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HRS §490:2-501

When a buyer gets an insurable interest in goods

This section explains when a buyer gets a special property right and an insurable interest in goods being bought. It also says when a seller keeps an insurable interest. The rules depend on whether the goods already exist or are future goods like crops or unborn animals.

buyers

The statute, as written — Insurable interest in goods; manner of identification of goods

(1) The buyer obtains a special property and an insurable interest in goods by identification of existing goods as goods to which the contract refers even though the goods so identified are nonconforming and he has an option to return or reject them. Such identification can be made at any time and in any manner explicitly agreed to by the parties. In the absence of explicit agreement identification occurs: (a) When the contract is made if it is for the sale of goods already existing and identified; (b) If the contract is for the sale of future goods other than those described in paragraph (c), when the goods are shipped, marked or otherwise designated by the seller as goods to which the contract refers; (c) When the crops are planted or otherwise become growing crops or the young are conceived if the contract is for the sale of unborn young to be born within twelve months after contracting or for the sale of crops to be harvested within twelve months or the next normal harvest season after contracting whichever is longer. (2) The seller retains an insurable interest in goods so long as title to or any security interest in the goods remains in him and where the identification is by the seller alone he may until default or insolvency or notification to the buyer that the identification is final substitute other goods for those identified. (3) Nothing in this section impairs any insurable interest recognized under any other statute or rule of law.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.