What's the Scenario? with PLRB

PLRB

Formerly "PLRB on Demand", this podcast feed is being rebooted as "What's the Scenario? with PLRB." Each week you'll find a 20-minute episode that addresses a claims or coverage scenario and answers interesting insurance questions. Our PLRB team of Alissha Watley, Mike Brode, and Tim Havlir will discuss terrorism, pandemics, fireworks, NFTs, aggressive contractors, phone scams, matching, vacation rentals, and more. Stay subscribed to this feed and check back in the new year for a new podcast. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at youtube.com/@plrb/ LinkedIn - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau" Send us your scenario! Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org. If you send us an audio clip, we may use the audio in the show, though again we will only include material we can anonymize. Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

  1. 1d ago

    Oops! Is a Hardware Store a Subcontractor?

    An insured purchased brick, mortar, and other masonry materials from a local building supply company, then used its own employees to build the brick veneer and masonry of a home, install the windows, and finish the exterior deck. After the work was completed, cracks formed in the masonry that let water infiltrate and damage other parts of the home - and the question became whether the building supply company, which only furnished materials and did no construction work itself, could be pulled into the claim as a "subcontractor."   Notable Timestamps   [ 00:49 ] - Mike lays out the scenario: an insured built brick veneer and masonry walls with materials bought from a local building supply company, and when the finished masonry later let water infiltrate, the question became whether that supplier counts as a "subcontractor" too.   [ 01:52 ] - Brennan voices the supplier's likely defense - "we're not a subcontractor, we're a hardware store" - setting up why the subcontractor label matters so much here.   [ 02:34 ] - The hosts turn to the j(5) ongoing-operations exclusion, noting it doesn't carve subcontractors back in the way the completed-operations exclusion under l does.   [ 03:51 ] - Under the "your work" definition, part (2) sweeps in "materials, parts or equipment furnished in connection with" the work - potentially pulling a materials supplier into the exclusion even without any hands-on construction.   [ 05:07 ] - Brennan unpacks the apparent contradiction: j(5) excludes subcontractor work during ongoing operations, but l explicitly carves subcontractors back in once the work is completed.   [ 08:10 ] - When a "subcontractor" might really be an employee: the hosts run through the classic independent-contractor factors - control over the work, method of payment, who furnishes materials/tools, control of the premises, and the right to discharge.   [ 10:00 ] - Brennan cites Mosser Construction, Inc. v. Travelers Indemnity Co. (2011, Ohio), where a court had to decide whether a supplier furnishing wastewater-treatment aggregate counted as a subcontractor.   [ 12:21 ] - The hosts note two courts could look at identical policy language and the same facts and reach opposite conclusions - "a mystery wrapped in a conundrum."   [ 16:02 ] - A recap of the key takeaways on when a supplier can be treated as a subcontractor under the Your Work exclusion.   Your PLRB Resources   Coverage Question: Is an Insured's Subcontractor's Faulty Workmanship an "Occurrence" in Iowa? - https://members.plrb.org/documents/in-iowa-is-an-insureds-subcontractors-faulty-workmanship-an-occurrence-bed-2026211   Coverage Question: Is There Coverage Under the CGL Policy for Defective Floor Installation Work? - https://members.plrb.org/documents/is-there-coverage-under-the-cgl-policy-for-the-alleged-damages-involving-the-defective-floor-installation-work-2023-08-31   Case Law: Mosser Construction, Inc. v. Travelers Indemnity Co. (2011) - https://members.plrb.org/documents/mosser-construction-inc-v-travelers-indem-co-2011   Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.   Subscribe to this Podcast   Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app   YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb   LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"   Send us your Scenario!   Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.   Legal Information   The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.   Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

    Oops! Is a Hardware Store a Subcontractor?

  2. Oct 23

    Oops! Is "Your Work" Considered "Complete" If You Get Fired?

