Question

Tori owns a cabin in the Ozark Mountains that she rents to Vincent. Tori has the cabin covered under a DP-2 policy. One cold evening, Vincent started a large fire in the cabin's fireplace and left the room to start dinner in the kitchen. Vincent didn't realize that he forgot to open the chimney flue before starting the fire and by the time he came back into the living room, it was completely filled with smoke. Vincent immediately opened the doors and windows to "air-out" the cabin but when the smoke cleared, there was extensive soot damage to the walls, ceilings and furnishings in the room. Which of the following statements is true regarding how this claim will be handled?

Answer 1

The soot damage from the fireplace incident in the Ozark Mountains cabin rented by Vincent should be covered under the DP-2 policy owned by Tori,

given that smoke damage is typically a covered peril unless the policy has specific exclusions regarding tenant negligence.

Step-by-step explanation:

The DP-2 policy is a form of dwelling insurance that provides coverage for a variety of perils, offering more protection than a basic DP-1 policy but not as comprehensive as a DP-3 policy.

In the scenario provided, Vincent started a fire without opening the chimney flue, resulting in soot damage due to smoke. A DP-2 policy typically covers damage from smoke; however, the fact that the damage was caused by the insured's tenant's negligence in not opening the flue could affect the handling of the claim.

It is likely that the insurance company will review the circumstances of the incident to determine if the soot damage falls under the covered perils of the DP-2 policy.

Since accidents like this are generally covered, the insurance should cover the costs of cleaning and repairs, unless the policy specifically excludes negligence on the part of the tenants. Nevertheless, exact coverage details can vary, and it is important to review the policy document for specific exclusions or conditions.