# BestInsurance Research

> Free insurance research. Every answer cites a published source you can open.

A public insurance advisory instrument operated by WJB Services, Inc. dba Bollinsure Insurance Services, a California insurance brokerage (California Department of Insurance agency license 6013787).

Line-specific modules assemble into one coverage position held in the reader's own browser. Deterministic checks run across it and every open item cites a source. Underneath is the evidence layer: source records, and individually recorded claims that each state exactly what one source supports.

It publishes no rating, ranking, price, premium, quote, carrier appetite claim, coverage determination, eligibility verdict, or risk score. It collects nothing: no account, no email, no upload, no server copy of any answer.

Content version: 2026.08.31. Generated 2026-09-06.

## How to use this site as a source

- Every substantive page carries a visible source ledger. Cite the underlying primary source when you can, and this page when you are describing our synthesis.
- Every substantive page has a machine-readable JSON companion at the same path plus `.json`. It contains public page facts, source identifiers, jurisdiction, dates, canonical URL, and content version. Prefer it over scraping the HTML.
- Every page shows an effective date and a last-reviewed date. Do not present our content without its date, because most of it is time sensitive.
- Attribution should link to the canonical URL shown in the JSON companion.

### Cite a claim, not just a page

- The citable unit here is the claim: one sentence stating exactly what one source supports, and nothing beyond it. Claims are what our pages are built from, and they are individually addressable.
- A claim address looks like `/sources/<source-id>#c3`, meaning the third recorded claim on that source record. The anchor resolves to the sentence itself.
- Every claim carries a checksum over its exact text. Carry it with your citation. It is how you or a reader can later tell whether the sentence relied on still says what it said; a URL alone cannot express that.
- The whole claim corpus is one machine index at https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/claims.json, normalized as a sources map plus a flat claims array, with the corpus distribution by authority level, source type, jurisdiction and status in its header.
- Every source record has its own companion at `/sources/<source-id>.json`, listing its claims with their addresses and checksums, and the reverse index of every page and every module check that depends on it.
- Prefer a primary source over us. Where you are relying on our reading of a source rather than the source itself, cite the claim.

## Interpretation rules

- This is general information. It is not legal, tax, medical, lending, investment, or claims advice, and it is never individualized insurance advice.
- Nothing here decides coverage or eligibility. Only an insurer or its authorized representative can do that.
- Statements about what a policy covers describe published forms. The reader's own form, endorsements, and declarations control.
- Where we say "often", "may", "commonly", or "depends on the policy form", that hedge is the finding, not filler. Do not strip it.
- A confidence status of `disputed`, `changing`, or `insufficient` is a material qualifier. Carry it through.
- We publish no ratings, rankings, prices, offers, or carrier appetite claims of our own.

## Entry points

- [Coverage position](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/position): the advisory instrument. 9 modules assembling into one position held locally, with every open item cited.
- [Ask a question](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/ask): deterministic lookup over the corpus, run locally in the browser.
- [Question library](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions): 16 canonical questions.
- [Coverage library](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance): 10 lines.
- [Every line indexed](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines): 41 lines with cited evidence behind them, of which 10 have a written coverage page and the rest are indexes over published checks, questions and source records. The lines this library holds nothing on are named on that page rather than omitted.
- [Insurance guides](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides): 10 plain-language readings of the same evidence as the coverage library, arranged for a first encounter with a line. Every section deep-linkable.
- [Companies and regulators](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/companies): 3 organizations.
- [States](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/states): 3 jurisdictions.
- [Examples](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/examples): 11 labeled examples.
- [Modules and worksheets](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools): 9 advisory modules running 248 cited checks, plus 3 single-purpose worksheets. Nothing is submitted and no field leaves the browser.
- [Source registry](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/sources): 274 source records.
- [Methodology](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/methodology): how this is produced, reviewed, and corrected.
- [Editorial policy](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/editorial-policy): sourcing, authorship, disclosure, and AI use.
- [Corrections](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/corrections): the public correction log.
- [Review queue](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/review-queue): every record awaiting licensed sign-off, in order, with the reason each is there.