    A contractor hired to build a detached garage was fired after completing only the framing and roof sheathing, and the homeowner immediately brought in a second contractor to finish the job. Weeks later, after the replacement contractor had resumed work, rain got in through improperly installed flashing the first contractor had put up, damaging the framing and newly installed insulation. The original contractor argued the claim fell within the Products-Completed Operations Hazard because his operations had already ended by the time the damage occurred.   Notable Timestamps   [ 01:00 ] - A contractor hired to build a detached garage is fired after only finishing the framing and roof sheathing. A second contractor finishes the job, and later water damage traces back to flashing the first contractor installed.   [ 03:45 ] - The team explores the policy's definition of "your work" under the Products-Completed Operations Hazard to work through whether the fired contractor's operations had actually ended.   [ 04:54 ] - The three ways work can be deemed completed under the definition: (a) all contracted work finished, (b) all work at the job site finished, or (c) the work put to its intended use by someone other than another contractor or subcontractor.   [ 05:40 ] - Applying part (a), the team debates whether the fired contractor's work could be considered "completed" simply because he was removed from the job before finishing.   [ 12:34 ] - Part (c), intended use, may be the stronger fit here, since the replacement contractor built on top of the original work.   [ 14:19 ] - The original contractor's work wasn't "put to its intended use" until someone else finished it. Getting fired isn't the same as abandoning a job.   [ 19:23 ] - The relevant exclusions treat subcontractors differently.   [ 22:51 ] - The team recaps the three key takeaways on when a contractor's work counts as "completed."   Your PLRB Resources   Case Law: Clarendon America Ins. Co. v. General Security Indemnity Co. of Arizona (2011) - https://members.plrb.org/documents/clarendon-america-ins-co-v-general-security-indem-co-of-arizona-2011   Policy Annotation: Your Work Defined (GL112) - https://members.plrb.org/documents/gl112-your-work-defined   Policy Annotation: Your Work Exclusion (GL52) - https://members.plrb.org/documents/gl52-your-work-exclusion   Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.   Subscribe to this Podcast   Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app   YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb   LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"   Send us your Scenario!   Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.   Legal Information   The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.   Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

    Oops! Is "Your Work" Considered "Complete" If You Get Fired?

  3. Oct 16

    [REPLAY] The Stairs Made Me Trip and Fall!

    We're taking a break this week after our first-ever Knowledge Exchange. This collaborative learning event took place at PLRB headquarters and featured building codes topics, so this week we'll share a classic episode from the PLRB Building Codes team. Surveillance video shows a woman wearing a salon cape exiting through the front door of a hair salon. She spends a few moments in front of the salon examining her hair in a large handheld mirror. On reentry, she stumbles on the second and falls.   Notable Timestamps [ 00:32 ] - This is not her first time at the salon, and not her first time through the door that day. [ 01:16 ] - Tripping and falling is a common experience. [ 02:45 ] - The team watch & react to the video (only available for staff). [ 04:08 ] - Ruth details the layout of the step. [ 05:03 ] - The riser heights are within an acceptable range. [ 05:40 ] - The tread depth is likely compliant, even if they are longer than usual. [ 06:07 ] - The riser heights are not uniform, which may present a code issue. [ 06:45 ] - In this case the 2018 IBC applied, and handrails are required on both sides. No handrails were present here. [ 07:17 ] - The term "Legacy Code Exceptions" is typically preferred to describe when a code does not apply because the structure was built prior to the code's establishment. [ 08:30 ] - A "triggering event" such as remodeling or occupancy change can mean that a legacy code exception would not apply. It also may not apply if something else, e.g. deterioration, made the area unsafe. [ 09:18 ] - In some cases, an exception to a building code may be made if the structure of the building does not permit the code requirement, e.g. handrails. [ 10:22 ] -  In some states, if the steps were not up to code, the salon is negligent automatically or "negligent per se." In other states, evidence of code violation means there is a presumption of neglience; finally, other states merely find a code violation to be evidence of negligence. [ 11:30 ] - Even in "negligence per se" states, establishing that the negligence existed is not the same as demonstrating that the negligence caused the injury as opposed to an intervening factor, e.g. the insured's behavior. [ 12:33 ] - Ruth provides a recap of the scenario and the points above. Your PLRB Resources Address Report: Find a code adoption for insured's address with link to code book - https://www.plrb.org/building-codes/building-component/ Commercial Stairs Diagram: Interactive diagram with excerpts from code for each of the main components of stairs - https://www.plrb.org/building-codes/building-component/ Legal Duty Created by Building Codes: State-by-state analysis of case law and defenses - was the insured negligent based on failure to comply with building codes? - https://www.plrb.org/documents/overview-of-duty-created-by-building-codes/ Ask a Code Question - https://www.plrb.org/building-codes/ask-plrb-building-code-question/ Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau" Send us your Scenario! Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org. Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate. Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

  4. Oct 9

    Mirror, Mirror, on the Circuit Breaker?

