We're taking a break this week after our first-ever Knowledge Exchange. This collaborative learning event took place at PLRB headquarters and featured building codes topics, so this week we'll share a classic episode from the PLRB Building Codes team.

Surveillance video shows a woman wearing a salon cape exiting through the front door of a hair salon. She spends a few moments in front of the salon examining her hair in a large handheld mirror. On reentry, she stumbles on the second and falls.

Notable Timestamps

[ 00:32 ] - This is not her first time at the salon, and not her first time through the door that day.

[ 01:16 ] - Tripping and falling is a common experience.

[ 02:45 ] - The team watch & react to the video (only available for staff).

[ 04:08 ] - Ruth details the layout of the step.

[ 05:03 ] - The riser heights are within an acceptable range.

[ 05:40 ] - The tread depth is likely compliant, even if they are longer than usual.

[ 06:07 ] - The riser heights are not uniform, which may present a code issue.

[ 06:45 ] - In this case the 2018 IBC applied, and handrails are required on both sides. No handrails were present here.

[ 07:17 ] - The term "Legacy Code Exceptions" is typically preferred to describe when a code does not apply because the structure was built prior to the code's establishment.

[ 08:30 ] - A "triggering event" such as remodeling or occupancy change can mean that a legacy code exception would not apply. It also may not apply if something else, e.g. deterioration, made the area unsafe.

[ 09:18 ] - In some cases, an exception to a building code may be made if the structure of the building does not permit the code requirement, e.g. handrails.

[ 10:22 ] - In some states, if the steps were not up to code, the salon is negligent automatically or "negligent per se." In other states, evidence of code violation means there is a presumption of neglience; finally, other states merely find a code violation to be evidence of negligence.

[ 11:30 ] - Even in "negligence per se" states, establishing that the negligence existed is not the same as demonstrating that the negligence caused the injury as opposed to an intervening factor, e.g. the insured's behavior.

[ 12:33 ] - Ruth provides a recap of the scenario and the points above.

Your PLRB Resources

Address Report: Find a code adoption for insured's address with link to code book - https://www.plrb.org/building-codes/building-component/

Commercial Stairs Diagram: Interactive diagram with excerpts from code for each of the main components of stairs - https://www.plrb.org/building-codes/building-component/

Legal Duty Created by Building Codes: State-by-state analysis of case law and defenses - was the insured negligent based on failure to comply with building codes? - https://www.plrb.org/documents/overview-of-duty-created-by-building-codes/

Ask a Code Question - https://www.plrb.org/building-codes/ask-plrb-building-code-question/

Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.

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Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.

Legal Information

The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License.
Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1.
Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription).
Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

A kitchen fire damaged some cabinets and the microwave above the stove, and the insured hired a contractor to make the repairs. When the contractor needed to temporarily kill power to the outlet above the stove, they asked the insured where the breaker box was - only to be led to a basement bathroom, where opening the medicine cabinet mirror revealed the home's electrical panel mounted behind it. Now the contractor is refusing to proceed until the insured's entire electrical system is brought up to code.

Notable Timestamps

[ 00:43 ] - This scenario features a kitchen-fire repair that led a contractor straight to a breaker box hidden behind a bathroom medicine cabinet mirror.

[ 01:38 ] - The hosts credit the scenario to a LinkedIn post from Curtis Goldsborough ("LO$$ Ratio"), showing the actual photo of the panel board tucked behind the mirror.

[ 04:14 ] - Start with the "Effective Use" chapter whenever you need a foothold in an unfamiliar part of the building code.

[ 06:44 ] - Chapter 34's equipment locations and clearances section settles the question directly: panel boards, surface equipment, and similar enclosures can't be located in bathrooms, toilet rooms, clothes closets, or over the steps of a stairway.

[ 07:35 ] - The hosts debate how the panel ended up there in the first place - whether it predates any code requiring its relocation, or whether the bathroom was built around an already-existing, properly inspected panel.

[ 10:48 ] - Courts are split on how closely an ordinance-or-law code upgrade has to connect to the actual covered damage before it's payable, and the hosts note this stays a fact-specific, jurisdiction-specific question.

