Coinsurance clauses, explained | Kin insurance glossary (2024)

What is a coinsurance clause?

Homeowners insurance policies typically have a coinsurance clause that requires you to carry coverage worth a certain percentage of your home’s value. Failure to meet the requirement reduces your compensation after a loss.

What policies have coinsurance clauses?

Almost all property insurance policies – including homeowners insurance – includes a coinsurance clause. By requiring property owners to carry coverage at least equal to some percentage of a property’s total value, coinsurance clauses help to fairly distribute risk between policyholders and insurance companies.

The amount of coverage required by a coinsurance clause can vary by provider or policy, but typically ranges from 80% to 100%. If a property owner doesn't carry coverage equal to or greater than the amount required by their coinsurance clause, then their coinsurance has not been satisfied.

How does coinsurance work?

Coinsurance clauses are a feature of almost all home insurance policies to encourage policyholders to carry an appropriate amount of coverage. The clause does this by requiring you to insure your home for a percentage of your home’s actual cash value or its replacement cost. Basically, the coinsurance clause prevents you from underinsuring your home.

If you don’t insure your property at the specified percentage, typically at least 80% of its value, you can face a coinsurance penalty.

What is a coinsurance penalty?

A coinsurance penalty is the amount you may have to pay for a loss if you do not insure your home for the amount required in your policy’s coinsurance clause. Your insurer still covers your loss but only for a percentage of what you might expect.

An example of when coinsurance is satisfied

Let’s say your home’s replacement cost value is $200,000, and your coinsurance requirement is 80%. You need to insure your home for at least $160,000 to avoid the penalty.

Please note: Insuring your home for $160,000 satisfies the coinsurance clause, but it may leave you short when you need to replace your property. Even though your replacement cost is $200,000, the most your insurance provider might pay is $160,000 for a total loss. And that doesn’t take your deductible into consideration.

An example of when coinsurance isn’t satisfied

But now let’s say you want to save money and decide to insure your $200,000 home for only $100,000. When you file a claim, your insurer will realize your coverage falls short of the requirement and use a formula to determine your penalty. The penalty amount is deducted from your claim settlement.

The same is true if you choose to insure your home for its actual cash value and fail to secure sufficient coverage. But in that case, your insurance provider also deducts your property’s depreciation from your reimbursem*nt.

Factors that affect coinsurance amounts

Perhaps the trickiest part of the coinsurance clause is the valuation. Your home’s value can change due to inflation and home improvements, like:

  • Finishing your basem*nt.

  • Upgrading your electrical.

  • Replacing your windows.

  • Landscaping your yard.

A change in your home’s value can mean you fall short of the coinsurance clause requirements. On the other hand, depreciation may mean you’re paying too much for your insurance, so be sure to get your home appraised semi-regularly.

How can I avoid a coinsurance penalty?

A coinsurance penalty can be an unpleasant surprise when you’re trying to recover from a loss. However, you can avoid it. Here’s how:

  • Find out what your coinsurance clause is. You can usually find this information in the “conditions” section of your policy under the heading Loss Settlement.

  • Determine the value of your house on a regular basis. Get an appraisal once every three years.

  • Set your insurance limits appropriately. Take the information you’ve gathered and review it with an agent. They can help you fulfill the coinsurance clause requirement.

Staying on top of your policy is an important part of owning a home. Check out our blog for more tips on getting the most out of your home insurance.

Coinsurance clauses, explained | Kin insurance glossary (2024)

FAQs

Coinsurance clauses, explained | Kin insurance glossary? ›

A coinsurance clause is a provision that requires you to carry coverage equal to 80% of your home's value. The date of issue is the day your insurance company creates your insurance policy.

What is the easiest way to explain coinsurance? ›

Coinsurance is an insured individual's share of the costs of a covered expense (it usually applies to health-care insurance). It is expressed as a percentage. If you have a "30% coinsurance" policy, it means that, when you have a medical bill, you are responsible for 30% of it. Your health plan pays the remaining 70%.

What is the coinsurance clause and how does it work? ›

Coinsurance is a clause used in insurance contracts by insurance companies on property insurance policies such as buildings. This clause ensures policyholders insure their property to an appropriate value and that the insurer receives a fair premium for the risk. Coinsurance is usually expressed as a percentage.