    A kitchen fire damaged some cabinets and the microwave above the stove, and the insured hired a contractor to make the repairs. When the contractor needed to temporarily kill power to the outlet above the stove, they asked the insured where the breaker box was - only to be led to a basement bathroom, where opening the medicine cabinet mirror revealed the home's electrical panel mounted behind it. Now the contractor is refusing to proceed until the insured's entire electrical system is brought up to code. Notable Timestamps [ 00:43 ] - This scenario features a kitchen-fire repair that led a contractor straight to a breaker box hidden behind a bathroom medicine cabinet mirror. [ 01:38 ] - The hosts credit the scenario to a LinkedIn post from Curtis Goldsborough ("LO$$ Ratio"), showing the actual photo of the panel board tucked behind the mirror. [ 04:14 ] - Start with the "Effective Use" chapter whenever you need a foothold in an unfamiliar part of the building code. [ 06:44 ] - Chapter 34's equipment locations and clearances section settles the question directly: panel boards, surface equipment, and similar enclosures can't be located in bathrooms, toilet rooms, clothes closets, or over the steps of a stairway. [ 07:35 ] - The hosts debate how the panel ended up there in the first place - whether it predates any code requiring its relocation, or whether the bathroom was built around an already-existing, properly inspected panel. [ 10:48 ] - Courts are split on how closely an ordinance-or-law code upgrade has to connect to the actual covered damage before it's payable, and the hosts note this stays a fact-specific, jurisdiction-specific question. [ 12:22 ] - A hypothetical basement man-cave-turned-Airbnb built around the same mirrored panel raises home-sharing coverage questions, which the hosts note ISO addressed with specific policy language starting in 2022. [ 16:07 ] - A recap of the three key takeaways on panel placement, using the IRC's Effective Use chapter, and the state-specific side of ordinance-or-law coverage. Your PLRB Resources Adjuster Resource Sheet: Home-Sharing Issues for Property Adjusters - https://members.plrb.org/documents/adjuster-resource-sheet-home-sharing-issues-for-property-adjusters Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau" Send us your Scenario! Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org. Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate. Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

    Mirror, Mirror, on the Circuit Breaker?

  5. Oct 2

    Ice Shove Damaged My Boathouse!

    The insured enjoyed having a lakeside home in the summer, where they could take a cruise on their boat in the evenings. But one winter, the frozen lake shoved ashore massive ice slabs, crushing a metal boat lift that had been stored on the shoreline for the winter. The lateral ice pressure then smashed into a permanent boathouse, buckling the vinyl siding, breaking through windows, and splitting the wooden framing. Ice chunks spilled onto the personal property left inside as well. The homeowner was left wondering whether they'd be frozen out of coverage for this loss.   Notable Timestamps   [ 01:26 ] - The hosts introduce the scenario, inspired by a LinkedIn post from "LO$$ RATIO" (Curtis Goldsborough) about flooding in northern Michigan pushing lake ice into shoreline structures.   [ 05:10 ] - Mike and Brennan walk through the basics of Coverage A (dwelling), B (other structures), and C (personal property) before digging into which one applies to a boathouse and boat lift.   [ 06:50 ] - Because Coverage C is a named-perils coverage that only applies to personal property inside a building, the boat lift and boathouse themselves would need to qualify under Coverage B instead.   [ 08:08 ] - The hosts debate whether the "weight of ice, snow, or sleet" peril applies when the ice pressure is lateral rather than straight down, noting PLRB's coverage attorneys treat lateral pressure as still falling within the "weight" definition since gravity is the propelling force.   [ 09:38 ] - They discuss what makes a structure like a boathouse qualify as a Coverage B "other structure" rather than personal property: permanence, attachment to the land, and whether it's routinely removed each season.   [ 11:42 ] - Once classified as an "other structure," the boathouse runs into the freezing/thawing/pressure/weight of water or ice exclusion, which lists specific structures like piers, wharves, and docks.   [ 13:04 ] - Because insurance exclusions are construed narrowly against the drafter, the hosts conclude a boat lift and boathouse likely don't fall under that exclusion's "pier, wharf, or dock" language, since the policy could have said "boathouse" but didn't.   [ 14:34 ] - Before wrapping up, the hosts flag two more exclusions worth checking: what actually moved the ice (surface water, waves, flooding) and whether earth movement contributed to the damage.   [ 16:21 ] - Brennan and Mike recap the three key takeaways on boathouse and boat lift coverage under a standard homeowners policy.   Your PLRB Resources   Policy Annotation: Weight of Ice, Snow or Sleet (HO67) - https://members.plrb.org/documents/weight-of-ice-snow-or-sleet-ho67   Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.   Subscribe to this Podcast   Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app   YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb   LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"   Send us your Scenario!   Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.   Legal Information   The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.   Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

