Web-Site Ownership & Home Insurance

[mlauriat]

Hello, I am new here.

I am home-based in Canada and I was informed by my insurance company today that I have one week to get rid of my web-site or they will cancel my house insurance. They said they do not want the liability of this type of web-site. Their words were "a web-site with such a global exposure." I have never heard of this before and I am wondering if the other members here have had any similar situations arise in their own personal lives. I suggested posting a disclaimer and they said that was totally ineffective. I would be most interested in hearing your experiences on this subject matter.

I don't know if I am posting in the right spot and I do apologize if I am in the wrong area. I tried posting in the professional area and was posted as private and I do not have access to that.

Thank You
Marilyn

[LiveCasinoPartners]

This could be one of the most convincing automatic posts I've seen yet or a really weird first post for someone who just landed at GPWA. I wonder which one it is.

I've heard of stranger things, but for those who live in Canada, could this be possible true? I Googled fragments of the post, and I can't find a similar elsewhere.

[mobilebadboy]

This could be one of the most convincing automatic posts I've seen yet or a really weird first post for someone who just landed at GPWA. I wonder which one it is.

I searched the username on Google, comes up here and affiliateguarddog.com. Checked the Yahoo profile (based on the Yahoo email provided on AGD), tied to a Marilyn. Guessing it's a legit post, but sounds like she's being scammed and don't know it. Like all the "auto warranty" phone calls people are getting (me too, I have a 28 year old truck!).

Marilyn, no one can do anything to you for owning a website (unless it's discriminatory, bigoted, illegal, etc). Even if it's against the company providing your home owners insurance, you'd have to make false claims before it could be legit.

Sounds like a scam email, a ridiculous one.

Or this really was a convincing post (going out of the way to create a yahoo profile and all).

[Chalkie]

Am i nieve? Why would it be an automated post, what would be gained by this post? Are there insurance scams going on over there and would they really try to back up a scam using this method?

ROFL at the idea of the insurance company demanding you close a web site down mind you! Is it likely to jump out of your pc and cause a spillage? Or maybe it could busy and overload your PC starting a fire!

[kwblue]

Sell the website to a friend (the domain name). Give them a small amount of money each month for that. And tell the insurance company you sold it.

That should get them off your back, I think.

BTW - how did they even found out you owned the website?

[pompeyrayuk]

That has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I have read in months but I have to say it wouldnt surprise me if it was true.
I just spoke to a pal of mine who works over here in insurance and he has never heard anything like it but added "they are Canadians mind"

[AmCan]

I guess the questions i have are:

1. is the web site hosted from your home?
2. Is your site registered to you or a corporation?
3. Is your domain registration pointing to your home address?

If you don't have a corporation and/or you are running the business from your home, it's possible for someone to sue you personally and potentially put the insurance company at risk for liability.

If you don't have a corporation, you should have one for personal liability reasons. You should rent a mailbox somewhere (UPS store) for the corporation. Then tell the insurance company that any further threats will results in you filing complaints with their regulator, the courts and potentially the media. I'm sure the national would be happy to do a story on "issues with home based businesses"

Finally, you should look to your province's insurance commissioner/regulator to find out if the insurance company is violating your rights.

[mlauriat]

AmCan, you are totally correct, those were the reasons that were quoted but I sent an e-mail to the Insurance Bureau of Canada yesterday after posting here and there are certain Insurance Companies that do carry Insurance for these things.

I was not being scammed by the Insurance, The Insurance Agent actually phoned me, the Underwriter was Ing, and they said they do not want the liability. They said they do not want the Liability of being sued by someone globally. If this site was just Canada that would be fine but they do not want the global exposure.

I am not able to transfer to anybody else because if it is not the right insurance and they have a claim it will make their insurance null and void.

Anyway for any other Canadians here please check your policies.

I am sorry I was not able to post my site name but GPWA does not allow you to post links until you have posted four times so I have to wait.

Thanks for your responses, very much appreciated.
Marilyn

[AmCan]

Hi Marilyn,
you haven't said whether you work from home or are incorporated. i think that affects the outcome.

I suggest that you look into to renting a shared office, i did that in windsor when i first moved to canada, it was about $400 a month. Some places will rent a virtual office that you have only limited access to for a little less.

