Sunday, January 5, 2002

A story published today by Florida Today reports that David Wallace assumed his live-in partner was covered by his homeowner's insurance policy. The couple shared a home for nearly two years. They consider themselves married, though not legally.

But when the couple's Lakewood, Ohio, home was robbed in December, they discovered their union meant nothing to their insurance company.

Wallace purchased the home and a State Farm homeowner's insurance policy in November 1998. His partner Dan Reilly moved into the house in 2000, but was never added to the title.

In December, the house was robbed of jewelry, wrapped Christmas gifts and about $4,000 worth of electronics, including stereo equipment, several televisions and DVD and VCR players.

Wallace told police the items belonged to both him and Reilly, but investigators and the insurance company asked for an itemized list detailing which items belonged to whom.

State Farm denied coverage of Reilly's items.

According to State Farm's homeowner's policies, insured individuals include the homeowner named in the policy and residents who are legal relatives, including spouses and dependents under the age of 21, said Bo May, of State Farm Insurance Companies of Florida. The policies also provide coverage to visitors.

Domestic partners are not included in the policies, but insurance officials say they can insure their personal belongings with a separate renter's policy -- a separate cost with a separate deductible.

"If a person's insurable interest in the property is only personal belongings, it's not appropriate for that person to be on that policy," said Justin Glover, of the Florida Department of Insurance. "It's up to the insurance company to write them on there, but that would be in the form of renter's insurance because they don't have a financial stake in the property."