Question

Case II – Godiva Case

Any of irrelevant information to the question below, you can ignore from the description. This case is updated or continued from the first case study in week 7.

[Personal Info.]

Robinson Godiva is 46 years old, and his wife Geniece is 37 years old. Robinson and Geniece were married 8 years ago; it was Robinson’s second marriage and Geniece’s first marriage. Robinson and Geniece have one child Chaplin, who is 6 years of age. Robinson has two children by his prior marriage: Lorna, who is 14 years of age, and Eva, who is 12. All of children attend public schools.

Robinson is a chemistry professor at the university and is a partner in Lion Research Associates, a chemistry firm that Robinson started with three of his associates from the university.

[Asset Info.]

The Godivas own their personal residence in joint tenancy with right of survivorship, and it is valued currently at $250,000. They purchased the home seven years ago for $175,000. They have finished the basement and added a room and bathroom at a cost of $40,000. They have a mortgage balance of $150,000. The Godivas’ household furnishing are valued at $70,000, and Geniece’s jewelry and furs are valued at $30,000. Robinson and Geniece live in a state that follows the common-law forms of property ownership.

Robinson and Geniece have a joint checking account that contains $7,000 and a joint savings account that contains $15,000. Interest income on the savings account last year was $450. The Godivas also have $12,000 in money market mutual funds that paid dividends last year of $515. Robinson owns shares in a growth stock mutual fund that he purchased three years ago for $5,000, is now worth $5,750, and paid dividends last year of $100. Dividends on these shares are expected to grow by 8% per year, and Robinson believes that a 10% rate of return would be appropriate for these shares with their degree of risk. Geniece owns shares in a municipal bond fund purchased for $6,300, currently valued at $7,000, and yielding $400 per year tax-free. The Godivas jointly purchased 500 shares in Roters Power, Inc., a public utility company. These shares were acquired at a cost of $6,250, are currently vluaed at $8,000, and pay annual dividends of $480.

Robinson’s father died two year ago, and his mother died last year, leaving Robinson an inheritance of $150,000 in U.S. Treasury securities, paying 8% interest ($12,000 annually), and a one-half interest in common with his brother in a Florida condominium. The condominium was valued in his mother’s estate at $120,000 and was purchased six years ago for $1250,000. Real estate taxes on the condominium, half of which Robinson includes among his itemized deductions for federal income tax purposes, total $1,000. Both of Geniece’s parents are still living.

The Godivas are also joint owners of a parcel of undeveloped land in the mountains, where they plan to build a vacation home. The parcel of land cost them $75,000 and is currently valued at $70,000. They have a $30,000 mortgage on the property. Interest on the mortgage is $2,700 per year. Real estate taxes are $700.

Robinson owns an apartment building near the university that he rents to students. The apartment building was purchased four years ago for $95,000 and is currently valued at $125,000. The annual gross rental income from the property is $11,000. Robinson has a mortgage balance of $60,000, and his interest payments total $4,950. His real estate taxes and maintenance expenses are $3,000, and depreciation is $2,850.

The Godivas are joint owners of two automobiles. The cars are valued at $25,000 and $17,500. Robinson owns a sailboat which he bought for $35,000 and is valued now at $40,000.

Robinson has a one-fourth interest in the partnership Reptiles Chemicals, which is engaged in research for genetic engineering of various plants. There are no employment contracts for the partners. In addition to the partners, the firm has eight employees, including four research assistants, two secretaries, and two maintenance/hothouse workers. The research assistants are paid $30,000 each, the secretaries are paid $18,000 each, and the other workers are paid $20,000 each.

Robinson and his partners believe that the value of Reptile Chemicals is approximately $1 million. There has been no objective valuation, however. The largest assets of the firm are its building and grounds, where the firm has a laboratory, hothouses, and fields for growing experimental plants. The building and land were purchased for $250,000, and $150,000 was allocated to the building and $100,000 to the land. Additional buildings have been added at a cost of $75,000, and the current value is estimated to be $400,000. The firm has a mortgage balance on the building and land of $150,000. The partnership has been depreciating the building for tax purposes under the original accelerated cost recovery system.

[Income Tax Info.]

Robinson earns $60,000 in annual salary from the university, and he reports another $48,000 of net taxable income from the biotechnology firm. Geniece earns $30,000 working in public relations for a hospital. She also receives $5,000 at the beginning of each year from a trust established by her grandmother, with securities valued currently at $100,000. At Geniece’s death, the trust income will be paid to Charles, or if Charles is over age 25, the corpus will be distributed to him. The Godivas file joint tax returns.

Robinson pays child support for his two daughters in the amount of $400 each per month, and these payments are probably 75% of their support annually. Robinson’s daughters are in the custody of their mother and live with her for approximately nine months of the year. Robinson is required by his divorce degree to maintain a $100,000 life insurance policy to provide child support in the event of his death.

Several years ago, Robinson established custodian account for Lorna and Eva. Lorna’s account generate annual income of $900, and Eva’s account has annual income of $850.

Robinson and Geniece incur home mortgage interest costs of $12,000 per year. Real estate taxes on their home are $2,500. They will pay $4,500 in state income taxes this year and $150 in personal property taxes. Their contributions to charities totaled $2,000.

