Free Oklahoma Property & Casualty Practice Questions

A physical hazard is a tangible condition that increases the likelihood or severity of a loss: gasoline in the garage, a slippery floor, frayed wiring. You can see or touch it. If it's an attitude problem it's morale; if it's dishonesty it's moral; if it's a physical thing sitting there raising the odds, it's physical.

Buying insurance is the classic risk transfer: you hand the financial consequences of a loss to the insurer in exchange for a premium. Avoidance means not doing the risky thing at all, retention means keeping the risk yourself (like a deductible), and reduction means lowering the odds or severity (smoke detectors). Insurance equals transfer.

Reinsurance is insurance for insurance companies. The original insurer (the ceding company) hands off part of its risk to a reinsurer so one giant loss doesn't sink it. Individuals never deal with reinsurers directly; it all happens behind the scenes between carriers.

The law of large numbers needs lots of similar exposures to make predictions reliable. A big pool of comparable homes lets the insurer forecast losses; a handful of wildly different ones doesn't. And concentrating them all in one spot is actually bad: one hurricane could wipe out the whole pool at once.

A mutual insurer is owned by its policyholders, so a 'dividend' is really a return of overpaid premium, which is why it's generally not taxable. And it's never guaranteed; it depends on the company's results. Stock dividends, by contrast, go to stockholders and are taxable.

Premiums an agent collects belong to the insurer, not the agent, so the agent holds them in a fiduciary capacity, a position of financial trust. Mixing that money with personal funds (commingling) is a big no-no and a fast way to lose a license.

Express authority is the authority written right into the agency agreement, the powers the insurer explicitly hands the agent. Implied authority fills in the gaps needed to use that express authority, and apparent authority is what the public reasonably assumes. Express equals expressly stated.

Unilateral means only one side makes a legally enforceable promise, and it's the insurer, who promises to pay covered claims. The insured doesn't actually promise to keep paying premiums; they just won't get coverage if they stop. One enforceable promise equals unilateral.

Representations are statements the applicant believes are true, and they only need to be true to the best of the applicant's knowledge. A warranty is a stronger animal: it's guaranteed to be absolutely true. Concealment is hiding a material fact. For most applications, you're dealing with representations.

Concealment is staying silent about a material fact you know the insurer would want, and if it's intentional, it can void the policy. It's the sin-of-omission version of misrepresentation (which is an active false statement). Both turn on the fact being 'material,' meaning it would have affected the insurer's decision.

Replacement cost coverage pays to rebuild or replace with new property of like kind and quality, with no depreciation subtracted, so the insured isn't out-of-pocket for wear and tear. It usually requires meeting a coinsurance or insurance-to-value condition. Hook: replacement cost pays new-for-old, depreciation ignored.

Market value reflects what the property would sell for, including the land and location-driven demand, while replacement cost is purely the cost to rebuild the structure. The two can differ widely. Hook: market value includes the land and the neighborhood; replacement cost is just bricks and labor.

Depreciation is the loss in a property's value from age, use, and obsolescence. It's subtracted from replacement cost to arrive at actual cash value. Hook: depreciation is the wear-and-tear value the insurer subtracts under ACV.

Open perils coverage protects against all direct physical losses unless a peril is specifically excluded, making it broader than named perils. The exclusions list defines what's left out. Hook: open perils covers everything except what's specifically excluded.

The coinsurance clause pushes insureds to insure their property to an agreed percentage of value (commonly 80%). Carry less, and a penalty reduces partial-loss payments. It keeps premiums fair across policyholders. Hook: coinsurance nudges you to insure to value, or share the loss.

Required coverage is 80% of $200,000, or $160,000. The insurer pays the loss times the ratio of coverage carried to coverage required: ($120,000 / $160,000) times $50,000 equals 0.75 times $50,000, or $37,500. The owner absorbs the $12,500 coinsurance penalty for underinsuring. Hook: did-over-should times the loss, $120k over $160k times $50k equals $37,500.

