Accidental damage cover

Coverage provided by a household or commercial policy that includes all of the benefits of a standard named peril policy as well as accidental damage coverage, such as spilling paint on a rug or laptop. A loss must be matched to a named peril under a named peril policy.

Accidental damage excess

An alternative term for excessive damage. It is the excess in the loss or damage section of comprehensive motor policies and applies only to claims involving the insured vehicle’s loss or damage. In the case of loss or damage caused by fire or theft, the excess is waived. All auto policies include an accidental damage excess for young and inexperienced drivers.

Accidental damage to property

A liability policy considers damage to be accidental if it is unexpected and unintended from the standpoint of the insured. Property refers to’material property’ rather than property or intellectual property rights. See accidental damage for first-party coverage.

Accidental fire

The Fire Prevention (Metropolis) Act 1774, Section 86, states that no action can be brought against anyone whose premises a fire starts by accident. Accidental fire was defined in Filliter v. Phippard (1847) as “fire produced by mere chance or incapable of being traced to any particular cause.” Thus, if the cause of the fire is negligence, nuisance, or a Rylands v. Fletcher object, the fire is not ‘accidental,’ and the defence under s.86 is inapplicable. It appears that any liability for fire was intended to be fault-based.

Accidental injury

bodily injury that is unexpected and unintended.

Accidental occurrence

An event or series of events that occurs unintentionally or unexpectedly and causes injury or damage. An incident can occur as a result of continuous or repeated exposure to hazardous conditions, with no single event causing the injury. An ‘accident’ is more often than not sudden and occurs at a specific time and place.

Accidents only policy

A personal accident policy that limits coverage to accidental bodily injury-related death or disablement (as defined). There is no sickness insurance.

Accommodation business/Insurance/Risk/Line

Unappealing business that an insurer accepts in order to accommodate an existing connection (broker or insured) and maintain that connection’s goodwill.

Account sales

A cargo claim document required when the goods have been sold. It shows the proceeds of the sale.

Accountants clause

A clause in a business interruption policy which indemnifies the insured in respect of the cost of an accountant’s fee in respect of preparing and submitting the claim. Without the clause, the cost falls upon the insured.