Long-tail Liability
One where an injury or other harm takes time to become known and a claim may be separated from the circumstances that caused it by as many as 25 years or more. Some examples: exposure to asbestos, which sometimes results in a lung disease called asbestos; exposure to coal dust, which might cause black lung disease; or use of certain drugs that may cause cancer or birth defects. These long-tail liabilities became very expensive for many corporations in the 1970s and 1980s, also causing problems for insurers because it was unclear when the situation that gave rise to the claim happened and who should pay the claim. One theory, the MANIFESTATION/INJURY THEORY, states that the insurer is responsible whenever the disease is diagnosed. The other view, the OCCURRENCE/INJURY THEORY, states that the insurer must pay only when the person is injured.
Popular Insurance Terms
Provision in ocean marine cargo policies to limit an insurance company's liability for partial losses; the company has liability only for losses that exceed a stipulated percentage of the ...
Trust instrument that permits the owner of a residence (grantor) to transfer ownership of that residence with the grantor still being allowed to stay in that residence for a stipulated ...
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Same as term Fixed Dollar Annuity: annuity that guarantees that a specific sum of money will be paid in the future, usually as monthly income, to an annuitant. For example, a $1000-a-month ...
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Device that connects a computer to a telephone line. This device permits the computer to communicate with other computers through the telephone system. ...
Omissions from coverage found in products liability insurance. The policy does not provide coverage if the business manufactures a product that does not meet the level of performance as ...
To accumulate. For example, under one of the dividend options of a participating life insurance policy, dividends can accumulate at interest by leaving them with the insurance company; cash ...
Person who uses personal property such as an automobile with permission of an owner. For example, for insurance purposes, someone who uses an automobile with the owner's permission would be ...
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