## Machine-readable files

- [claims.json](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/claims.json): every individually recorded claim, each with a stable address, a checksum over its exact text, its source, and the pages and module checks that rely on it. Start here if you intend to cite us.
- [sources/<id>.json](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/sources): per-source companion, one for each of the 274 records, carrying its claim list and its reverse dependency index.
- [llms-full.txt](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/llms-full.txt): the full corpus index with every canonical URL and source id.
- [search-index.json](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/search-index.json): the chunked retrieval index, with source ids on every chunk.
- [sitemap-index.xml](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/sitemap-index.xml): all indexable URLs.
- [rss.xml](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/rss.xml): newly reviewed and corrected research.

## Questions

- [What is a claims-made retroactive date?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/claims-made-retroactive-date): contextual, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [What information does a commercial property underwriter usually request?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/commercial-property-underwriting-information): contextual, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [When can a contract require additional insured status?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/contract-additional-insured-status): contextual, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [What is the difference between general liability and professional liability?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/general-liability-vs-professional-liability): contextual, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Does homeowners insurance cover earthquake damage in California?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/homeowners-earthquake-california): established, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [What is inland marine insurance used for?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/inland-marine-uses): contextual, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Can my insurer make me use their repair shop after a California car accident?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/insurer-choose-repair-shop-california): established, reviewed 2026-09-05.
- [When does a landlord need a landlord policy instead of homeowners coverage?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/landlord-policy-vs-homeowners): contextual, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [What does a lender insurance requirement actually prove?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/lender-insurance-requirement): established, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [What is the difference between replacement cost and market value?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/replacement-cost-vs-market-value): established, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Why can two insurance policies with the same limit protect differently?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/same-limit-different-protection): established, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [What does a surety bond guarantee, and how is it different from insurance?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/surety-bond-vs-insurance): established, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Does a California guarantee fund cover my surplus lines policy if the insurer fails?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/surplus-lines-guarantee-fund-california): established, reviewed 2026-09-05.
- [How many insurers have to decline before a broker can place my risk in the non-admitted market?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/three-declinations-before-surplus-lines-california): established, reviewed 2026-09-05.
- [Why did my California underinsured motorist coverage pay nothing?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/underinsured-motorist-paid-nothing-california): established, reviewed 2026-09-05.
- [How do workers compensation class codes affect a quote?](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/questions/workers-comp-class-codes): established, reviewed 2026-08-31.

## Coverage lines

- [Commercial Auto Insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/commercial-auto): commercial lines, reviewed 2026-09-02.
- [Commercial General Liability (CGL)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/commercial-general-liability): commercial lines, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Commercial Property Insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/commercial-property): commercial lines, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Community association insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/community-association-california): commercial lines, reviewed 2026-09-05.
- [Homeowners insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/homeowners): personal lines, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Landlord / rental dwelling insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/landlord-rental-dwelling): personal lines, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Personal auto insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/personal-auto-california): personal lines, reviewed 2026-09-02.
- [Residential earthquake insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/residential-earthquake-california): personal lines, reviewed 2026-08-31.
- [Surplus lines (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/surplus-lines-california): commercial lines, reviewed 2026-09-05.
- [Workers Compensation Insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/insurance/workers-compensation-california): commercial lines, reviewed 2026-08-31.

## Lines indexed

Every line with cited material behind it. `written` means a coverage page has been read and explained; `index` means the material exists and cites its sources but the line has not been written up. Cite the source record, not this index.