[ 12:22 ] - A hypothetical basement man-cave-turned-Airbnb built around the same mirrored panel raises home-sharing coverage questions, which the hosts note ISO addressed with specific policy language starting in 2022.

[ 16:07 ] - A recap of the three key takeaways on panel placement, using the IRC's Effective Use chapter, and the state-specific side of ordinance-or-law coverage.

Your PLRB Resources

Adjuster Resource Sheet: Home-Sharing Issues for Property Adjusters - https://members.plrb.org/documents/adjuster-resource-sheet-home-sharing-issues-for-property-adjusters

Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.

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Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.

Legal Information

The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License.
Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1.
Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription).
Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

Welcome to "What's the Scenario? with PLRB", where we explore claims & coverage scenarios relevant to insurance professionals. I'm Brennan McLoughlin, and we're taking a break this week after another successful PLRB Regional Innovation Summit. This week we'll share a follow-up episode from the PLRB Weather team.

A small grocery store specializes in farm-to-table meat and fish, locally sourced and priced at the high end of the market. After accepting their week's shipment on a Wednesday evening, thunderstorms led to a power outage that spoiled the fish.

Notable Timestamps

[ 00:36 ] - Another insured claims their back shed was hit by lightning, damaging expensive equipment.

[ 01:32 ] - The team discusses tips for what to do during a power outage.

[ 02:47 ] - On PLRB.org, on the Weather Hub, you can click Power Outage Report and enter in an address and date to see historical power outage reports in a grid with 1km x 1km squares.

[ 05:55 ] - The data can only demonstrate a probability that an outage occurred at the selected address.

[ 06:50 ] - The data does not include the cause of the power outage.

[ 07:00 ] - The lightning report data includes satellite data during a given 1-hour period for both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning.

[ 09:40 ] - These reports can be used to confirm causality in a claim.

[ 10:24 ] - Tim & Mike chime in! Food spoilage claims can lead to confusion because the clauses frequently change. In these situations, it's best to read the policy carefully. Is there a distinction between on-premises and off-premises? Does it mention power failures as well as power surges? Is there an ensuing loss clause? The policy may also have an endorsement for food spoilage.

[ 12:43 ] - CP and BP form have an exclusion for artificially-generated electrical current, which would not apply in a lightning claim.

[ 03:24 ] - Andrew provides a recap of the scenario and the points above.

Your PLRB Resources

Get a Power Outage Report - https://www.plrb.org/weather-cat/power-outage-reports/

Get a Lightning Report - https://www.plrb.org/weather-cat/researching-lightning-data/

Adjuster Resource Sheet: Food Spoilage Claims Under Commercial Forms for Property Adjusters - https://www.plrb.org/documents/adjuster-resource-sheet-food-spoilage-claims-commercial/

Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.

Subscribe to this Podcast

Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app

YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb

LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"

Send us your Scenario!

Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.

Legal Information

The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License.
Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1.
Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription).
Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

Welcome to "What's the Scenario? with PLRB", where we explore claims & coverage scenarios relevant to insurance professionals. I'm Brennan McLoughlin, and for this holiday week we'll be sharing a classic episode from the PLRB Weather team.

A CAT Manager is making preparations for her CAT team in advance of Hurricane Francine, which approached the Louisiana coast in the second week of September, 2024. She reads something about spaghetti models, and something about Fast Track cyclones?

Notable Timestamps

[ 00:36 ] - The building owner submits the claim to their property insurer, looking for coverage for a new bollard. They have a standard CP 00 10 10 12, which does not include coverage for fences if the cause of loss was an accidental vehicle crash.

[ 01:21 ] - The PLRB team discuss pasta recipes.

[ 02:47 ] - Hurricane Francine caused a great deal of damage to homeowners and businessowners by the Louisiana coast.

[ 04:35 ] - Andrew shares some screenshots, available on the YouTube version of this podcast.

[ 05:02 ] - An error cone is shown, demonstrating the suspected path of the hurricane.

[ 05:28 ] - Spaghetti models show the various paths Francine might have taken.

[ 05:46 ] - Peak storm surge forecasts color code area by feet of storm surge.

