Definition of "Abandonment clause"

In marine insurance, clause giving an insured the right to abandon lost or damaged property and still claim full settlement from an insurer (subject to certain restrictions). Two types of losses are provided for under abandonment clauses:

  1. Actual total lossproperty so badly damaged it is unrepairable or unrecoverable; causes include fire, sinking, windstorm damage, and mysterious disappearance. For example, until the 1980s the Titanic, which sank off Newfoundland in 1912, was deemed to be unrecoverable and the Commercial Union Insurance Company had paid its owners for their loss due to sinking. Owners of ships that mysteriously disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle have been able to collect insurance proceeds. Disappearance of pleasure craft due to drug pirates has resulted in indemnification of owners through insurance proceeds.
  2. Constructive total lossproperty so badly damaged that the cost of its rehabilitation would be more than its restored value. For example, a ship and/or its cargo is damaged to such a degree that the cost of repair would exceed its restored value. The insured can abandon the property if (a) repair costs are greater than 50% of the value of the property after it has been repaired and (b) the insurance company agrees to the insured's intent to abandon.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

In which at least two insurance policies provide identical coverage for the same risk. ...

Arrangement of discretionary income, expenses, and investments in a way that enhances after-tax wealth. Insurance policies can be used to increase after-tax income through the tax-deferral ...

Present value computation of the accrued or projected benefits of a retirement plan. This computation is known as the actuarial valuation because it is based on probability (retirement ...

Record of losses, whether or not insured. This record is used in predicting future losses and in developing premium rates based on expectation of insured losses. ...

Life is unpredictable so to compensate this, people have invented insurance. Insurance deals with unforeseen events. Sometimes insurance companies cover only a part of your losses and a few ...

Amendment that modifies the federal flood insurance program by providing relocation and acquisition coverage for structures in imminent danger from an encroaching shoreline. This amendment ...

Actuarial equivalent method of calculating the premium rate through the development of the following equation: probability that the event insured against occurs x face amount of policy x ...

Aggregate amount of insurance policies that are paid-up (or are being paid) that a life or health insurance company has on its books. The size of a life or health insurance company is often ...

Act that provides new funding for the Bank Insurance Fund and enhances the safety and soundness of the financial system. The FDICIA includes the Foreign Bank Supervision Enhancement Act ...

Popular Insurance Questions