Observatory insurance: Coverage for telescope computers

Coverage Q&A: Will an observatory's insurance policy cover the computers connected to a telescope?

Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. (Photo: Pixy)

Every claim is different, and some insurance policies can be difficult to interpret for unique situations. FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation, the recognized authority on insurance coverage interpretation and analysis for the P&C industry, makes it simple to find credible answers to your complicated coverage questions. Analysis brought to you by our FC&S experts. 

Editor’s Note: This week’s Q&A concerns a computer-connected telescope.

Question: The insured has an observatory with a large telescope attached to the building. The telescope is connected to or integrated with computers to allow the telescope to track stars during the earth’s rotation.

Under the insured’s policy, ISO CP 00 10 10 12, would the computers be covered but not the software that controls them due to the policy excluding electronic data?

— Pennsylvania subscriber 

Analysis: In today’s world, it is difficult to find anything that doesn’t run off of a computer. While the commercial property policy does provide some coverage for computers, it doesn’t cover pre-packaged software. Because of the different methods used in an operation’s connectivity and the various peripherals that can be attached, determining whether there will be insurance coverage isn’t always easy to determine, especially if the loss involves more than one aspect of a computer’s operation.

Answer: To learn the answer to this week’s coverage Q&A, please log into your FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation account.

Related: