Term.
Term. The borrower will be required to furnish insurance for a term of at least one year with evidence that a full year's premium is paid. The term premium as used herein includes any assessments which may be charged to the borrower. If the assessments are of the type imposed only after a loss occurs involving property insured by the insurance company, then the borrower must present evidence (such as a letter from the company) that he currently does not owe any such assessments. The borrower may receive a discount for insuring for a longer period such as three years or five years and with an annual premium. If the insurance contains an automatic renewal clause, its provision should be substantially the following to be acceptable to the Agency:
(11) Mortgage clause. The standard mortgage clause adopted by the State must be attached to or printed in the policy, or Form RD 426-2, “Property Insurance Mortgage Clause (Without Contribution),” must be attached to or the provisions thereof printed in the policy. A letter signed by an authorized official of an insurance company to the State Director, stating that all insurance policies the company issues in the State and in which the Agency has a mortgage interest incorporates all of the provisions of Form RD426-2 may be accepted in lieu of attaching Form RD 426-2 to each policy. If such a blanket letter is used, the Agency will be named in the loss payable clause and a State Instruction will be issued, after prior approval is obtained from the National Office, authorizing the use of such method.
(i) If the use of a mortgage clause, other than the standard mortgage clause (without contribution), has been made mandatory by State laws or insurance regulations, a State Instruction will be issued, after prior approval is obtained from the National Office, authorizing the use of such a form.
(ii) When an approved mortgage clause is printed in the policy a “Loss Payable Clause” is acceptable provided the Agency, as mortgagee, would receive payment in case of loss even though the company would not be liable to the borrower. A “Loss Payable Clause” which contains the statement that the mortgagee is “subject to all terms and conditions of the policy” is not acceptable.
(iii) Whenever a new mortgage clause including the interest of the Agency is issued after the policy has been in force, the new mortgage clause must be signed by an authorized agent or officer of the company that issued the policy. Form RD 426-6, “Transmittal of Property Insurance Mortgage Clause,” may be used to transmit the mortgage clause to the insurance official.
(iv) The Agency and all other mortgagees whose interests are insured by the policy will be shown either in the mortgage clause or in the “Declaration Page” in the order of priority of their mortgages.
(A) “United States of America (Rural Development)” will be named in the mortgage clause for direct and insured loan mortgages naming the Agency as mortgagee, whether in its own right or as trustee under a 2(f) or other agreement with a State Rural Rehabilitation Corporation.
(B) “United States of America (Rural Development), as first mortgagee or as statutory agent and insurer of such mortgagee,” will be named in the mortgage clause for insured FO mortgages naming the lender as mortgagee, whether the mortgage is held by the original or a subsequent lender or by the insurance fund or by the Agency under a trust agreement or declaration of trust.
(C) If the designation is not identical to that set forth in paragraphs (b)(11)(iv)(A) or (B) of this section, whichever is applicable, it will be sufficient if the mortgagee is readily identifiable as Rural Development.
(c) Evidence of premium payment.
(1) When Form RD 426-2 is attached to or the provisions thereof are printed in the policy, or a blanket letter from an insurance company incorporating the provisions of Form RD 426-2 in all policies in which the Agency has a mortgagee interest in effect, in accordance with paragraph (b)(11) of this section, no evidence of premium or assessment payment is required except for the first year of the loan. When a subsequent FP or section 502 RH loan is made to build, buy or rehabilitate essential buildings an endorsement to the existing policy including coverage for the property improved will be sufficient.
(2) [Reserved]
(d) Policy restrictions.
(1) Any insurance on essential buildings as defined in § 1806.3 having restrictions which limit the amount of collectible insurance must meet the Agency requirements set forth below (except for the clause described in paragraph (d)(1)(iv) of this section which is never acceptable); otherwise, such restrictions must be eliminated or modified to afford the required protection.
(i) Coinsurance clause. This clause generally provides that in consideration of a reduced rate, the borrower agrees to maintain insurance on his buildings up to a specified percentage (usually 80 percent) of their value and that the company will not be liable for a greater proportion of any partial loss than the amount of insurance bears to the specified percentage of either the undepreciated replacement value or the depreciated replacement value or the depreciated replacement value (actual cash value) of the buildings at the time of the loss. When the buildings are insured for the specified percentage of their value, the company, in the event of a partial loss, will be liable for the full amount of the loss not to exceed the amount of insurance. A coinsurance clause can be accepted only where the amount of insurance is at least equal to the specified percentage of either the undepreciated replacement value or the depreciated replacement value (actual cash value). For example, an 80 percent coinsurance clause can be accepted only where the amount of insurance on each insured building is at least equal to 80 percent of the appropriate replacement value of the insured building.
