26.1-39 Property and Casualty Insurance

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CHAPTER 26.1-39PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE26.1-39-01. Rescission of fire insurance contract for alteration increasing risk. Analteration in the use or condition of a thing insured from that to which it is limited by the policy, if made without the consent of the insurer, by means within the control of the insured, and if it increases the risk, entitles an insurer to rescind a fire insurance contract.26.1-39-02.Rescission of fire contract not permitted if risk not increased.Analteration in the use or condition of a thing insured from that to which it is limited by the policy, which does not increase the risk, does not affect a fire insurance contract.26.1-39-03. When fire contract unaffected though risk increased. A fire insurancecontract is not affected by any act of the insured subsequent to the execution of the policy, if the act does not violate its provisions, even though it increases the risk and is the cause of a loss.26.1-39-04. Measure of indemnity on fire policy. If there is no valuation in the policy,the measure of indemnity in an insurance against fire is the full amount stated in the policy. If there is a valuation in the policy, the valuation is conclusive between the parties in the adjustment either of a partial or a total loss if the insured has some interest at risk and there is no fraud on the insured's part. In the event of a partial loss, the insurer is liable only for the proportion of the amount insured as the loss bears to the value of the whole interest of the insured in the property insured. A valuation fraudulent in fact, however, entitles the insurer to rescind the contract. The provisions of this section may not be construed as a revocation of any of the rights of insurers delineated in section 26.1-39-05.26.1-39-05. Face of policy to be paid in case of covered loss.1.Whenever any insurance policy is written or renewed to insure any real property in this state, including structures owned by persons other than the insured, against loss caused by or resulting from any covered cause of loss and the insured property is wholly or completely destroyed by any covered cause of loss without fraud on the part of the insured or the insured's assigns, the amount of the insurance written in the policy is the true value of the property insured and the true amount of loss and measure of damages, subject to the following conditions:a.If the covered loss occurred within ninety days after the policy was issued or within ninety days after the policy limits were increased by twenty-five percent or more at the insured's request, the loss payable to the insured for covered loss incurred during the first ninety days is the full value of the policy, or the actual cash value or replacement cost of the property, whichever is less. This subsection does not apply to unchanged renewal policies or policies with inflation adjustment limits.b.Builder risk policies of insurance covering property in the process of being constructed must be valued and settled according to the actual value of that portion of construction completed at the time of any covered cause of loss.c.In case of double insurance, each insurer shall contribute proportionally toward the loss without regard to the dates of the insurance policies.2.This section does not apply as to personal property or any interest therein.3.This section does not apply to any claim for loss of an appurtenant structure or separate structure. Any claim for loss of an appurtenant or separate structure must be settled for actual replacement cost or actual cash value, depending on the policy provisions applicable to the structure, unless an appurtenant or separate structure isPage No. 1individually described in the policy and a value is assigned to that specific structure before the loss.26.1-39-06.Standard fire insurance policy.No fire insurance contract or policy,including a renewal, may be made, issued, used, or delivered by any insurer or by any insurance producer or representative of the insurer on property in this state other than such as conform in all particulars as to blanks, size of type, context, provisions, agreements, and conditions with the 1943 standard fire insurance policy of the state of New York, a copy of which must be filed in the office of the commissioner as the standard policy for this state.The cancellation provisionscontained in the standard policy are superseded to the extent sections 26.1-39-10 through 26.1-39-21 are inconsistent with the provisions.No other or different provision, agreement,condition, or clause may be made a part of the contract or policy or be endorsed on the contract or policy or delivered with the contract or policy, except as follows:1.The name of the insurer, its location and place of business, the date of its incorporation or organization, and the state or county under which the insurer is organized, the amount of paid-up capital stock, whether it is a stock or mutual company, the names of its officers, the number and the date of the policy, and appropriate company emblems may be printed on policies issued on property in this state; provided, however, that any insurer organized under special charter provisions may so indicate upon its policy and may add a statement of the plan under which it operates in this state.2.Printed or written forms of description and specifications or schedules of the property covered by any particular policy and any other matter necessary to express clearly all the facts and conditions of insurance on any particular risk, which facts or conditions may not be inconsistent