The summer of 2017 saw a number of severe storms in the Midwest,
with resulting insurance claims. As policyholders have made those
claims, some have been surprised to see new provisions in their
insurance contracts.
Things are not always black and white in insurance policies,
especially when it comes to the impact of a Minnesota court
decision that required insurers providing replacement cost coverage
to reasonably match replacement siding. Since the Minnesota Supreme Court issued its
opinion in Cedar Bluff Townhome Condominium Association,
Inc. v. American Family Mutual Insurance Company, insurers
have begun inserting language in their policies that expressly
precludes the coverage requirement of matching based upon color, a
change in product specifications, or other factors, in an attempt
to circumvent this clear precedent.