(ii) Three-fourths' value clause. This clause provides that the liability of the company shall be limited to three-fourths of the depreciated replacement value of the buildings covered at the time of the loss, not to exceed the amount of insurance. This clause may be accepted if the unpaid balance of the loan is not greater than three-fourths of the depreciated replacement value of the building and the amount of insurance is at least equal to the unpaid balance of the loan and any prior liens and no building is insured for more than three-fourths of its depreciated replacement value.
(iii) Loss deductible clause.
(A) For all loans other than RRH, RCH, and LH organizations this clause generally provides that loss to each building to the extent of the limitation is not recoverable. The company is liable only for loss to each building in excess of such limitation stated in the clause. This clause may be accepted where the limitation does not exceed $150, or one percent of the insurance coverage whichever is greater. In no case, however, may the limitation on any one building exceed $500.00.
(B) For RRH, RCH, and LH organization loans this clause generally provides that loss to each project to the extent of the limitation is not recoverable. The company is liable only for loss to each project in excess of such limitation stated in the clause. This clause may be accepted where the limitation does not exceed the option shown below that is chosen by the borrower and agreed to by the Loan Approving Official and properly annotated in the borrower file. The borrower and the Official should consider the economic impact to the project when selecting the appropriate option.
(1) Option 1—Up to one-fourth of one percent (0.0025) of the insurable value. Maximum deductible $5,000.
(2) Option 2—Up to a maximum deductible of $500 on any project with an insurable value not exceeding $200,000.
(3) Option 3—Option 1 may be chosen and increased above the maximum deductible by an amount equivalent to funds specifically escrowed in the project replacement reserve account as an offset to the increased deductible.
(4) Option 4—Option 2 may be chosen and increased above the maximum deductible by an amount equivalent to funds specifically escrowed in the project replacement reserve account as an offset to the increased deductible.
(5) The funds used to increase the deductible in Option 3 or Option 4 may be from project funds if it does not create an unsecure financial situation for the project. Also, non-project funds may be used for Option 3 or 4 and then repaid by withdrawal from the project at the rate of 75 percent of the annual insurance premium savings earned by the amount of escrow deposit, up to the amount deposited.
(6) The funds escrowed to increase the authorized deductible will be placed in the project reserve account as an increased amount in and above the amount required by the Loan Agreement/Resolution and so annotated in the borrower's accounting system.
(iv) Three-fourths' loss clause. This clause provides that the company will not pay more than three-fourths of any loss, nor more than three-fourths of the amount of insurance in force. This clause is never acceptable and must be eliminated.
(v) Deferred loss payable clause. This clause provides that, if the amount payable under the policy for any loss to any building insured shall be in excess of a specified portion, (usually 60 percent) of the amount of insurance on such building, the company will withhold from its initial loss payment any sum in excess of the specified portion of the amount of insurance on such building. If the building sustaining such loss is repaired or replaced within six months from the date of the fire and at or within 300 feet of the original location, as described in the policy, the company upon receipt of evidence to that effect from the insured will pay the full balance withheld from the initial payment, provided the amount expended in repairing or replacing the building damaged or destroyed will equal or exceed the amount of loss as determined under the terms of the policy. Failure to repair or replace any insured building within the time and manner provided will constitute acceptance of the initial payment as full and final settlement under the policy with respect to the loss. This clause may be accepted if the amount of insurance is for the full depreciated replacement value (actual cash value) of the building and the unpaid balance of the loan and any prior lien(s) is not greater than the initial loss payment made by the company.
(vi) Construction specifications and use conditions. If the insurance policy contains clauses which specify certain standards of construction or prescribes certain uses of the property for the insurance to be valid, the policy is acceptable only if the property meets such specifications or conditions at the time of acceptance. For example, if the policy provides that the chimney be constructed of a certain type of material, the County Supervisor should be assured that the required material has been used, or if the policy provides that farming operations are not carried out on the premises he should be assured that this condition is met.
(2) Policies generally will not be accepted if, under the terms of the policies or local laws, contributions or assessments may be made against the Agency. However, policies which impose assessments on the borrower may be accepted only if the Agency mortgage will be recorded prior to any failure of the borrower to pay any such assessments. Policies also will not be accepted if, by their terms or other conditions, loss payments are contingent upon collective action by the Board of Directors, or the stockholders, or the members.
(e) Buildings on leaseholds. The policy will indicate that the insured is the lessee or tenant and not the owner of the buildings securing the Agency loan; or, if he is the owner of the building on the leased land, the policy will indicate that the insured is the owner of the building, but not of the land. State Directors, with the advice of the OGC will issue State Instructions to meet any other special requirements needed to conform with the insurance requirements of the State to enable leaseholders to obtain property insurance for buildings which are security for the Agency loans.