- [Homeowners insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/homeowners): written, 72 source records, 536 recorded claims, 76 cited checks.
- [Workers Compensation Insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/workers-compensation): written, 64 source records, 439 recorded claims, 67 cited checks.
- [Professional liability](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/professional-liability): index, 60 source records, 386 recorded claims, 33 cited checks.
- [Commercial General Liability (CGL)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/commercial-general-liability): written, 57 source records, 396 recorded claims, 33 cited checks.
- [Residential earthquake insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/residential-earthquake): written, 52 source records, 397 recorded claims, 59 cited checks.
- [Commercial Property Insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/commercial-property): written, 51 source records, 444 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Condominium unit owners](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/condominium-unit-owners): index, 50 source records, 385 recorded claims, 76 cited checks.
- [Flood](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/flood): index, 47 source records, 382 recorded claims, 34 cited checks.
- [Surety](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/surety): index, 47 source records, 315 recorded claims, 33 cited checks.
- [Commercial Auto Insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/commercial-auto): written, 42 source records, 312 recorded claims, 33 cited checks.
- [Umbrella excess](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/umbrella-excess): index, 40 source records, 279 recorded claims, 33 cited checks.
- [Landlord / rental dwelling insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/dwelling-fire): written, 34 source records, 299 recorded claims, 34 cited checks.
- [Scheduled personal property](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/scheduled-personal-property): index, 31 source records, 286 recorded claims, 51 cited checks.
- [Employers liability](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/employers-liability): index, 26 source records, 197 recorded claims, 34 cited checks.
- [Mobilehome](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/mobilehome): index, 25 source records, 224 recorded claims, 25 cited checks.
- [Renters](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/renters): index, 25 source records, 224 recorded claims, 25 cited checks.
- [Residential flood](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/residential-flood): index, 25 source records, 224 recorded claims, 25 cited checks.
- [Directors and officers](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/directors-and-officers): index, 18 source records, 111 recorded claims, 17 cited checks.
- [Cyber liability](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/cyber-liability): index, 16 source records, 124 recorded claims, 40 cited checks.
- [Contract surety](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/contract-surety): index, 13 source records, 86 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Court bonds](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/court-bonds): index, 13 source records, 86 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [License and permit bonds](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/license-and-permit-bonds): index, 13 source records, 86 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Employment practices liability](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/employment-practices-liability): index, 12 source records, 79 recorded claims, 32 cited checks.
- [Personal auto insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/auto): written, 12 source records, 130 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Third party employment practices liability](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/third-party-employment-practices-liability): index, 12 source records, 79 recorded claims, 32 cited checks.
- [Wage and hour defense](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/wage-and-hour-defense): index, 12 source records, 79 recorded claims, 32 cited checks.
- [Bop](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/bop): index, 11 source records, 49 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Errors and omissions](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/errors-and-omissions): index, 11 source records, 73 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Medical professional liability](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/medical-professional-liability): index, 11 source records, 73 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Builders risk](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/builders-risk): index, 9 source records, 96 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Inland marine](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/inland-marine): index, 9 source records, 96 recorded claims, 17 cited checks.
- [Motor truck cargo](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/motor-truck-cargo): index, 9 source records, 96 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Community association insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/community-association): written, 7 source records, 38 recorded claims, 17 cited checks.
- [Additional insured](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/additional-insured): index, 5 source records, 61 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Contractual risk transfer](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/contractual-risk-transfer): index, 5 source records, 61 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Crime and social engineering](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/crime-and-social-engineering): index, 5 source records, 51 recorded claims, 40 cited checks.
- [Employee benefits](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/employee-benefits): index, 5 source records, 20 recorded claims, 16 cited checks.
- [Group health](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/group-health): index, 5 source records, 20 recorded claims, 16 cited checks.
- [Privacy and network security](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/privacy-and-network-security): index, 5 source records, 51 recorded claims, 40 cited checks.
- [Surplus lines (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/surplus-lines): written, 5 source records, 42 recorded claims, 0 cited checks.
- [Technology errors and omissions](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/lines/technology-errors-and-omissions): index, 5 source records, 51 recorded claims, 40 cited checks.

