UK: a factor arising from the character or circumstances of the policy holder, including carelessness or the nature of the business, which may increase the risk assumed by the insurer.
***
A hazard that is caused by the morals or attitude of an insured. For example, an insured who is not morally opposed to feigning an illness to file fraudulent medical expense claims.
***
As physical hazard relates to susceptibility to fire or wind, the term moral hazard relates to susceptibility to loss through moral lapse of the owner (e.g., burn the house down and collect from the insurance company before losing it in a foreclosure to the finance company).
***
UK: Character, habits and actions of insureds and others (e.g. employees, associates) that influence the possibility and extent of a loss. Carelessness, unreliability, poor lifestyle, dishonesty are the unfavourable characteristics that insurers guard against or avoid. Compare with physical hazard.
***
Hazard arising from personal characteristics, such as the habits, methods of management, financial standing, mental, condition, or lack of integrity of an insured who may intentionally cause, or hope for, a loss. For example, embezzlement or arson are moral hazards.
***
Those personal characteristics of a prospective insured or its employees or associates that may increase the probability or size of an insurance loss.
Tag: RAW
Morale Hazard
A condition that causes persons to be less careful than they would otherwise be. Such as an employee smoking where prohibited, removing guards from machinery, not wearing safety equipment or leaving doors unlocked.
***
A hazard that is based in the insured’s attitude toward the insured belongings. This hazard exists when the insured no longer cares about his or her possessions because they are insured; for example, when an insured hopes to be in a car accident in order to have the insurance pay for a new car.
***
Addresses the issue of an apathetic insured (e.g., it’s insured, let it burn). Includes failure of an insured to maintain property in good condition procrastinating roof repairs until a leak occurs, etc.
Moratorium
A moratorium is when carriers will put a stop on writing a certain type of business for a limited period of time, generally to avoid adverse selection. It is common when hurricanes approach carriers will put a moratorium on writing new property coverages when a storm is named lasting until the storm passes and is downgraded. The carrier avoids a sudden influx of policies that are exposed to the approaching hazard that are likely to cancel the insurance after the hazard passes.
***
A legal authorization to debtors to postpone payment.
Morbidity
Term used for sickness. A morbidity table shows the average number of illnesses befalling a large group of persons.
Morbidity (Health Insurance)
The comparative frequency of disease.
Morbidity for Health
The relative incidence of disease.
Morbidity rate (Health Insurance)
A ratio determined by comparing the frequency of illness to the amount of healthy people in a group over a certain time frame. This rate may also be calculated using the incidence of new cases or the amount of cases of a certain illness.
Morbidity Rate for Health
The ratio of the incidence of sickness to the number of well persons in a given group of people over a given period of time. It may be the incidence of the number of new cases in the given time or the total number of cases of a given disease or disorder.
Morbidity Table
A table showing the incidence of sickness in the population or in a selected group.
Morbidity table (Health Insurance)
A table, similar to a mortality table, that shows the frequency of illness at certain ages.