Property insurance is first-party (it pays the insured for their own loss), while liability insurance is third-party: it pays others the insured has harmed and is legally responsible to. The three parties are the insured, the insurer, and the injured third party. Hook: liability pays the third party you injured, not yourself.

Compensatory damages reimburse the victim's actual losses (special damages like medical bills and lost wages, plus general damages like pain and suffering). Punitive damages go beyond that to punish egregious conduct and deter others. Hook: compensatory makes the victim whole; punitive punishes the wrongdoer.

Comparative negligence reduces the claimant's award by their percentage of fault, so someone 30% responsible recovers 70% of their damages. It's more forgiving than the older contributory negligence rule, which could bar recovery entirely for any fault at all. Hook: comparative negligence trims your recovery by your share of the blame.

Property policies typically prohibit abandonment: the insured can't simply dump damaged property on the insurer and demand the full amount. The insurer decides whether to repair, replace, or pay. Hook: you can't abandon the wreck to the insurer and demand a full check.

HO-8 fits older homes whose replacement cost far exceeds market value. It settles dwelling losses on a modified, functional, or actual cash value basis instead of full replacement cost, which keeps the coverage affordable and realistic. Hook: HO-8 is for older homes and pays on a modified or ACV basis, not full replacement.

Both forms cover the dwelling on open perils, but the HO-5 upgrades personal property to open perils as well, while the HO-3 keeps personal property on named perils. The HO-5 is the broadest standard homeowners form. Hook: HO-5 takes the HO-3 and upgrades the contents to open perils too.

Coverage C usually equals about 50% of the Coverage A dwelling limit, though the percentage can be adjusted. It covers the insured's belongings. Hook: Coverage C, personal property, runs about 50% of the dwelling limit.

Section I is the property side, Coverages A through D (dwelling, other structures, personal property, loss of use). Section II is the liability side, Coverages E and F (personal liability and medical payments). Hook: Section I is property A through D; Section II is liability E and F.

The dwelling under Coverage A is generally settled on a replacement cost basis, as long as the insured carries at least the required percentage, usually 80%, of replacement cost. Personal property defaults to actual cash value unless a replacement-cost endorsement is added. Hook: the dwelling is replacement cost if insured to value; contents default to ACV.

Medical Payments covers others, not the named insured or regular household residents. Their own injuries fall outside this coverage and would be handled by their own health insurance. Hook: Coverage F is for others, never the insured or household members.

The base liability section covers bodily injury and property damage. A personal injury endorsement broadens it to cover offenses such as libel, slander, defamation, and invasion of privacy. Hook: the personal injury endorsement adds the reputation harms, libel and slander.

Coverage C follows the insured's personal property anywhere in the world, so belongings are covered while traveling or temporarily off premises, often subject to a percentage limit when away from home. Hook: your stuff is covered worldwide, not only at the house.

Standard homeowners forms require the dwelling to be owner-occupied, meaning it is the insured's residence. Non-owner-occupied or rental dwellings are insured under a dwelling policy instead. Hook: homeowners forms are for owner-occupied homes; rentals go on a dwelling policy.

Earth movement, including earthquake, is excluded by the standard homeowners policy, but the insured can usually add earthquake coverage by endorsement or buy a separate earthquake policy. Hook: earthquake is excluded but can be bought back by endorsement.

Part C is Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage, which protects the insured when an at-fault driver has no liability insurance or not enough of it. Hook: Part C covers you when the other driver Can't pay.

Liability coverage responds when the insured is legally responsible for injuring someone else or damaging their property, and it also pays the cost of defending the insured. It does not pay for the insured's own car. Hook: liability pays the other guy, both his injuries and his property.

A combined single limit gives one pool of money per accident that can be used for bodily injury and property damage in any combination, instead of separate per-person and per-accident caps. It offers more flexibility on large losses. Hook: combined single limit is one bucket for everything per accident.

For the named insured and resident family members, Med Pay follows the person: it applies when they are struck by a vehicle as pedestrians or while riding in other autos, not only in the insured's car. Other passengers are covered while occupying the insured auto. Hook: for you and your family, Med Pay follows the person, not just the car.