  6. Sep 18

    [REPLAY] A Storm Spoiled My Insured's Fish

    Welcome to "What's the Scenario? with PLRB", where we explore claims & coverage scenarios relevant to insurance professionals. I'm Brennan McLoughlin, and we're taking a break this week after another successful PLRB Regional Innovation Summit. This week we'll share a follow-up episode from the PLRB Weather team. A small grocery store specializes in farm-to-table meat and fish, locally sourced and priced at the high end of the market. After accepting their week's shipment on a Wednesday evening, thunderstorms led to a power outage that spoiled the fish.   Notable Timestamps [ 00:36 ] - Another insured claims their back shed was hit by lightning, damaging expensive equipment.   [ 01:32 ] - The team discusses tips for what to do during a power outage. [ 02:47 ] - On PLRB.org, on the Weather Hub, you can click Power Outage Report and enter in an address and date to see historical power outage reports in a grid with 1km x 1km squares. [ 05:55 ] - The data can only demonstrate a probability that an outage occurred at the selected address. [ 06:50 ] - The data does not include the cause of the power outage. [ 07:00 ] - The lightning report data includes satellite data during a given 1-hour period for both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning. [ 09:40 ] - These reports can be used to confirm causality in a claim. [ 10:24 ] - Tim & Mike chime in! Food spoilage claims can lead to confusion because the clauses frequently change. In these situations, it's best to read the policy carefully. Is there a distinction between on-premises and off-premises? Does it mention power failures as well as power surges? Is there an ensuing loss clause? The policy may also have an endorsement for food spoilage. [ 12:43 ] - CP and BP form have an exclusion for artificially-generated electrical current, which would not apply in a lightning claim. [ 03:24 ] - Andrew provides a recap of the scenario and the points above. Your PLRB Resources Get a Power Outage Report - https://www.plrb.org/weather-cat/power-outage-reports/ Get a Lightning Report - https://www.plrb.org/weather-cat/researching-lightning-data/ Adjuster Resource Sheet: Food Spoilage Claims Under Commercial Forms for Property Adjusters - https://www.plrb.org/documents/adjuster-resource-sheet-food-spoilage-claims-commercial/ Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau" Send us your Scenario! Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org. Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate. Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

  7. Sep 11

    [REPLAY] Cyclones, Insurance & A Bowl of Spaghetti (Models)

