We tell our clients when they place a property into their trust that they should contact their homeowner’s insurance agent and request that their trust be named as an “additional insured”.  We suggest this because you want the insurance coverage naming the insured to match the title on the property.  Since the property is now in the trust you want the insured to also be the trust. The “insured” on your policy can continue to show you as an individual, but include the name of the trust as an “additional insured” for complete coverage. You do not want the insurance company to try and deny a claim because the insured shows only an individual when the title to the covered property is actually in the name of the trust. With

your individual name as the insured and the name of your trust as an “additional insured,” there should be complete coverage and no wiggle room for the insurance company to try and deny a claim due to the insured name and title name not being the same.

If you have not done the above, please do so now.

How to handle lost estate documents

Unfortunately, some people surely had their estate planning documents (trust, will, powers of attorney, etc) destroyed in the recent fires. In many instances, ORIGINAL documents are required for those documents to be legally effective. Do not rely on copies. You want your legal intentions to be carried out rather than dismissed as a consequence of not having an original document. If estate planning documents are lost or destroyed, please have new originals drafted and signed for your protection.

Article shared by Bob Triplett, an attorney with Family Security Law and a member of Moving Seniors Forward. The firm provides legal family security resulting in peace of mind through trusts, wills, durable powers of attorney, deeds and other essential documents. It also handle probates, trust administration, conservatorships, Medi-Cal planning, IRA Trusts and real estate transactions. Call 805-496-4681.