Mark was carrying sound equipment from the nightclub to his truck when he fell on the loading dock. The fall was due to defects in the loading dock and Mark sued the nightclub for the serious injuries he sustained. The nightclub's insurance company denied coverage because an endorsement to its policy broadly excluded injuries sustained by almost any outside party that provided entertainment on the premises.

The court felt the endorsement was being applied a little too broadly.

Click here to see how the courts ruled, the award, and the reasons why.

Insurance companies write the policies and insureds must accept them as written most of the time. This is called an adhesion contract. When an exclusion is vague or excessively broad, the courts may carve a much narrower interpretation to the benefit of the insured.

Click here to review the definition of adhesion contract in Insurance Words and Their Meanings.

Most insurance policies are written with filed forms that the state insurance commissioner reviewed and approved. However, some insurance carriers develop unique forms (manuscript forms) for a particular insured that are not filed but that both parties agree to. These can be beneficial but can also involve extensive litigation, especially when poorly written.

Click here for a Rough Notes article by Don Malecki that describes trips and traps of manuscript endorsements.

Writing a policy or an endorsement is difficult and time consuming because it must provide only the coverage desired – no more and no less.

Writing a business letter is also difficult because it must be written professionally in order to accomplish a specific goal. Poor grammar and lack of clear focus can result in losing clients instead of gaining them. Business Building Letters in Producer Online help you reach out to your current clients and your prospects in a professional and focused manner. They can be used as a starting point for both regular mail and electronic communication

Click here for a discussion on ways to use Business Building Letters and other types of communication to gain new clients and enhance your relationship with existing clients.