with or a waiver of any of the provisions or conditions of the standard policy, may be written upon or attached or appended to any policy issued on property in this state.Appropriate forms of contracts,supplemental contracts, or endorsements, by which the interest in the property described is insured against one or more of the perils which the insurer is empowered to assume, may be used in connection with the standard policy. The forms of contracts, supplemental contracts, or endorsements attached or printed on the policy may contain provisions and stipulations inconsistent with the standard policy if applicable only to the other perils. The first page of the standard policy may be rearranged to provide space for the listing of rates and premiums for coverages insured under the policy or under endorsements attached or printed on the policy, and such other data as may be included for duplication on daily reports for office records.3.An insurer, if entitled to do business in this state, may with the approval of the commissioner, if not already included in the standard form as filed with the commissioner, print on its policies any provision which it is required by law to insert in the policies if the provision is not in conflict with the laws of this state or the United States, or of the provisions of the standard policy, but the provision must be printed apart from the other provisions, agreements, or conditions of the policy and in type not smaller than the body of the policy and a separate title, as follows: "Provisions required by law to be stated in this policy", and must be a part of the policy.4.A commercial insurance policy providing coverage for fire insurance in accordance with this section may exclude coverage for loss by fire insured against if the fire is caused directly or indirectly by terrorism.5.There may be endorsed in writing on the outside of any policy the name, with the word "Producer or Producers" and place of business, of any insurance producer or producers. There may also be added, with the approval of the commissioner, a statement of the group of companies with which the insurer is financially affiliated.Page No. 26.When two or more insurers, each having previously complied with the laws of this state, unite to issue a joint policy, there may be expressed in the head line of each policy the fact of the severalty of the contract; also the proportion of premiums to be paid to each insurer and the proportion of liability which each insurer agrees to assume. And in the printed conditions of the policy the necessary change may be made from the singular to plural number, when reference is had to the insurers issuing such policy.7.With the approval of the commissioner, a combined farm policy may be used, the fire portion of which must be substantially in accord with the standard policy.8.The standard policy is an interest policy and must be so construed as to at all times protect the interest, whatever it may be, of any named insured. Provided, however, that a five-day grace period is allowed after the execution of any written instrument transferring interest in insured property during which full protection must be granted under the terms of the policy.9.In case of other coverage on the same peril, the liability of each insurer may not be for any greater amount or proportion of the loss than the ratio such insurance bears to the valid and collectible whole insurance covering the property against the peril involved.10.No contract or policy issued under this section may contain a limitation of less than three years for the bringing of any suit or action under the contract or policy.11.This section does not apply to inland marine, ocean marine, or automobile insurance.26.1-39-07. Standard fire policy - Loss or damage caused by nuclear reaction. Aninsurer issuing the standard policy pursuant to section 26.1-39-06 may affix to the policy or include in the policy a written statement that the policy does not cover loss or damage caused by nuclear reaction or nuclear radiation or radioactive contamination, all whether directly or indirectly resulting from an insured peril under the policy. An insurer may attach to the standard policy an endorsement or endorsements specifically assuming coverage for loss or damage caused by nuclear reaction or nuclear radiation or radioactive contamination.26.1-39-08. Construction of standard fire policy. The standard policy is a valuedpolicy as defined under section 26.1-30-03.An insurance policy in the form prescribed bysection 26.1-39-06 is subject to the rules of construction as to its effect or the waiver of any of its provisions which would apply if the form had not been prescribed.26.1-39-09. Nonstandard fire policy. The commissioner may approve for use in thisstate a form of policy which does not correspond to the standard policy as provided by section 26.1-39-06; provided, that the coverage of the approved policy form with respect to the peril of fire may not be less than that contained in the standard policy.26.1-39-09.1. Certain property and casualty insurance programs to be marketedthrough resident agents or brokers - Service fee. Repealed by S.L. 1999, ch. 252, </DIV></DIV></DIV> </DIV>  <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV></DIV>  <DIV id=footer> <DIV class=container> Copyright © 2012-2022 Laws9.Com All rights reserved.  <A href="/contactus.html">Contact Us</A> | <A href="/aboutus.html">About Us</A> | <A href="/terms.html">Terms</A> | <A href="/privacy.html">Privacy</A> </DIV> </DIV> </BODY></HTML>

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North Dakota Codes and Statutes

26.1-39 Property and Casualty Insurance