Newsletters
Impact of Riders/Endorsements on Auto Insurance Policies
A rider is a paper attached to a document that amends the document. In an automobile insurance policy, a rider can modify the conditions of the insurance policy. It can increase or decrease the policy's benefits. It can add exclusions from coverage, like a crime exclusion clause. The use of the rider means that the entire policy does not have to be rewritten if a change needs to be made. Riders are also known as endorsements, slips, or rubber stamps.
Punitive Damage Exclusions in Motorists Insurance
Some automobile insurance policies have clauses that specifically exclude the payment of punitive or exemplary damages against an insured. Punitive or exemplary damages do not pay for bodily injuries or property damage. They are awarded over and above payment for those items. Punitive or exemplary damages are intended to punish the person who caused the injuries or damage or to make that person an example to deter others from such conduct.
Tort Liability for School Bus Operations
The elongated yellow body of a school bus is a familiar sight on the streets and roads of the United States. Because of the frequency and scope of their operations and the manner of their employment, school buses inevitably become involved in motor vehicle accidents and other incidents that result in the bringing of legal actions seeking to recover damages for death, personal injury, or property damage caused by such incidents.
Cancellation of Auto Insurance for Acquisition of New Policy
If an insured acquires a new policy covering an already insured vehicle, the original insurer will have an incentive to cancel its own policy to limit its exposure and avoid having to pay a "windfall" recovery in the event that an occurrence calling for payment under the policy should take place.
Conflict of Laws Issues in Motor Vehicle Insurance Disputes
Motor vehicles, by the nature of their mobility, freely move among the states. Accidents can occur in an insured's home state or another state. The laws of the states can differ on how they interpret the terms of an insurance policy. Which law should be applied is the subject of rules for conflict-of-laws or choice-of-laws decisions.
