Free AFC Risk Management and Insurance Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client is reviewing their homeowner's insurance policy and is confused about the difference between an HO-3 and an HO-5 policy. Which of the following is the most significant advantage of an HO-5 policy over an HO-3 policy?
- HO-5 provides open peril coverage for personal property, while HO-3 typically provides named peril coverage. (Correct answer)
- HO-5 policies are significantly less expensive than HO-3 policies.
- HO-5 automatically includes flood and earthquake coverage, which are excluded from HO-3.
- HO-5 provides open peril coverage for the dwelling, while HO-3 provides named peril coverage for the dwelling.
Correct answer: HO-5 provides open peril coverage for personal property, while HO-3 typically provides named peril coverage.
The primary distinction between an HO-3 and an HO-5 policy is the coverage for personal property. An HO-5 policy offers 'open peril' coverage, meaning belongings are covered against all perils unless specifically excluded. An HO-3 policy, conversely, typically covers personal property only for 'named perils' explicitly listed in the policy. Both policy types generally provide open peril coverage for the dwelling structure itself.
Question 2: An AFC® is working with a client who has a disability income insurance policy with a 90-day elimination period. The client becomes disabled on June 1st. When can the client expect to receive their first benefit payment?
- On June 1st of the following year
- On September 1st
- On June 2nd
- Shortly after August 30th (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Shortly after August 30th
The elimination period, also known as the waiting period, is the length of time from the onset of disability that must pass before benefits become payable. With a 90-day elimination period, the client must wait 90 days from June 1st, which ends on August 30th. Benefit payments begin to accrue after this period and are typically paid in arrears, so the first payment would be received shortly after the waiting period is satisfied.
Question 3: Which of the following risk management strategies involves shifting the financial consequences of a loss to another party, such as an insurance company?
- Risk Avoidance
- Risk Retention
- Risk Transfer (Correct answer)
- Risk Reduction
Correct answer: Risk Transfer
Risk transfer is a core principle of insurance. It is the strategy of shifting the financial burden of a potential loss from an individual or entity to another party. Purchasing an insurance policy is the most common example of risk transfer, where the insurer agrees to cover specified losses in exchange for premium payments. Risk avoidance means not participating in the activity at all, risk retention is accepting the risk, and risk reduction involves taking steps to lower the severity or likelihood of a loss.
Question 4: A client is at fault in a car accident. Their auto insurance liability coverage is listed as 100/300/50. One person in the other car sustains injuries with medical bills totaling $120,000. How much will the client's insurance policy pay for this individual's bodily injury claim?
- $120,000
- $300,000
- $100,000 (Correct answer)
- $50,000
Correct answer: $100,000
A split limit liability policy, commonly expressed as three numbers (e.g., 100/300/50), sets specific maximums. The first number ($100,000) is the maximum payout for bodily injury per person. The second ($300,000) is the maximum for total bodily injury per accident. The third ($50,000) is the maximum for property damage. In this scenario, even though the total per-accident limit is higher, the per-person limit caps the payout for the single injured individual at $100,000.
Question 5: A client with significant assets, including a home, investments, and future earnings, is concerned about being sued for an amount that exceeds the liability limits on their homeowners and auto insurance policies. Which type of insurance would an AFC® explain is specifically designed to provide an additional layer of liability protection above other policies?
- Professional Liability Insurance
- Personal Umbrella Insurance (Correct answer)
- Comprehensive General Liability Insurance
- Replacement Cost Value Insurance
Correct answer: Personal Umbrella Insurance
A personal umbrella policy provides extra liability coverage that sits on top of existing homeowners, auto, and other liability policies. Its main purpose is to protect assets and future income from major lawsuits or claims when the limits of the underlying policies are exhausted.
Question 6: When helping a client evaluate insurable risks, an AFC® should explain that for a risk to be ideally insurable, it must have certain characteristics. Which of the following is a key characteristic of an insurable risk?
- The loss must be catastrophic.
- The loss must be intentional.
- The loss must affect a large number of policyholders simultaneously.
- The loss must be accidental and measurable. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The loss must be accidental and measurable.
For a risk to be insurable, the potential loss must be accidental, definable, and financially measurable. Insurance companies rely on being able to calculate the probability and severity of losses to set premiums. Insurers typically exclude catastrophic events that affect millions at once (like war) and will not cover intentional acts caused by the policyholder.
A client is reviewing their homeowner's insurance policy and is confused about the difference between an HO-3 and an HO-5 policy.
Which of the following is the most significant advantage of an HO-5 policy over an HO-3 policy?