[ 06:44 ] - The "Best Track" includes line, point data, and cumulative wind history.

[ 07:20 ] - Spaghetti models are a forecasting tool that provides multiple expectant paths. Tracks closer together indicate certainty. These are available on PLRB.org or via API.

[ 08:33 ] - Andrew demonstrates how spaghetti models can change over time. Error cones may be superimposed on the spaghetti models.

[ 10:17 ] - Storm surge is the rise in seawater caused solely by the storm's winds pushing the water onto shore. Soup gets involved now.

[ 11:15 ] - Best Track is a representation of the tropical cyclone's direction and intensity. The Best Track wind swath shows how the storm changed.

[ 12:10 ] - Catastrophe Managers can use these forecasting tools in resource allocation. Best Track data can assist in estimating claim ratios. Claims Adjusters can use Best Track data to assist in claims decisions. Underwriters can use this historical data in risk assessment.

[ 13:19 ] - Andrew provides a recap of the scenario and the points above.

Your PLRB Resources

Tropical Storm Francine: https://www.plrb.org/weather-cat/2024-francine/

Spaghetti Models: https://www.plrb.org/documents/view-tropical-cyclone-track-spaghetti-models/

Best Track Data: https://www.plrb.org/documents/view-national-hurricane-center-tropical-cyclone-best-track-maps/

Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.

Subscribe to this Podcast

Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app

YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb

LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"

Send us your Scenario!

Please reach out to us with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.

Legal Information

The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License.
Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1.
Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription).
Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

A contractor was hired to renovate a kitchen. The homeowner was thrilled with the results, but asked for a few final punch-list items: adjusting the cabinet doors and replacing a damaged drawer pull. To reach the cabinets, the contractor moved the refrigerator, but failed to securely reconnect the ice maker supply line before leaving. Two days later, the homeowner discovered water throughout the kitchen and adjacent rooms after the line separated, damaging the newly renovated space and the surrounding flooring.

Notable Timestamps

[ 00:45 ] - Mike sets up today's scenario: a contractor's punch-list visit ends with a disconnected ice maker line and water damage throughout a newly renovated kitchen.

[ 05:08 ] - Brennan and Mike revisit the CGL's j(5) and j(6) exclusions, which apply only to ongoing operations on the particular part of the property being worked on -- not completed work.

[ 08:03 ] - Once an operation is complete, the Damage to Your Work exclusion takes over, precluding coverage for property damage to the insured's own completed work -- unless a subcontractor did that work.

[ 09:51 ] - "Your work" and the "products-completed operations hazard" are both specifically defined policy terms, complete with a three-part test for exactly when work is deemed done.

[ 11:37 ] - The team finds the carve-out they were looking for: coverage turns on whether the work "has not been completed or abandoned."

[ 14:45 ] - The kitchen renovation was substantially complete, so the water damage likely falls under the Your Work exclusion.

[ 15:19 ] - Either way, some damage may still be covered -- reconnecting the ice maker wasn't really the contractor's "work," so the resulting damage to the flooring is arguably separate, covered damage.

Your PLRB Resources

Coverage Question: Is This an Ongoing or Completed Operation?

https://members.plrb.org/documents/is-this-an-ongoing-or-completed-operation-2025-08-25fjg

Adjuster Resource Sheet: Faulty Work

https://members.plrb.org/documents/adjuster-resource-sheet-faulty-work

Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.

Subscribe to this Podcast

Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app

YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb

LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"

Send us your Scenario!

Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.

Legal Information

The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License.

Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1.

Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription).

Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

A homeowner reports that the central air conditioning system stopped working during a summer heat wave. They sent their contractor's invoice to their insurance company. The adjuster has to review the invoice, the Declarations Page, and policy excerpts to handle the claim. But this isn't a real claims file; this are mock claims documents as used in the PACE Designation Exam. Today we'll explore how authentic assessment is leveraged to test real-world skills, and you can try your luck with this sample question.

Notable Timestamps

[ 01:24 ] - The exam includes basic recall questions that require the test-taker to produce knowledge on the spot, such as defining key terms and claims handling concepts.

[ 03:03 ] - Application questions go a step beyond simple recall by providing a specific claim scenario and challenging the test-taker to determine how to properly handle it.

[ 04:26 ] - Authentic assessment utilizes research questions designed to mimic real-world tasks, presenting professionals with mock documents to analyze and interpret.

[ 06:15 ] - A sample question asks test-takers to review a contractor's invoice, a declarations page, and policy excerpts to solve a central air conditioning failure.

[ 08:11 ] - Just like in real life, test-takers must filter through extraneous details within the provided mock documents to locate the relevant facts needed to resolve the claim.

[ 10:47 ] - By carefully reviewing the policy limits and endorsements, the test-taker can correctly deduce that the sample claim is covered but strictly capped at $10,000.

[ 13:29 ] - Ultimately, this rigorous testing methodology elevates the designation's value by ensuring that credential holders are practically equipped to handle real-world claims.

Your PLRB Resources

PACE Designation Program
https://www.plrb.org/pace-program/

Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.

Subscribe to this Podcast

Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app

YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb

LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"

Send us your Scenario!

Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.

Legal Information

The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License.
Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1.
Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription).
Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).

An adjuster has decided to level up their career by earning their PACE-P Designation. They've completed the comprehensive educational program, prepared with the study guide, and are now sitting down to take the remotely proctored exam. Are they ready for it? Are you?

Notable Timestamps

[ 00:00:34 ] - The podcast explores the scenario of an adjuster who has completed an educational program and a study guide, and is now preparing to sit for the remotely proctored PACE Designation Exam.

[ 00:04:04 ] - The PACE Designation program begins with an onboarding curriculum, consisting of three core courses that teach foundational insurance concepts, industry jargon, and claims handling.

[ 00:04:32 ] - Participants can progress to a seven-course Personal Property Lines track detailing claim evaluation and resolution, and later choose a la carte electives known as Claims Intensives for more niche topics.

[ 00:11:52 ] - The exam is divided into three timed segments: a 35-minute Core Curriculum unit, a 65-minute Personal Lines Property unit, and a 35-minute Claims Intensive unit, which do not have to be taken on the exact same day.

[ 00:13:03 ] - Because the exam is strictly timed, test-takers must answer and immediately move forward, as the system does not allow them to return to previous questions once a response has been selected.

[ 00:15:45 ] - Helpful exam strategies recommended by the hosts include reading questions fully, identifying qualifying keywords like "best" or "always," and actively eliminating the incorrect answer options.

[ 00:17:28 ] - Earning the PACE-P designation means joining a select group of recognized professionals after passing a proctored, two-and-a-half-hour exam that tests skills using authentic claim documents.

Your PLRB Resources

PACE Designation Program
https://www.plrb.org/pace-program/

Employees of member companies also have access to a searchable legal database, hundreds of hours of video trainings, building code materials, weather data, and even the ability to have your coverage questions answered by our team of attorneys (https://www.plrb.org/ask-plrb/) at no additional charge to you or your company.

Subscribe to this Podcast

Your Podcast App - Please subscribe and rate us on your favorite podcast app

YouTube - Please like and subscribe at @plrb

LinkedIN - Please follow at "Property and Liability Resource Bureau"

Send us your Scenario!

Please reach out to us at 630-509-8704 with your scenario! This could be your "adjuster story" sharing a situation from your claims experience, or a burning question you would like the team to answer. In any case, please omit any personal information as we will anonymize your story before we share. Just reach out to scenario@plrb.org.

Legal Information

The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the individual speaker and not necessarily those of the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB), its membership, or any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated. The information, ideas, and opinions are presented as information only and not as legal advice or offers of representation. Individual policy language and state laws vary, and listeners should rely on guidance from their companies and counsel as appropriate.

Music: "Piece of Future" by Keyframe_Audio. Pixabay. Pixabay License.
Font: Metropolis by Chris Simpson. SIL OFL 1.1.
Icons: FontAwesome (SIL OFL 1.1) and Noun Project (royalty-free licenses purchased via subscription).
Sound Effects: Pixabay (Pixabay License) and Freesound.org (CC0).