Journal of Insurance Regulation

Social Media as a Factor in Personal Injury Underwriting: Risk, Rate and Regulation

Weston, Harold
Wells, Brenda

First published: 16 February 2021 | https://doi.org/10.52227/22109.2020

Abstract

Social media claims against individuals are increasing, yet insurance coverage for individuals for such claims is rarely available unless the insured has a personal injury endorsement to the standard homeowners policy or the insured has an umbrella policy, or the rare company-specific insurer includes such coverage. This suggests a market opportunity to provide this coverage. Underwriting this exposure will likely require examining social media as a new rate factor. Obtaining relevant information on this and showing predictive indicators is one challenge, particularly where social media use liability might be correlated with other factors, including other external data. Such factors will have to be approved by state insurance regulators and shown to be reliable and not unfairly discriminatory. This will likely open these factors to underwrite other coverages and policies, even if not approved or reliable. Some social media use might actually be a business pursuit, thus requiring this added coverage. A media liability policy crafted for the new exposure might be more effective to provide coverage if underwriting the factors can be regulated.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52227/22109.2020

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