There is a possibility that the insurer would ask your brother to insure these items directly or pay for them
My brother and I share a house, but live in different floors with clearly earmarked ownership. He has been transferred to a different city and has left a lot of his possessions in my custody. I was told I could not add these items under my home insurance cover. Why? And what can I do to insure these?
Kaza Uday Kumar, Vizag
First, understand why your insurer will not add the items left by your brother under a policy that you have – because you do not have any insurable interest in what does not belong to you. For insurers, ownership defines insurable intberest, which is missing in this case, a reason why they will not insure goods that belong to your brother and not you. However, you could approach this differently with your insurer, by explaining the circumstances and that you are insuring these on behalf of your brother. There is a possibility that the insurer would ask your brother to insure these items directly or pay for them, while you are safe keeping them.