FAQs

Our most frequently asked questions

General

Risk characteristics and policy characteristics effect premium pricing.

  • Risk Characteristics
    • Location, Year Built, Construction and Materials, Elevation, Mitigation items.
  • Policy Characteristics
    • Deductible – you can reduce your premium by increasing your deductible (portion you cover in a loss before insurance pays)
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Yes.  We are happy to assist by providing forms to use with your current insurance carrier. It is important to review your current policy for any potential minimum premium adjustments.

Yes, a policy with us can be cancelled at any time. Earned/returned premium is calculated to reflect the seasonality of flood and wind claims/risks. 

Premium earned calculations:

  • Hurricane premium generally provides coverage from June through November (hurricane season).
  • Premium will be earned pro rata as to time a policy is in effect subject to certain minimum earned by month during the hurricane season (higher than pro rata time) as shown below by month. The maximum earned will not exceed the policy premium.
    • July – 15%, August – 20%, September – 30%, October – 20%
  • Exception to the above earning calculation:
    • All policies, regardless of time of year, have a 25% minimum earned premium.
  • Flood policy minimum earned premium is weighted by peak flood season based on location of risk. 
Yes. We also offer ACH, Debit, Mortgagee, and Agency Bill. We do add a convenience fee for credit card purchases only.

Yes.

If you have a preferred agent not currently registered with iDemand, just let them know to register and, upon approval, they can present a quote to you.

Depending on the state and policy type, we may offer our product direct to consumer. We have an agent on call to address your questions and create a quote for you too. 

Yes, with our Direct Bill program only. We offer Single, 2x, 4x, and 10x options.

If your agent quotes your policy using our  Agency Bill program, the agent will bill you for the annual premium and assume responsibility of payment to iDemand. Annual premium is the only option under this Agency Bill program.

Not Directly from iDemand. We do offer installment plans on our Direct Bill policies.

You can obtain or an agent may offer premium financing options independent of iDemand. It is important to note the minimum earned premium on certain policies with seasonal peak exposure.

Wind

Review guidelines from Fannie Mae here.

Our wind product with an automatic allocation of Named Storm Event Limits assures you have coverage for any event. The method and amount of Event Limit payments is the only flexibility you select in your policy plan. 

Note: deductibles range from 1-10% for our wind products. Setting the deductible above 5% does not meet Fannie Mae guidelines.

If you have coverage for a given Named Storm under iDemand, you have coverage regardless of the wind speed at the time of loss. A Named Storm is tracked by the National Hurricane Center until the wind speed drops below Tropical Depression (39mph). 

No. Named Storm Wind  coverage is limited to Tropical Cyclones as named by the National Hurricane Center.

The typical Tropical Cyclone season is June 1 to November 30, however, the policy is not restricted by these dates. 

Flood

Homes in high risk flood areas with mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders are required to have flood insurance. While flood insurance is not federally required if you live in a low- to moderate-risk area, your lender may still require you to have insurance.

Homeowners and renters insurance typically do not cover flood damage. 

Most flood options today are part of the National Flood Insurance Program (NIFP). NIFP policies usually do not cover the full cost of rebuilding your home.

We offer coverage capable of fully insuring the value of your home up to our maximum limits, along with flexibility in covering the value of the contents of your home.

Due to the catastrophic flood and surge damage from hurricanes, there is a shortage of companies providing flood coverage in coastal regions. We intend to provide flood options for homes in high risk areas on the east coast and Gulf of Mexico.

We using a combination of the building materials, elevation, distance to water, home size & value, number of stories, and location risk.

The following variables can alter your premium:

  • Deductible – increasing your deductible will lower your premium, and vice versa.
  • Policy Structure – co-insurance vs. 1st dollar.
  • Coverage Limit – a higher coverage limit will increase your premium, all else equal.
  • Contents Coverage.

Not an exhaustive list:

Covered

  • Electrical & plumbing systems
  • Furnaces, heat pumps, sump pumps
  • Refrigerators, stoves, built-in appliances
  • permanently installed carpeting, paneling, wallboard, cabinets, foundation walls, staircases
  • fuel tanks, solar energy equipment

Not Covered

  • Damage caused by moisture, mildew, or mold that could have been avoided and are not attributed to a flood
  • Damage caused by earth movement
  • Available by adding coverage
    • Additional living expenses
    • Property and belongings outside of insured building – such as trees, wells, septic systems, decks, patios, fences, hot tubs
    • Currency, precious metals, and valuable papers such as stock certificates

Claims

Claims can be filed with the assistance of your producing agent or you can submit a claim on your own using our portal or by calling 833-9-Demand (833) 933-6263).  Your policy will also provide instructions on how to submit a claim electronically or by telephone.

Our #1 goal is prompt fair claims settlement and payment.

Claims are settled by a licensed claims adjuster and claims payments are made based on that claims adjusters advice. All claims are handled in accordance with your policy and State and Local regulations.

Glossary

The insurance deductible is the amount of money you will pay in an insurance claim before the insurance coverage kicks in and the company starts paying you to indemnify you for loss above your deductible.

An endorsement is a change to a policy. It is usually added to an existing policy to change the policy’s coverage or update policyholder information.

Surplus Lines, aka “Non-Admitted or Excess & Surplus Lines — E&S” insurance is typically used for perils or locations difficult to place in the traditional (Admitted) market. 

Surplus Lines carriers do not file rates or forms with the state department of insurance. They are required to meet financial criteria to be authorized for business in a state. 

Surplus Lines carriers are not backed by state guaranty funds. 

A licensed surplus lines producer is responsible for certain surplus lines taxes and/or fees, which are usually passed on to the buyer. 

All iDemand policies use Non-Admitted insurance carriers.

Direct Bill: policyholder pays their premiums directly to iDemand.

Agency Bill: agencies pay iDemand and then bill the policyholder. The policyholder pays their agent. 

Parametric Insurance — an agreement under which an entity assuming risk (the “insurer“) agrees to pay the indemnitee (the “insured“) an agreed amount upon the occurrence of a specified event, such as an earthquake or hurricane of specified intensity.

Indemnity for property pays an insured for losses actually sustained, subject to the policy terms.

iDemand wind and flood policies are Indemnity policies. The potential wind Event Limit premium itself is a parametric event; not the policy coverage.

A Moratorium is a temporary suspension of an activity.

iDemand wind and flood policies have a waiting period at policy inception to avoid moratoriums at the inception that may be otherwise impacted by an active event at the time of binding a policy. 

We do provide exceptions for specific issues as shown in individual product description. 

If you’re looking for something in particular, or just an exhaustive list of insurance terms, check out the NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) Glossary.

Didn’t find what you were looking for? Please contact us.