[Retirement Info.]

Geniece owns IRA accounts totaling $17,000. She is now an active participant in a defined-contribution pension plan through the hospital where she works, and her vested account value is $35,000. Eight percent of Robinson’s gross salary at the university is deducted each year and contributed to a tax-deferred annuity. The university contributes an additional six percent dollar for dollar on a tax-deferred basis. The plan is projected to pay Robinson $2,500 per month when he retires at age 65 or to Geniece at his death.

One of the partners in Reptile Chemicals is age 65 and about two years away from retirement, and two partners are age 55. The partners would like to prepare for the expected retirement of the age-65 partner, as well as the unexpected death or disability of any partner. The partners are also contemplating a retirement program for the firm and would like advice concerning the design.

[Insurance Info.]

The university provides disability income coverage for one-third of Ronbinson’s salary, group medical expense insurance covering Robinson and his family through a health maintenance organization, and group term life insurance for Robinson, with a death benefit of $50,000. Robinson owns a whole life insurance policy that will pay a death benefit of $100,000 and has a cash value of $5,500, and he owns a universal life policy with a face value of $150,000 and a cash value of $3,000. The annual premium on the whole life policy is $2,000, and the annual premium on the universal life policy is $800. Geniece has group term life insurance through her employer in a face amount that is equal to her salary.

Property and liability insurance that insures the Godivas’ house for its replacement cost has an annual premium of $1,200. The Godivas’ cars are insured under a personal auto policy provising limits for bodily injury of $100,000/$300,000, property damage of $25,000, uninsured motorists coverage of $10,000/$20,000, no-fault benefits, and a collision deductible of $250. Robinson’s sailboat is insured under a yacht policy.

[Estate Planning Info.]

Robinson’s will leaves his entire estate to Genice, but if Geniece predeceases Robinson, the estat will be left in trust for Robinson’s three children equally. Geniece’s will leaves her entire estate to Robinson or, if he predeceases her, to Charles.

Question II-1. Which of the following statement concerning the Godivas’ use of other or additional insurance coverages is correct?

1. They could provide all-risks coverage for contents by replacing their HO-03 policy with an HO-04 policy.
2. They could provide coverage for the contents of their condominium in Florida by adding an HO-06 as an endorsement to their HO-03 policy.
3. They could have provided all-risks coverage for both their dwelling and its contents if they had purchased an HO-02 instead of an HO-03.
4. They could have provided contents coverage up to 50% of the dollar amount of the dwelling coverage if they had purchased either an HO-02 or an HO-03.
5. They could reduce the premium cost for their homeowners coverage by insuring their home for its replacement cost under an HO-08.

Question II-2. Which of the following items of personal property would be excluded under the Godiva family’s HO-03 policy?

(1) Animals, birds, and fish

(2) Business property

(3) Loss causes by the negligent use of the dwelling fireplace

(4) Loss of $2,000 of clothing in a hotel fire while the family is vacationing in Paris

1. (1) only
2. (2) and (3) only
3. (1), (2), and (3) only
4. (2), (3), and (4) only
5. (1), (2), (3), and (4)

Question II-3. Which of the following would be excluded from liability coverage under the Godiva family’s personal auto policy (PAP)?

(1) Robinson’s use of a motorcycle recently acquired for weekend recreation purposes

(2) Robinson’s use of one of the family’s cars for business purposes

(3) Robinson’s use of one of the family’s cars in the neighborhood car pool, for which service each passenger pays Robinson $5.00 weekly.

1. (1) only
2. (1) and (2) only
3. (2), and (3) only
4. (1), (2), and (3)
5. Neither (1), (2), nor (3)

Answer 1

Question II-1.

The option A is wrong as per the case because HO4 policy states that it covers tenants from the loss of personal property. It actually does not cover the house or apartment which is rented. It is a kind of landowner’s insurance policy. So, it does not cover all risks.

HO2 policy i.e. Homeowners 2 - Broad Form, is a perils policy. It covers the perils such as windstorm, lightning, or hail, and fire or explosion. Hence, it does not cover all risks rather than perils. So, option C is incorrect.

The option e is incorrect because HO8 policy i.e. Modified Coverage Form, states that in order to prevent moral hazards the insurer will not insure a home for more than what it is worth. Hence, this also does not cover all risks.

The option B is correct because HO3 policy provides the coverage of 80% of the owner’s insurance made for the policy. Hence, it covers majority of the risks alone with the separate insurance policy and if the HO-06 as an endorsement to their HO-03 policy it could be more beneficiary to them as they are owner of number of properties.

Question II-2.

The HO-03 policy covers the insurance of your personal property for physical loss or damage caused by 16 perils. Hence, the statement 2 and 3 are incorrect as per the personal property law. So, the option B is only correct as per the HO3 policy.

Question II-3.

Liability coverage under the Godiva family’s personal auto policy (PAP) exclusions are any business use of vehicle such as rented for commercial purpose, or used for own business purpose.

Hence, statement 2 and 3 are excluded from the personal auto policy. So, option C is correct.