    Welcome to "What's the Scenario? with PLRB", where we explore claims & coverage scenarios relevant to insurance professionals. I'm Brennan McLoughlin, and for this holiday week we'll be sharing a classic episode from the PLRB Weather team.   A CAT Manager is making preparations for her CAT team in advance of Hurricane Francine, which approached the Louisiana coast in the second week of September, 2024. She reads something about spaghetti models, and something about Fast Track cyclones?   Notable Timestamps [ 00:36 ] - The building owner submits the claim to their property insurer, looking for coverage for a new bollard. They have a standard CP 00 10 10 12, which does not include coverage for fences if the cause of loss was an accidental vehicle crash.  [ 01:21 ] - The PLRB team discuss pasta recipes. [ 02:47 ] - Hurricane Francine caused a great deal of damage to homeowners and businessowners by the Louisiana coast. [ 04:35 ] - Andrew shares some screenshots, available on the YouTube version of this podcast. [ 05:02 ] - An error cone is shown, demonstrating the suspected path of the hurricane. [ 05:28 ] - Spaghetti models show the various paths Francine might have taken. [ 05:46 ] - Peak storm surge forecasts color code area by feet of storm surge. [ 06:44 ] - The "Best Track" includes line, point data, and cumulative wind history. [ 07:20 ] - Spaghetti models are a forecasting tool that provides multiple expectant paths. Tracks closer together indicate certainty. These are available on PLRB.org or via API. [ 08:33 ] - Andrew demonstrates how spaghetti models can change over time. Error cones may be superimposed on the spaghetti models. [ 10:17 ] - Storm surge is the rise in seawater caused solely by the storm's winds pushing the water onto shore. Soup gets involved now. [ 11:15 ] - Best Track is a representation of the tropical cyclone's direction and intensity. The Best Track wind swath shows how the storm changed. [ 12:10 ] - Catastrophe Managers can use these forecasting tools in resource allocation. Best Track data can assist in estimating claim ratios. Claims Adjusters can use Best Track data to assist in claims decisions. Underwriters can use this historical data in risk assessment. [ 13:19 ] - Andrew provides a recap of the scenario and the points above. Your PLRB Resources Tropical Storm Francine: https://www.plrb.org/weather-cat/2024-francine/ Spaghetti Models: https://www.plrb.org/documents/view-tropical-cyclone-track-spaghetti-models/ Best Track Data: https://www.plrb.org/documents/view-national-hurricane-center-tropical-cyclone-best-track-maps/ Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau" Send us your Scenario! Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org. Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate. Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

  8. Sep 4

    Oops! Is a Contractor's Work Ever Really Done?

    A contractor was hired to renovate a kitchen. The homeowner was thrilled with the results, but asked for a few final punch-list items: adjusting the cabinet doors and replacing a damaged drawer pull. To reach the cabinets, the contractor moved the refrigerator, but failed to securely reconnect the ice maker supply line before leaving. Two days later, the homeowner discovered water throughout the kitchen and adjacent rooms after the line separated, damaging the newly renovated space and the surrounding flooring.   Notable Timestamps   [ 00:45 ] - Mike sets up today's scenario: a contractor's punch-list visit ends with a disconnected ice maker line and water damage throughout a newly renovated kitchen.   [ 05:08 ] - Brennan and Mike revisit the CGL's j(5) and j(6) exclusions, which apply only to ongoing operations on the particular part of the property being worked on -- not completed work.   [ 08:03 ] - Once an operation is complete, the Damage to Your Work exclusion takes over, precluding coverage for property damage to the insured's own completed work -- unless a subcontractor did that work.   [ 09:51 ] - "Your work" and the "products-completed operations hazard" are both specifically defined policy terms, complete with a three-part test for exactly when work is deemed done.   [ 11:37 ] - The team finds the carve-out they were looking for: coverage turns on whether the work "has not been completed or abandoned."   [ 14:45 ] - The kitchen renovation was substantially complete, so the water damage likely falls under the Your Work exclusion.   [ 15:19 ] - Either way, some damage may still be covered -- reconnecting the ice maker wasn't really the contractor's "work," so the resulting damage to the flooring is arguably separate, covered damage.   Your PLRB Resources   Coverage Question: Is This an Ongoing or Completed Operation? https://members.plrb.org/documents/is-this-an-ongoing-or-completed-operation-2025-08-25fjg   Adjuster Resource Sheet: Faulty Work https://members.plrb.org/documents/adjuster-resource-sheet-faulty-work   Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.   Subscribe to this Podcast   Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app   YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb   LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"   Send us your Scenario!   Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.   Legal Information   The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.   Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License. Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1. Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription). Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

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Formerly "PLRB on Demand", this podcast feed is being rebooted as "What's the Scenario? with PLRB." Each week you'll find a 20-minute episode that addresses a claims or coverage scenario and answers interesting insurance questions. Our PLRB team of Alissha Watley, Mike Brode, and Tim Havlir will discuss terrorism, pandemics, fireworks, NFTs, aggressive contractors, phone scams, matching, vacation rentals, and more. Stay subscribed to this feed and check back in the new year for a new podcast. Subscribe to this Podcast Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app YouTube - Please like and subscribe at youtube.com/@plrb/ LinkedIn - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau" Send us your scenario! Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org. If you send us an audio clip, we may use the audio in the show, though again we will only include material we can anonymize. Legal Information The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

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