A coinsurance clause is a provision often included in insurance contracts, which requires the policyholder to maintain a specific level of insurance coverage relative to the value of the insured asset, in our case it is the insurable value of the truck and trailer.
The coinsurance clause is typically expressed as a percentage. For instance, an insurance policy might have a coinsurance clause of 80%. This means that you are required to have insurance coverage for at least 80% of the truck’s actual value. If the truck is insured for less, then then you will be responsible for a portion of the claim proportionate to the degree of underinsured amount.
In addition to coinsurance, insurance policies usually include a deductible, which is the amount you will pay out-of-pocket before the insurance coverage kicks in. Deductibles are designed to reduce the number of small claims and encourage policyholders to share the cost of a loss.
Here’s an example that demonstrates how a coinsurance clause and deductible work in case of a claim:
Truck value: $100,000
Coinsurance requirement: 80%
Required coverage: 80% of $100,000 = $80,000
Actual coverage purchased by the policyholder: $60,000
Deductible: $1,000
Loss incurred: $20,000
To determine the amount that the insurance company would pay for this claim, first, calculate the ratio of coverage purchase to required coverage:
$60,000 (purchased coverage) / $80,000 (required coverage) = 0.75 (75%)
Now, multiply this ratio by the amount of the loss, then subtract the deductible:
($20,000 (loss) ✖ 0.75 (coverage ratio)) – $1,000 (deductible) = $14,000
In this example underinsurance, the insurance company would pay $14,000 for the claim. The policyholder is responsible for the remaining $6,000, which includes $5,000 due to failure to insure the truck at 80% of the value and the $1,000 deductible.
Versus a fully insured scenario, If the truck owner had purchased adequate coverage (i.e., at least $80,000) and the deductible remained the same, the insurance company would have paid $19,000 ($20,000 claim – $1,000 deductible).
It’s crucial for policyholders to be aware of the coinsurance clause and to maintain sufficient coverage to avoid paying out-of-pocket expenses in the event of a claim.