UM bodily injury pays for the insured's injuries caused by an at-fault driver who is uninsured or who flees the scene. Whether UM also covers property damage varies by state. Hook: UM-BI is for your injuries when the other driver is uninsured or a hit-and-run.

Collision covers damage from the insured's auto colliding with another vehicle or object, or from overturning (upset). Losses like theft, fire, and hail fall under other-than-collision instead. Hook: collision is crashing into something or flipping over.

When repair cost exceeds the vehicle's actual cash value, the insurer totals the car and pays the ACV rather than the higher repair bill, less the deductible. Here that is 8,000 minus 500, or 7,500. Hook: if repairs cost more than the car is worth, you get ACV minus deductible, not the repair bill.

The newly acquired auto rule automatically extends the policy to a car the insured buys during the term, for a limited window (commonly up to 14 days), so the insured is not driving uninsured before reporting it. Hook: buy a new car and you get an automatic grace period to add it.

Rental reimbursement (transportation expense) coverage pays a daily amount for a rental car while the insured's vehicle is being repaired or replaced after a covered loss, usually subject to a daily and total cap. Hook: rental reimbursement keeps you on the road while your car is in the shop.

In a no-fault system, each injured party turns to their own Personal Injury Protection coverage for medical bills and related expenses without first proving who was at fault, which speeds payment and limits lawsuits. Hook: no-fault means you collect from your own PIP, no blame needed.

The DP-1 is the narrowest form: it insures a short list of named perils and generally pays losses on an actual cash value basis (replacement cost minus depreciation). Hook: DP-1 is basic, named perils paid at ACV.

The DP-3 Special Form insures the dwelling and other structures on an open-perils basis, meaning all causes of loss are covered except those specifically excluded. It is the broadest of the dwelling forms. Hook: DP-3 is special, open perils on the structure.

Among dwelling forms, the DP-3 gives the broadest protection on the structure by covering open perils. The DP-2 is broad but still named-perils, and the DP-1 is the narrowest. Hook: broadest dwelling form is the DP-3, open perils on the building.

Coverage C is personal property belonging to the named insured. On a rental dwelling it covers the owner's property at the location, not the tenant's belongings, which the tenant insures separately. Hook: Coverage C is personal property, the insured's stuff.

Coverage E is Additional Living Expense, paying the extra costs an owner-occupant runs up living elsewhere while a covered loss is repaired. Coverage D, by contrast, is for lost rent on a rented dwelling. Hook: Coverage E is ALE for the owner who lives there; Coverage D is lost rent for a rental.

The DP-2 Broad Form expands the named-perils list well beyond the DP-1, adding perils like weight of ice and snow, accidental water discharge, and falling objects. It remains named perils, just a longer list. Hook: DP-2 is still named perils, just a much longer list than DP-1.

Like the HO-3, the DP-3 splits its basis: the dwelling and other structures get open perils, but personal property is covered on a named-perils basis. Hook: DP-3 is open perils on the building, named perils on the contents, just like HO-3.

When a DP-2 or DP-3 dwelling is insured to the required percentage of replacement cost (commonly 80%), partial losses are paid at replacement cost without a depreciation deduction. Underinsuring drops the insured back toward ACV or a prorated amount. Hook: insure a DP-3 to value and partial losses pay full replacement cost.

Settlement basis is a major dividing line: the DP-1 pays ACV on the dwelling, while the broader DP-2 and DP-3 pay replacement cost when the insured carries enough coverage. Hook: DP-1 means ACV; DP-2 and DP-3 mean replacement cost.

The dwelling policy leaves out three things homeowners builds in: liability, theft, and medical payments. Each can be added by endorsement, but none is automatic. Hook: a DP skips liability, theft, and med pay unless you add them.

The Inspections and Surveys condition reserves the insurer's right (but not a duty) to inspect the premises and operations and to make safety recommendations. Hook: the right to walk the premises lives in Inspections and Surveys.

