COVID1 9 INSURANCE COVERAGE & PLAN

COVID 19 INSURANCE COVERAGE & PLAN

I will provide you with an overview of insurance coverage in light of the Covid19 outbreak specifically we're going to be talking about policies purchased by C DHA members including business interruption commercial general liability and professional liability.

What is very much an unprecedented and ever-evolving situation it seems at every moment.

There are new circumstances arising and questions being posed to both us and and widely to the insurance industry that we've never faced before.

There are definitions and policy wordings that will be challenged in ways they have never been through claims being put forward and challenged in courts.

We also see expect to see new precedents, we actively work to obtain and share as much information as possible.

We are working around the to review and challenge policy wordings set forth by insurers and the current definitions across a range of policies and provide this to you.

But as we pose new questions and seek further clarification from your insurers the response time is being delayed given the nature of COVID 19.

The multitude of physicians taken in conjunction with the sheer volume of queries being sent.

We are also engaging with our legal partners such as growing's and your association to provide timely content and value in moments of dire need.

we have created a more formal position statement with Si DHA that has been shared with members to provide further insight and feedback on key coverage areas including business interruption professional liability and commercial general liability.

We strongly encourage you to read this which can be found on the CBH a website because the situation is so fluid.

Unfortunately we are unable to provide definitive answers on coverage which will ultimately play themselves out as claims and cases arise.

We will however provide our interpretation on a general basis to a variety of areas that dental hygienists and other health professionals are seeking feedback.

We will provide more context in detail as it relates to some of the coverage’s purchased through the CH an Insurance Program based on what we know today.

As a new circumstances evolved we continue to create further resources to bring you this information.

We also strongly recommend you frequently visit your college's website as new details come to light.

While we continue to review policy wording some challenge definitions to try to identify new potential avenues for coverage as the broker BMS does not adjudicate or determine claims.

You have a right to submit a claim which will be assessed on its own merit based on the specific facts and circumstances of the situation.

We anticipate the insurer or the CDJ business package ecclesiastical will release more formal information in relation to filing business interruption claims.

May be after some days some companies will be offering some coverage in this circumstance release portals and undesignated channels to submit these claims.

New questions are brought forward and circumstances involved we will provide further resources in collaboration with si DHA please continue to monitor their website for the latest information.

we will now address some of those commonly asked questions I'm going to start with business interruption coverage.

What is business interruption covers I can provide you with some information, what is business interruption and specifically how this is applied in the CDH a member of policy and to give members some guidance on whether they may have a circumstance that constitutes putting forward a claim.

I will also provide some context as it relates, obviously to COVID 19 does this interruption and business income coverage is often included in a commercial property policy such as the business package through si DHA.

 I think it's worth noting that this coverage is intended and is attached to a property policy instead of a loss of income related policy.

This provides coverage for direct physical loss or damage to the insured property caused by a specific loss most commonly fires and storms and these are referred to as insured perils.

 In this type of scenario when a business's property suffers physical damage the business is no longer able to operate normally and the insurer, as a result, will pay for loss of business income and/or extra expenses incurred during this period.

This is what is referred to as business interruption coverage within a property policy and is very much the coverage that is in place within the CDA program.

What is less common is what businesses are facing right now which is the actual or potential closure due to the spread of COVID 19.

Most property policies have an absolute virus or bacteria exclusion in them which states that loss is caused directly or indirectly by a virus or excluded from coverage including a business interruption related coverage in rare circumstances.

Some policies do right back in limited forms virus-related coverage, but they're all subject to certain requirements and provisions within the policy and they all differ from insurer to insure.

For example some insurance companies who provide this coverage require that civil the authority must have mandated building closures or coverage to respond where others merely state that if a civil authority sends an advisory that a building should close it would warrant a trigger for coverage now.

I'll discuss a little bit more directly about the CDH a package policy the CDH a package policy insured again by ecclesiastical is one of those policies.

That does provide an element of infectious disease extension under the business interruption endorsement.

This is again under certain criteria and within the coverage statement that has been developed and is posted the actual wording is attached to that as well some of the key elements of information related to the conditions for this coverage to be provided are as follows.

However again as I before I do so and as noted prior each claim is really assessed on its own circumstance and merit.

This overview is to provide you more information about the wording in general and how it operates for CDH a members outlined in the policy wording coverage is provided for an occurrence at the insurance premises subject to a three-months indemnity period and a limit of $100,000 for coverage ticker be provided conditions set out in the wording must be met the main and central consideration in the CDH.

The wording is that a claim arises directly from the necessary interruption or interference of operations at the insurance business or premises due to a human in section or contagious disease.

That is manifested by a person while at the premises which then causes restrictions to the use of the premises on the order or advice of a civilian Authority.

So again to provide that in maybe you know some more layman terms essentially there has to have been a human with COVID 19 or proof that covid19 was ultimately at the premises.

It was manifested by a person while at the premises which would result in coverage to be provided given advice has already been rendered by the civilian authority to close premises.

 In these circumstances, this is a central component of the policy to review and help assess whether you may have a claim it's also important to note that for businesses open today that circumstance may not yet have arisen or it may arise in the future.

So this is very much an ongoing circumstance in relation to this coverage.

There's also, a lot about Cova 19 that we don't know including how ensures will trace back where there has been the transmission of the virus.

What circumstances and again this will all kind of play itself out as time evolves in the event that the condition noted is met coverage may be afforded for items such as loss of revenue and rental costs again.

There is some wording that I would suggest members review but again this is the kind of main central component of coverage there are two notable exclusions.

Which are outlined again in that in that position statement as noted extensively in the media, coverage for pandemics is not common in Canada most business interruption policies do not offer coverage for business interruption due to a pandemic such as COVID 19.

However over 19 as I've noted is like nothing we've seen before and definitions found insurance policies will certainly be challenged.

The government is also in contact with Canadian jurors on this issue and there is news coming out daily in terms of insurers' response.

There are already examples being made which have the potential to set significant new precedent.

There is no requirement for physical damage but there must be a necessary interruption of operations at the premises again as noted do to a human an infectious or contagious disease that has been manifested by a person while at the premises.

Which causes restrictions on the use of the premises on the order or advice of a civilian Authority.

That is really the most key element of the pulse wording that will identify the likelihood of claims being afforded or not under the CBH policy.

If no one has been at your premises with covid19 is unlikely that there will be a successful claim in relation to business interruption.

But again I present there are asymptomatic patients there are many many unknown circumstances.

If you suspect someone who has been on your premises has had COVID 19 there is a more increased potential for a successful claim.

If other conditions are also met clickable to the wording please note that this is general information and we're doing our best to provide this to you.

Without knowing that each claim has to be assessed based on its individual facts if you believe you do have a claim the information on how to submit is included within the position statement which is available on the CDH a website.

We understand and recognize the significant impact that restrictions related to covid19 are having on small businesses including CDH members whose independent practice owners and the evolving challenges that occur with this.

HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS

COVID 19 US HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS