When an Accident Happens, Is the Right Insurance Available?
If accidents didn’t happen, we would not need insurance. Of course accidents can happen which explains why many of us buy insurance. Our expectation when we buy insurance is that we will be financially compensated if there is an accident. However, most people and businesses do not read the insurance policies that they buy. Attorneys who analyze insurance policies have a saying that “An insurance policy first gives coverage, then it takes it away.” It is often only after an accident happens that a person or business finds out the details of the insurance policy they purchased which may, or may not, provide coverage for the accident. An insurance agent or broker is often a good source of information in deciding what insurance to purchase. Further, Nevada law has long held that an insurance broker has a duty “to use reasonable diligence to place the insurance and seasonably to notify the client if he is unable to do so.” Keddie v. Beneficial Ins., Inc. 94 Nev. 418, 420, 580 P.2d 955, 956 (1978). However, with the advent of online insurance sales where purchasers do not speak to a human being, it is more common for people and businesses to fail to obtain the right type of insurance for their most likely risks. Unless you are an expert in insurance, your time is well spent speaking to an insurance expert before choosing the insurance policy you are buying to protect you if there is an accident. The attorneys at Lemons, Grundy & Eisenberg can be a resource when insurance issues arise.