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I took my family to see The Spiderwick Chronicles recently. Great movie! For those who haven’t seen it yet, I
won't give away anything that isn't in the trailer. A family moves into a beautiful old Victorian mansion, and the
kids discover that magical creatures really exist all around us, if only they will let us see them. Some of the
creatures want to help the kids, but some want to harm them. In the end, a band of goblins and an ogre attack
the family in their house.
My first words after the lights came up were, “Hmmm … I wonder if the goblins would be classified as vermin.
Because if they are, then there might not be coverage under the homeowners policy.”
Okay, part of this is just the whole obsessive-compulsive disorder showing through. But as long as we’re on the
subject, let’s take a tongue-in-cheek look at a few concerns for the homeowners.
First, is the damage to the house covered? The better homeowners policies cover the house on an “all-
perils” basis, except for those things that the policy specifically excludes. (These policies are based on the “HO-3”
or “Special Form.”) This means that things like fire, hail, or wind damage to the building are covered, because the
policy doesn’t say that they are not covered. But it is very common for policies to exclude damage caused by
insects, rodents, or vermin. Most policies do not define the word “vermin,” but most dictionaries define it as
“noxious animals” or “undesirable or troublesome pests.” So if goblins are vermin, then these homeowners have
another problem.
Second, what about when the ogre picks up the grand piano and dumps it upside down? Over 90%
of homeowners policies sold in Ohio cover the family’s furniture and possessions on a “named perils” basis. This
means that only the causes of loss listed in the policy are covered. Typically losses caused by fire, theft, water
damage from burst pipes, and several other perils are covered; but damage caused by animals usually isn’t
covered for furniture and possessions. And I have never seen a policy promising specifically to cover damage
caused by ogres.
Finally, what about the whole tomato juice incident? I won’t spoil it for those of you who haven’t seen the
movie yet, but let’s just point out that the kids did it on purpose. Intentional acts of the insured are never
covered. They’ll have to clean that one up on their own.
So these are my thoughts after seeing the movie. The movie was fantastic, and I recommend it enthusiastically.
But if you live in goblin-prone areas, you might want to discuss this with your agent during your next annual
protection review.
won't give away anything that isn't in the trailer. A family moves into a beautiful old Victorian mansion, and the
kids discover that magical creatures really exist all around us, if only they will let us see them. Some of the
creatures want to help the kids, but some want to harm them. In the end, a band of goblins and an ogre attack
the family in their house.
My first words after the lights came up were, “Hmmm … I wonder if the goblins would be classified as vermin.
Because if they are, then there might not be coverage under the homeowners policy.”
Okay, part of this is just the whole obsessive-compulsive disorder showing through. But as long as we’re on the
subject, let’s take a tongue-in-cheek look at a few concerns for the homeowners.
First, is the damage to the house covered? The better homeowners policies cover the house on an “all-
perils” basis, except for those things that the policy specifically excludes. (These policies are based on the “HO-3”
or “Special Form.”) This means that things like fire, hail, or wind damage to the building are covered, because the
policy doesn’t say that they are not covered. But it is very common for policies to exclude damage caused by
insects, rodents, or vermin. Most policies do not define the word “vermin,” but most dictionaries define it as
“noxious animals” or “undesirable or troublesome pests.” So if goblins are vermin, then these homeowners have
another problem.
Second, what about when the ogre picks up the grand piano and dumps it upside down? Over 90%
of homeowners policies sold in Ohio cover the family’s furniture and possessions on a “named perils” basis. This
means that only the causes of loss listed in the policy are covered. Typically losses caused by fire, theft, water
damage from burst pipes, and several other perils are covered; but damage caused by animals usually isn’t
covered for furniture and possessions. And I have never seen a policy promising specifically to cover damage
caused by ogres.
Finally, what about the whole tomato juice incident? I won’t spoil it for those of you who haven’t seen the
movie yet, but let’s just point out that the kids did it on purpose. Intentional acts of the insured are never
covered. They’ll have to clean that one up on their own.
So these are my thoughts after seeing the movie. The movie was fantastic, and I recommend it enthusiastically.
But if you live in goblin-prone areas, you might want to discuss this with your agent during your next annual
protection review.
Community Insurance Center, LLC, is based in Lewis Center, Ohio, part of the Columbus metro area, and offers property, casualty, life, accident &
health, and variable products. The material contained in this web site is applicable only to Ohio.
health, and variable products. The material contained in this web site is applicable only to Ohio.
Homeowners Insurance and The Spiderwick Chronicles
Christy M. Perry, President, Community Insurance Center, LLC
| Community Insurance Center, LLC Serving your community in Central Ohio |
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