Definition of "Municipal insurance"

Property and/or liability coverage for a municipality. Municipalities are responsible for maintenance of through ways as well as a myriad of public services. Liability insurance for municipalities became an issue in the insurance crunch of 1985-1986, when this coverage became difficult to find, or became overly expensive. The problem was aggravated by court decisions in negligence cases in which the doctrine of joint and several liability came into play. This doctrine provides that a judgment against several defendants could be collected from one if the others were unable to pay. A municipality found to have been 10% liable in a traffic accident because of the improper placement of a stop sign might end up paying 100% of the judgment if the driver who was 90% responsible had no assets. This resulted in sharply higher premiums for municipal insurance.

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

Life insurance that pays the balance of a mortgage if the mortgagor (insured) dies. Coverage is usually in the form of decreasing term insurance, with the amount of coverage decreasing as ...

Initial reserve plus the terminal reserve divided by two for any year of valuation. ...

Circumstance under which several insurance policies cover an insured's property against damage or destruction, but since the limits of coverage, kinds of property, and perils covered are ...

Coverage for an insured who unknowingly accepts forged checks. ...

Same as term Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance: form of accident insurance that indemnifies or pays a stated benefit to insured or his/her beneficiary in the event of bodily ...

Coverage of two or more individuals with the death benefit payable at the last death. Premiums are significantly lower than for policies that insure one person, since the probability of ...

Maximum age of an applicant or insured beyond which an insurance company will not initially underwrite a risk or continue to insure it. For example, under some forms of renewable term life ...

Individual who possesses a unique ability essential to the continued success of a business firm. For example, this individual might have the technical knowledge necessary for research and ...

Physical, moral, or financial circumstance of a life insurance applicant that sets him or her apart from a physically, morally, and financially sound standard applicant. The underwriting ...

Popular Insurance Questions