The first named insured may cancel by mailing or delivering notice, and the insurer may cancel by sending advance written notice (the number of days is set by the condition and state law). The first named insured acts on behalf of all insureds. Hook: the first named insured cancels by notice; the insurer cancels with advance written notice.

The BPP has a separate Personal Property of Others category for property of others in the insured's care, custody, or control, such as customers' goods left for service. Hook: customers' property in your care goes under Personal Property of Others.

Commercial property attaches one of three causes-of-loss forms, Basic, Broad, or Special, to decide which perils are covered. They run narrowest to broadest. Hook: commercial causes of loss are Basic, Broad, Special.

Coinsurance rewards insuring to value: carry at least the required percentage (often 80, 90, or 100 percent) of value and losses are paid in full up to the limit; carry less and a penalty applies. Hook: coinsurance pushes you to insure to value or take a penalty.

Business income coverage replaces the net income (and continuing expenses like payroll) the business would have earned had a covered loss not suspended operations. It is time-element coverage. Hook: business income replaces the profit you lose while you are shut down.

Extra expense pays the added costs of staying open or reopening sooner, such as renting a temporary location or leasing equipment, which can reduce the business income loss. Hook: extra expense is the money spent to keep the doors open after a loss.

The period of restoration runs from the date of the direct physical loss (after any waiting period) until the property is or should be repaired or replaced with reasonable speed. That window defines how long business income is paid. Hook: restoration runs from the loss to when repairs should be done.

Coverage C is goodwill medical payments: it pays reasonable medical bills for others injured on the premises or by the insured's operations, no fault required, which can prevent a larger liability claim. Hook: CGL Coverage C pays small injury bills no-fault, just like home med pay.

Inland marine covers property that moves or is hard to value at a fixed location: contractors' equipment, fine arts, goods in transit, and similar floating risks. Despite the name, it is largely land-based. Hook: inland marine insures property on the move and hard-to-rate items.

Every BOP bundles commercial property and commercial general liability into a single policy, which is the core of what makes it a businessowners policy. Hook: a BOP is property and liability in one package.

BOPs are filed for eligible classes of small to mid-size businesses and screen on factors like size and type of operation. Risks that are too large or in an excluded class go on a CPP instead. Hook: BOPs are for eligible smaller businesses, not everyone.

Classic eligible BOP classes include small offices, retail and mercantile stores, and apartment buildings. Auto dealers, financial institutions, and heavy manufacturers fall outside the eligible classes. Hook: offices, shops, and apartments are bread-and-butter BOP risks.

BOP programs cap eligibility by size, commonly using floor area and annual gross sales or receipts for the class. Exceed the thresholds and the risk must move to a CPP. Hook: square footage and sales are eligibility gates, too big and it is a CPP.

BOPs typically settle covered property losses on a replacement cost basis, paying to repair or replace without deducting depreciation, which is a selling point over ACV forms. Hook: BOP property is usually replacement cost, no depreciation taken.

A defining simplification of the BOP is that it usually has no coinsurance clause, so the insured is not penalized for underinsuring the way a coinsurance form would penalize them. Insuring to value is still wise but not enforced by a coinsurance penalty. Hook: the BOP drops the coinsurance clause, no did/should penalty.

Like the CGL, BOP liability covers bodily injury and property damage, personal and advertising injury, and offers limited medical payments to others, with defense costs. Hook: BOP liability covers BI/PD, personal and advertising injury, and a little med pay.

A customer hurt on the premises is a third-party bodily injury claim, handled under the BOP liability section (with small medical bills possibly paid under medical payments). Hook: a hurt customer is a liability claim, not a property claim.

The BOP excludes most owned autos, so a business with vehicles needs a separate commercial (business) auto policy for liability and physical damage on its fleet. Hook: BOP leaves out the autos, buy commercial auto separately.

Bundling the core coverages into one BOP reduces the chance of gaps, simplifies administration, and usually costs less than separate policies, which is the whole appeal for a small business. Hook: one bundled BOP means fewer gaps, less hassle, and lower cost.