What is the fundamental purpose of a coinsurance clause? ›

The purpose of coinsurance is to have equity in ratings. If your insured meets the coinsurance requirement, the insured receives a rate discount. The coinsurance clause helps to ensure equity among all policyholders.

What is the 100 coinsurance clause? ›

The 100% coinsurance clause means you need to cover 100% of the value of your business personal property for a claim to be fully paid. If you only cover a portion of the value, the claim will not pay the full value of loss.

What is an example of a coinsurance clause? ›

Let's say your home's replacement cost value is $200,000, and your coinsurance requirement is 80%. You need to insure your home for at least $160,000 to avoid the penalty. Please note: Insuring your home for $160,000 satisfies the coinsurance clause, but it may leave you short when you need to replace your property.

What is a deductible and coinsurance for dummies? ›

A deductible is the amount you pay for coverage services before your health plan kicks in. After you meet your deductible, you pay a percentage of health care expenses known as coinsurance. It's like when friends in a carpool cover a portion of the gas, and you, the driver, also pay a portion.

What is the formula for the coinsurance clause? ›

The simple formula for calculating the coinsurance penalty is: amount of insurance in place / Amount of insurance that should have been in place x the loss, less any deductible is the amount actually paid.

What is the difference between a deductible clause and a coinsurance clause? ›

Usually, the co-pay amount is paid before the deductible clause kicks in. The coinsurance clause in the policy document specifies the limit to which your insurance company will pay if you have opted for another insurance policy that covers the same event.

Is coinsurance what you pay or what insurance pays? ›

Coinsurance is a portion of the medical cost you pay after your deductible has been met. Coinsurance is a way of saying that you and your insurance carrier each pay a share of eligible costs that add up to 100 percent. The higher your coinsurance percentage, the higher your share of the cost is.

Why do insurance companies use coinsurance? ›

Coinsurance Concept

In health insurance, it may be used as a means of risk sharing between insured and insurer as a means to lower the insured's monthly premium cost. For example, covered expenses above the deductible may be shared 80 percent insurer/20 percent insured until a policy-stated total is reached.

Why do insurance companies have coinsurance? ›

Coinsurance is a way your insurance company splits the cost of your care with you. For example, they might pay 80% of the bill while you pay 20%. That means the insurance company pays $160, and you pay the rest, $40. Here's the good news: Coinsurance sometimes even “kicks in” before you meet your deductible.

Which of the following best defines coinsurance? ›

The amount of money not covered by a patient's health insurance that the patient pays for each health care service.

What is the 80 coinsurance clause? ›

The coinsurance clause of your homeowners policy requires you to carry coverage of at least 80 percent of your home's total value if you want to receive full replacement cost for any losses—partial or full—you suffer.

What is an 80 20 coinsurance clause? ›

Simply put, 80/20 coinsurance means your insurance company pays 80% of the total bill, and you pay the other 20%. Remember, this applies after you've paid your deductible.

What is the 80 coinsurance clause for property insurance? ›

Example of commercial property coinsurance

The coinsurance provision requires a minimum of 80% of the value to be insured. A hurricane blows through, causing $300,000 in damages. The insurer inspects the property and values it at $600,000, meaning the full $300,000 would be paid by the insurance company.

What does the word coinsurance mean? ›

Medical Definition

coinsurance. noun. co·​in·​sur·​ance ˌkō-ən-ˈshu̇r-ən(t)s, -ˈshər- also -ˈin-ˌshu̇r-, -ˌshər- : health insurance in which an insurer requires the insured to pay a fixed percentage of the cost of medical expenses after the deductible has been paid and with the insurer to pay the remaining expenses.

Which of the following best describes coinsurance? ›

Which of the following best describes coinsurance? Coinsurance is the agreed upon proportions for which the insurer and the insured share payment of certain benefits or services under the policy coverage.

Is it better to have higher or lower coinsurance? ›

If you rarely go to a hospital or doctor, higher coinsurance and deductibles with lower premiums might be a better decision,” says Gross. But if you have a chronic health condition or see doctors very frequently, you might want to have a lower coinsurance and deductible with a higher premium.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kelle Weber

Last Updated:

Views: 6248

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kelle Weber

Birthday: 2000-08-05

Address: 6796 Juan Square, Markfort, MN 58988

Phone: +8215934114615

Job: Hospitality Director

Hobby: tabletop games, Foreign language learning, Leather crafting, Horseback riding, Swimming, Knapping, Handball

Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.