Wheaton, Illinois, June 14, 2006--The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) has initiated filing of a comprehensive revision of its Homeowners forms and endorsements in most states.

AAIS is a national advisory organization that develops and maintains policy forms and rating information for more than 20 lines of personal, commercial, farm, and inland marine insurance. More than 600 insurers of all sizes throughout the U.S. use one or more AAIS programs.

In the latest update of its Homeowners forms, AAIS is filing seven base "booklet" forms, along with 80 countrywide endorsements and scores of state-specific endorsements, most of them with a proposed effective date of April 1, 2007.

The revision refines many policy provisions in the forms while retaining the overall structure and breadth of standard homeowners programs.

Among other things, AAIS continues to provide a "Basic" perils form, in addition to the other six base forms that are standard in the line ("Broad Form," "Special Form," "Special Building and Contents Form," "Contents Broad Form" [for renters], "Unit-Owners Form," and "Limited Form").

Also, AAIS continues to provide exclusions for lead liability and pollution liability not found in other countrywide programs available to insurers.

Among the changes introduced in the 2006 revision are new or revised incidental property coverages, including:

• "Association Deductible:" This pays up to $1,500 for the named insured's share of an insurance deductible applied to a residential association's policy and charged to the named insured.

• "Property in Rental Units:" This coverage pays up to $2,500 for loss caused by a named peril (other then theft) to the named insured's appliances, carpeting, and other furnishings in a rental apartment on the insured premises.

• "Refrigerated Property:" This incidental coverage has been broadened to include loss to any covered property stored in a freezer or refrigerated unit on the insured premises, not just food.

Modifications have been made to liability coverages, as well, including:

• A specification that coverage for bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) arising from the incidental business activities of self-employed minors (e.g., local yard work) extends to insureds up to age 21.

• An extension of coverage to BI/PD arising from the use of battery-powered vehicles that do not exceed 15 miles per hour (e.g., "kiddie cars").

For information on affiliating with AAIS for use of its Homeowners Program, contact Rick Maka, director of marketing, at rickm@AAISonline.com.