Under the going-and-coming rule, an ordinary commute is normally not in the course of employment, so a commuting injury usually is not covered (special exceptions can apply, such as travel that is part of the job). Hook: the normal commute is off the clock for comp purposes.

Part One promises to pay whatever benefits the listed states' workers compensation laws require, with no dollar limit, because the insurer is standing in for the employer's full statutory obligation. Hook: Part One pays the statute in full, no dollar limit.

Part Two protects the employer against lawsuits for work-related injuries that escape the exclusive-remedy bar, such as a third-party-over action or a consequential injury claim by a family member. It backstops the gaps Part One does not address. Hook: Part Two catches the work-injury suits that slip past exclusive remedy.

Part Three provides coverage if the employer begins operations in a state listed there during the policy period, protecting against gaps when the business expands into new states. Hook: Part Three is the just-in-case coverage for states you might expand into.

The states where the employer operates and wants full statutory coverage are the listed states under Part One. States of possible future operation go in Part Three. Hook: where you operate now is listed under Part One.

Workers compensation premium is driven by payroll and the job classifications of the workers, since riskier classes carry higher rates. Premium is typically a rate applied to payroll. Hook: comp premium rides on payroll and job classification.

Workers compensation rates are quoted as a dollar rate per $100 of payroll for each classification, so payroll drives the premium. Hook: comp rates are dollars per $100 of payroll.

Monopolistic fund policies generally omit employers liability (Part Two), so the employer buys stop-gap employers liability, usually endorsed onto a CGL or BOP, to cover those liability suits. Hook: in monopolistic states, add stop-gap to fill the missing employers liability.

The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (USL&H) covers maritime workers such as longshoremen and harbor workers who fall outside state workers comp. The Jones Act covers seamen and FELA covers railroad workers. Hook: dockworkers fall under USL&H, the Longshore act.

Second Injury Funds limit an employer's liability when a new work injury combines with a worker's prior impairment to cause a greater disability, removing a disincentive to hire workers with pre-existing conditions. Hook: second injury funds make it safer to hire workers with prior impairments.

Umbrellas require the insured to carry stated minimum underlying limits (for example on auto and homeowners liability). The umbrella then picks up above those limits. Hook: keep your required underlying limits, or the umbrella will not sit on top.

When a loss is covered by the umbrella but not the underlying policy, the insured pays a self-insured retention (much like a deductible) and the umbrella covers the rest. Hook: no underlying coverage means the umbrella kicks in after your self-insured retention.

The NFIP is a federal program run through FEMA, offering flood insurance in communities that adopt and enforce floodplain management rules. Private insurers may sell and service it under write-your-own arrangements. Hook: NFIP is federal flood insurance, available where the community participates.

Protection and indemnity (P&I) is the liability portion of ocean marine, covering the owner's legal liability for bodily injury and property damage arising from the vessel, including crew injury and damage to other ships. Hull covers the vessel, cargo covers the goods, P&I covers the liability. Hook: P&I is the liability piece of ocean marine.

Aviation risks (hull and liability for aircraft) are excluded from standard personal lines and must be written on specialized aviation policies. Hook: planes need aviation insurance, never the home or auto policy.

A fidelity bond covers an employer for losses caused by dishonest employees, such as theft or embezzlement. It is about employee dishonesty, not third-party liability. Hook: fidelity bonds guard against the crooked employee.

A performance bond is a surety bond guaranteeing the contractor will complete the project according to the contract; if not, the surety makes the obligee whole. Hook: performance bonds guarantee the job gets finished.

A farm policy blends personal and business exposures, covering the farm dwelling and personal property along with barns, equipment, livestock, and farm liability, because a farm is both a home and a business. Hook: farm coverage mixes the home and the business under one roof.

Mobile and manufactured homes have unique construction and transport exposures, so they are commonly written on a specialized mobile-homeowners form rather than a standard HO-3. Hook: mobile homes get their own mobile-homeowners policy.

The residual or shared market is the insurer of last resort, providing coverage (auto through assigned risk plans, property through FAIR Plans) to applicants the voluntary market turns down. Hook: the residual market is the last resort for risks no one else will write.