Insurance & Asset Protection

Standard brokers place standard policies. For most UHNW clients, that means coverage limits that do not reflect the actual replacement cost of their homes, no scheduled coverage for fine art or jewelry, and umbrella policies sized for a middle-income household — not someone with significant real estate, a business, and investable assets.

The more important issue is coordination. Your home insurance, umbrella policy, life insurance, and legal structures (LLCs, trusts) need to work together. When they are managed by different people with no common overview, the gaps are invisible until a claim reveals them.

Florida is experiencing a significant insurance dislocation. Several major carriers have stopped writing new policies or are exiting the state entirely. Citizens Insurance — the state insurer of last resort — is raising rates and pushing policyholders out through its depopulation program. Windstorm and flood coverage has become harder to obtain and more expensive for waterfront and coastal properties.

For condo owners specifically, post-Surfside legislation now requires buildings to fund reserves for structural repairs — creating large special assessments that some associations are passing directly to unit owners. A review of your current coverage, limits, and carrier stability is essential if you own real property in Florida.

Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) is an institutional-grade structure that allows qualified investors to hold tax-inefficient assets — hedge funds, private credit, alternatives — inside a tax-advantaged wrapper. Growth is tax-deferred and the death benefit passes to beneficiaries income-tax-free.

It is most appropriate for UHNW clients who are insurable, can commit $1 million or more in premium, have meaningful alternatives allocations, and have multigenerational wealth transfer objectives. Given evolving legislation in 2026, proper implementation with qualified tax and legal counsel is essential before proceeding.

The general rule — umbrella coverage equal to your net worth — is a starting point, not a ceiling. The real drivers are the number of properties you own, board or officer roles, business operations, public profile, and your state’s legal environment.

Florida is one of the most litigious states in the country. “Nuclear verdicts” — jury awards exceeding $10 million — are increasingly common. Coverage of $10 million or more is not unusual for this client profile, and excess layers can be stacked to reach higher limits.

LLC structures create legal separation between personal assets and business liabilities, but protection depends on how the LLC is maintained. Courts can pierce the corporate veil if it is not operated as a genuine separate entity with its own accounts and documentation.

An LLC does not replace insurance — it complements it. A properly titled asset inside an LLC, covered by the right insurance policy, with an umbrella layer above it, creates multiple barriers between a claimant and your personal wealth.

Standard homeowners policies typically cap coverage for fine art and jewelry at $2,500–$5,000 — a fraction of what a serious collection is worth. Scheduled coverage through a specialist insurer (Chubb, AIG Private Client, Vault) insures each piece at its appraised value, often with no deductible and coverage for mysterious disappearance.

Collections should be professionally appraised before placing coverage and updated every 3–5 years. We coordinate scheduled coverage alongside your broader property program so there are no gaps between policies.