Most importantly find a new insurance company. If your agent is independent he should have at least 1 or 2 alternate companies he can use for home. if not, find an independent. check with CAA if you're a member.

My agent specifically told me the liability only covers me on my property, from things that occur on the property. I specifically asked about liability that covers me, so if i get sued over something i post/write that i would have some potential cover. I never heard back from them.

I know my immigration lawyer once told me that the government(maybe just immigration) isn't allowed to discriminate against someone based on their occupation. i'm not sure how helpful it might be in fighting this.

[mlauriat]

AmCam, I do work from home, and the site is personally owned by me, I can't rent a space to work from and I have had other friends try to sue insurance companies, to no avail, I don't think they ever run out of money or manpower.
Corporations rule Canada and I am one small person, so I am going to try and get another Insurance Company this week. I have never heard of such stupidity and I am totally annoyed, but this is just another glitch. If all else fails I will try to sell the web-site as I do need insurance, that would be sort of disappointing. They said regardless of any web-site that unless I have a store front they will not cover it. A storefront meaning that people should be able to get the services there as on my web-site. Transferring this web-site to anybody I know would place these people in the same position and I wouldn't want to do that to anybody else.

Regards
Marilyn

[mlauriat]

My agent called Gore Insurance, Canadian Northern Shield, Premier Marine and two others. They all said no. My agent was really nice about it, and I think she felt badly about it. I told her I was sorry I had been so honest in telling her about it, and she said that if I had ever had a claim and they found it that the web-site existed they would have cancelled on me. I don't think honesty always pays but its the world I like to live in.

Regards
Marilyn

[LiveCasinoPartners]

Am i nieve? Why would it be an automated post, what would be gained by this post?

I experimented with a forum based article directory some time ago, and found that spammers are getting more and more experienced as time goes on. I had a lot of first time posters with generic posts that everyone can related to without any specific information. These posts pass the human filters and are left on the web. Later, about a month or so they would edit or place a spammy signature. This is not the case in Marilyn's post as I originally thought.


Marilyn,
I am truly sorry to hear that. When you first posted I could not imagine that sort of backwards-thinking could exist today in an insurance company. It sounds like you are having trouble with other companies as well.

Is the server in your house? I used to have one at my home. That's the only scenario I can imagine they would be impacted.

You mentioned that you were worried that if you placed your website under someone else's name then the insurance company would find out if there was a claim? If you did have to claim something on your home insurance, it's extremely unlikely that it would be because of your website. MOre and more people are having websites everyday. They will have to change that policyu if they want to stay in business.

Anyway, I wish you well, and good luck.

[mlauriat]

I appreciate your concern, I would have posted my web-site at the time of my original posting on this forum if the guidelines had allowed. I guess there are reasons for everything.

Anyway I totally agree that its a backward system but I will deal with it this coming week. And of course we only get these type of situations on a Friday so we are forced to anticipate the situation all weekend. I was sort of hoping that other Canadians in this forum had some knowledge on this subject but other than AmCan no one else seems to have experienced it or have any knowledge of it.

I am going to post my web-site link here:
http://www.all-about-free-slot-games.com

and I would appreciate any constructive criticisms from all of you pro's out there. I am very impressed with all of your web-sites, some of them are amazing and I know I won't touch them in volume, but this is the first web-site I have ever set up and I really enjoyed learning the system. It was a much needed break from bookkeeping, I was hoping that this web-site would allow me to quit bookkeeping as I have done so much of it. I have raised my own son and four other boys, and bookkeeping was how I supported all of us and maintained a home presence at the same time, as all of the boys were the same age, it was truly an amazing household. The boys will tell you that it was the best years of their lives and certainly my own. Some of the boys came from very difficult homes and they turned out very well, I love them all dearly. Hockey and training was the common thread, very expensive but I maintained 16 companies as clientelle and that paid for it all. Travel, hockey registration fees, International tournaments, clothing, rent as we had to move every two years to avoid being imports on the teams. Anyway just a little about me, and I thank all of you for responding to my plea for help on the insurance issue.

Regards to all of you
Marilyn

[thepokerkeep]

Hi Marilyn

Welcome to the forums!
I've been reading this thread with great interest. I'm also Canadian although I live in Ontario, the land of ice and snow from November through March.

I have never heard of an insurance company pulling the crap you're going through... I guess honesty doesn't always pay. I do not understand the logic behind their decision... many people own home based online businesses (Ebay comes to mind), too many for them to police at any rate. I have not informed my insurance company about my sites and do not intend to either. I hope you get it sorted.

What part of the Island do you call home? I've been to Victoria, Comox, Campbell River, and even across the island to a very foggy and damp Tofino. My uncle lives in Comox and my sister was in Port Hardy for a while before moving to the Charlottes.

I had a good look at your site. It's user friendly and delivers a feeling of trust, nicely done! I really felt like there was no pressure to buy or click while I browsed.

The only suggestion I have is to add a few more calls to action.

While the site feels comfy (like an old pair of shoes), in reality, you are in business to earn an income so it's important to convert your readers into players... get them clicking those links! I know it's a fine line to walk but you need to sell your readers while you have them on your site. As a rule, most visitors will not return once you lose them.

Terry

[mlauriat]

Terry, thanks so much for the evaluation, I do appreciate it. When you say there should be more calls to action; could you please be more specific; I am a newbie.

Terry you are correct when you say you will not inform them about your sites, I certainly regret my honesty. "No good deed goes unpunished."

I live in Mill Bay, half way between Victoria and Nanaimo. Beautiful place, 15 minute drive to Duncan. I just moved here to Mill Bay, B.C. one year ago from
Kamloops.

I had gone all through high school in Terrace; lived in Alberta 32 years; then I moved out to look after my Dad in Kamloops as he did not want to go to a home to die. So I stayed with him and when Dad passed on I moved to the island, fell in love with a man I had gone to high school with. I have reached a very good point in my life and without children I do feel lonely; I talk almost daily to them; they are all married, settled down and working; this part of my life is about me; I have to admit some days I feel lost but change is good for us. Life moves on and then we follow.

Terry have you been in this business very long? Please tell me more about yourself?

Regards
Marilyn

[giggles7p]

Hi!

I need to step in here and say how much i have enjoyed reading this thread! For a new member, you have left a lasting impression, and its a good one. Hope to see you here often and chatting with all of us, you are a breath of fresh air!

This is such a informative and teaching thread, and at the same time, a friendly nice to get to know you thread. The best types of chats.

Thanks to all the affiliates that took part in this chat and gave such a great nice welcome, after the rocky start!

Cheers
Giggles

[mlauriat]

Thank you very much for your very kind words. This is the first forum I have ever participated in, and I know it was very awkward the way I jumped in but I felt so desperate about the situation that I needed to make some contact before I went postal. I have found somebody to tranfer the site too but I still want to talk to the Insurance Bureau of Canada and see what they say about online businesses.

I talked to a good friend in Ontario yesterday and she works in insurance, she explained to me that insurance companies are the last to make change. She said "they make lots of money for their very conservative investors, and they will not change unless the government puts pressure on them." So then I started to think back and I believe she is correct, remember the GST dance where the insurance companies were allowed to avoid registration because they said they did not fall under the Goods and Services definition. "Bull----!"
The way GST is written everybody falls under that definition. Anyway I am going to pursue this, I am not going to make it my life's work, but I will certainly find a suitable outcome and if all else fails I will transfer the web-site.

Regards
Marilyn

[giggles7p]

I need to ask a question because its just amazing to me that insurance companies can do this. Do they understand that your website is just that, a website, not an actual online casino?

[Chalkie]

In all fairness to the insurance company, i suppose, working from home you should disclose this and expect to pay an extra premium as such! You are a higher risk to them when working from home and could not really complain about this.

Just a pount, however, anyone working from home and not disclosing the fact will probably find that their home insurance is null or at least very watered down!

If they are however saying that they just will not accept your because you have a home business then they are just stupid i suppose, however, its always a case of horses for courses and some insurance companies will not insure certain risks but will others.

Moral, find a company that will accept you for what you are, a home based business!

[mlauriat]

I need to ask a question because its just amazing to me that insurance companies can do this. Do they understand that your website is just that, a website, not an actual online casino?

Yes they do understand that because my agent physically went on the site and checked it out. She was the one that had to report it. I approached that with her and she said the liability was too great


Regards
Marilyn