Our insured's company vehicle was stolen from a parking ramp while he was out for the evening. Auto was covered by another carrier, as was his business personal property. He also had some personal property in the vehicle that he wants to claim. Our policy is for a secondary/seasonal. He has not turned a claim into his carrier for his primary residence because he has a higher deductible ($2,500 vs $1,000) and it is a higher valued home and he doesn't want his premium to go up on that policy. We only write the secondary/seasonal. We believe he needs to go to his primary carrier first, but where would we pull the policy language? HO-3.

Michigan Subscriber

This isn't as much an issue of policy language of ethics. Logically, the claim should be filed under the policy where the property is normally located. If the insured was on a business trip and his luggage with suits and business clothes was stolen, and those clothes are kept at the primary residence, then the claim should be filed under that policy. If he was on vacation and his beach clothes and boogie boards were stolen and that property is kept at the secondary home, then the claim should be filed under the secondary policy. While I'm sure the insured doesn't see it this way, in actuality this could be a form of insurance fraud. He wants to file a claim under a particular policy to his advantage, regardless as to what is the correct way to file a claim. While I'm sure this happens frequently in a variety of ways, it's not exactly ethical.