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
Payment of premiums and benefits as they come due. In pension plans, known as the "pay as you go basis." The plan depends on new employees coming into the work force so that their ...
Independent agency supported by the insurance industry that tests a variety of materials, products, and devices, such as appliances and electrical equipment, to assure that they meet safety ...
Reductions in the value of property due to physical damage or destruction. ...
Assumption of liability through contractual agreement by one party, thereby eliminating liability on the part of another party. An example is a railroad sidetrack agreement with a ...
Type of employee savings plan under which an employee may contribute up to a specified percentage of the salary on an after-tax basis and the employer matches the employee's contribution up ...
Risk management technique for identifying risks and taking steps to minimize losses. ...
Means of paying the cost of benefits of pension plan participants including retirement, death, and disability. ...
Limit allowed by law on employee salary reduction plans. Many pension plans, as well as the popular 401 (k) plan, allow employees to set aside pre-tax dollars in a company-sponsored ...
Type of insurance that provides a single aggregate limit of coverage within the insurance policy terms, thereby limiting the insurance company's liability for a risk transferred to it. The ...
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