Course Description

Coverage for Water Backups and Overflows

The course, "Coverage for Water Back Ups and Overflows," contains content designed to enhance the knowledge, understanding, and/or professional competence of the student regarding insurance principles and coverages; applicable laws, and rules; recent and prospective changes in coverages; and technical policy provisions.

"Coverage for Water Back Ups and Overflows" explores the fundamentals of coverage analysis for property insurance losses involving water backing up and overflowing from sewers and drains into homes and businesses. The course begins with an overview of the majority and minority views adopted by courts in interpreting coverage.

The program then works through common coverage scenarios. The course examines types of water removal systems used by homeowners and businesses and the losses suffered when using these systems. The losses are then examined in the context of policy language. This analysis also serves to give students insight as to why policy provisions were drafted.

The program then focuses on the facts and reasoning behind the minority view court opinions. This is followed by an analysis of the majority view opinions along with an analysis of the elements of a "back up exclusion" defense to coverage.

After completing the course, the student will understand what facts are important to courts in determining coverage, will be able to distinguish between scenarios that are typically covered and typically excluded, will be better able to understand their experts, and will understand elements likely required before a water back up or overflow might be excluded under the terms of a standard property policy.