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

The term mutually exclusive defines an instance when the occurrence of a specific event makes the emergence of another event impossible. Then, two or more things can be described as ...

Endorsement to a fidelity bond or surety bond to cover losses that occurred after lapse of the discovery period of the previous bond. Coverage is limited to the amount provided by the ...

Endorsement to a property insurance policy providing all risks coverage for insured property. Excluded properties include residences, farms, and manufacturing properties. This endorsement ...

Approach in pension plan funding under which a separate account is maintained for comparing actual contributions to the plan with the minimum contributions required to meet future employee ...

Coverage in the event of property damage or destruction resulting from wrongful installation of equipment. ...

Report that an insurance company must file annually with the State Insurance Commissioner in each state in which it does business. The statement shows the current status of reserves, ...

Coverage for direct or indirect property loss that can be analyzed under the following headings: Peril a particular peril may be included or excluded. For example, the Standard Fire Policy ...

Amount of the insurance company's liabilities for claims that have not been settled. If this reserve increases significantly in relation to the company's surplus, the risk is greater for ...

Means of borrowing at no charge by a policyowner under universal life insurance policies. ...

Popular Insurance Questions