Cold call

An uninvited personal visit or oral communication. They are allowed for life insurance, unit trusts and personal pensions but the caller must present a business card stating his name, position, firm’s name and address and the FSA authorisation logo. Telephone calls must not be made at an unsociable hour and no misleading information given. The caller must make it clear to the client that he will be entering into a contract for the purchase of investments. No undue pressure may be used.

Cold explosion

An explosion caused by the sudden release of pressure as in the case of a ruptured steam boiler. The risk is generally covered under boiler and pressure plant policies but cover exists under the standard fire policy for damage caused by explosions (including hot explosions) of domestic boilers.

Collapse risk

A construction/demolition term referring to damage to property caused by the removal or weakening of support accorded to any land, building or structure. The risk is excluded under the liability sections of contractors’ all risks and erection all risk policies but can be bought back subject to a hefty excess and the exclusion of the contract works.

Collar

Combination of put options and call options used, for example, by energy producers and end users to hedge against extreme price movements by keeping price within a defined range. The downside risk is limited at the cost of the upside potential. If price falls below the ‘floor, the end user pays the energy company under the contract. If the ceiling’ is exceeded the energy company pays the end user.

Collective investment schemes (CIS)

Unit trust and similar schemes that provide for the collective holding, management and investment of a pool of assets from which the earnings or gain on disposition are shared among investors. These attributes are reflected in the definition of a CIS set out in FSMA, s.235(1). A distinct characteristic of UK schemes is that they are based on the concept of trusts. An open-ended vestment company (OEIC) is a CIS.

Collective policy

1. A single policy on behalf of several co-insurers (see coINSURANCE). 2. A fidelity guarantee policy embracing a number of employees with a separate amount guaranteed for each.
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(i) A policy issued on behalf of a number of insurers (ii) A policy in respect of a number of persons with insurance in respect of each separately.

Collision

In marine insurance, a vessel striking another vessel or floating object but not a stationary object. The collision clause insuring a ship’s legal liability is known as the Running Down Clause. See BOTH TO BLAME CLAUSE.
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The violent encounter of two objects. In Marine Hull liability insurance a distinction is drawn between “collision” with vessels and “contact with fixed objects” such as piers, wharves and fastened buoys, the latter not being covered by collision clauses.