They should not take your money and then suddenly decide it isn't green enough for them.

[izzie]

7. Interesting if this is only for on party.

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[WyLoochka]

8. This is silly

Your agent evidently had "Binding Authority" with a carrrier such as The Hartford. Binding Authority gives an agent the power to put the policy in force, subject to a subsequent carrier underwriting review. All policies put in force by an agent with Binding Authority are subject to declination, if the business does not fit the carrier's "guidelines." The "guidleines" for small business carriers are usually published and readily available to agents on the carrier websites.

The agent simply did what agents do, although he may not have done his homework. If he had taken a few minutes he would have known that the company he was binding with does not underwrite any political organizations for coverage, under it's small business program, where liability premiums are dirt cheap ($350/year).

Most A rated carriers, who offer the lowest premiums for small businesses, such as Hartford, St Paul Travelers, Zurich etc have guidleines that clearly state they do not insure political organizations with their Business Owners Policies. There are pretty good reasons for this. Political organization offices pose a far higher risk of generating personal, advertising and bodily injury claims than the small businesses for which the policies are specifically designed. They are loaded with liability coverages and are dirt cheap. It is most often the property owned by a small office operation that cranks up the premium

As I said above, the agent may not have done his homework, then again many agents take advantage of their Binding Authority relationship and often stick a carrier on a risk they know will be declined in order to get a few days of free coverage on the Binder, until a carrier who will write the risk can be found.

Either way, this did not hurt the organization one bit. It has the insurance on the Binder, which the "stuck' carrier will honor, for the period of days sprecified, while the agent lines up a carrier who will agree to write. The agent did that - found other coverage - and at a bargain premium too, considering the risk.

No harm done to the local Democratic organiztion at all. It would have happened to a Republican organization. In fact, it is highly doubtful that the party affiliation was even mentioned in the submission to the original carrier. It was simply declined because the carrier doesn't write ANY political organizations on it's BOP.

The organization has the coverage over the weekend, for which it will never pay a dime, and will get set up with a carrier who has agreed to underwrite early next week. Happens ALL the time.

edit - inserted a word for clarification