Definition of "Fortuitous loss"

Loss occurring by accident or chance, not by anyone's intention. Insurance policies provide coverage against losses that occur only on a chance basis, where the insured cannot control the loss; thus the insured should not be able to burn down his or her own home and collect. Insurance is not provided against a certainty such as wear and tear. Life insurance will not pay a death benefit if the insured commits suicide within the first two years that the policy is in force. Even though death is a certainty, the insured cannot buy a policy with the intention of suicide within the first two years.

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

Income supplement program under Social Security to provide a minimum monthly income to aged, blind, and disabled persons. The SSI payments, which were introduced in January 1974, make up ...

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 ...

Time frame during which an annuitant makes premium payments to an insurance company. The obligations of the company to the annuitant during this period depend on whether a pure annuity or ...

Act that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees in employee benefit plans, regarding contributions or benefits based on race or gender. ...

Statistical term indicating the central value of a frequency distribution, such that smaller and greater values than this central value occur at an equal rate. For example, given the ...

Same as term Original Age: insured's age at the date a term life insurance policy is issued. An original age or retroactive conversion option permits the insured to convert the term policy ...

Federal law, effective February 4, 1989, that requires company notification of employees prior to laying them off or closing a plant or an office. Workers covered under WARN are to include ...

Insurance for which (1) an application has been filed but the first premium has not yet been paid or (2) a life insurance policy that has not yet been delivered to an insured. ...

Federal legislation passed in 1988 (repealed November 23, 1989) that significantly increased the benefit amounts provided under medicare, both Part A and Part B, in the following manner: ...

Popular Insurance Questions