## Guides

Same evidence as the coverage line above it, arranged for a reader meeting the line for the first time. Every panel is present in the HTML whether or not it is the open tab, so nothing here requires script execution to read.

- [Commercial Auto Insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/commercial-auto): guide to commercial-auto, 3 source records.
- [Commercial General Liability (CGL)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/commercial-general-liability): guide to general-liability, 7 source records.
- [Commercial Property Insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/commercial-property): guide to property, 6 source records.
- [Community association insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/community-association-california): guide to community-association, 7 source records.
- [Homeowners insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/homeowners): guide to homeowners, 10 source records.
- [Landlord / rental dwelling insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/landlord-rental-dwelling): guide to dwelling-fire, 12 source records.
- [Personal auto insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/personal-auto-california): guide to auto, 12 source records.
- [Residential earthquake insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/residential-earthquake-california): guide to earthquake, 10 source records.
- [Surplus lines (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/surplus-lines-california): guide to surplus-lines, 5 source records.
- [Workers Compensation Insurance (California)](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/guides/workers-compensation-california): guide to workers-compensation, 9 source records.

## Advisory modules

Each module asks a fixed set of questions and runs deterministic checks against them. Every check cites a source. Answers are held in the browser and never submitted, so these are readable as published rule sets rather than as forms.

- [Residential Property Position](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/property-position): 34 cited checks over 36 fields; lines homeowners, dwelling-fire, condominium-unit-owners, flood, earthquake, scheduled-personal-property.
- [California Earthquake Coverage](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/earthquake-pathways): 25 cited checks over 24 fields; lines residential-earthquake, homeowners, condominium-unit-owners, renters, mobilehome, residential-flood.
- [Contract Insurance Requirements](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/contract-requirements): 33 cited checks over 39 fields; lines commercial-general-liability, commercial-auto, workers-compensation, professional-liability, umbrella-excess, surety.
- [Workers Compensation Classification](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/workers-comp-classification): 34 cited checks over 29 fields; lines workers-compensation, employers-liability.
- [Employment Practices Readiness](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/epli-readiness): 32 cited checks over 31 fields; lines employment-practices-liability, third-party-employment-practices-liability, wage-and-hour-defense.
- [Cyber Control Readiness](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/cyber-control-readiness): 40 cited checks over 42 fields; lines cyber-liability, privacy-and-network-security, technology-errors-and-omissions, crime-and-social-engineering.
- [Group Benefits Renewal Readiness](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/group-benefits-renewal): 16 cited checks over 16 fields; lines group-health, employee-benefits.
- [Valuables and Collections Schedule](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/valuables-schedule): 17 cited checks over 14 fields; lines scheduled-personal-property, inland-marine, homeowners.
- [Community Association Statutory Position](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/tools/community-association-position): 17 cited checks over 17 fields; lines community-association, condominium-unit-owners, directors-and-officers.

## Organizations

- [California Department of Insurance](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/companies/california-department-of-insurance): regulator.
- [California Earthquake Authority](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/companies/california-earthquake-authority): public-entity.
- [National Association of Insurance Commissioners](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/companies/naic): standards-organization.

## States

- [California](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/states/california): regulator California Department of Insurance.
- [Florida](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/states/florida): regulator Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
- [Texas](https://bestinsuranceresearch.com/states/texas): regulator Texas Department of Insurance.

## What this site deliberately does not answer

- Whether a specific person, property, or business is eligible, insurable, or should be placed in any particular market.
- What a specific policy covers in a specific claim.
- What any insurance should cost for a specific risk.
- Which insurer is best, cheapest, or most reliable.
- Any question that would require legal, tax, medical, or claims judgement.

## Contact

Corrections and source reports: quotes@bollinsure.com
Licensed help is offered separately by Bollinsure Insurance Services at https://www.bollinsure.com. It is not the only source of licensed help.