Glossary

Dose-response assessment is estimating the potency of a chemical.

Dose-response relationship is the quantitative relationship between the amount of exposure to a substance and the extent of toxic injury or disease produced.

Dose response is the degree to which a biological organism's response to a toxic substance quantitatively shifts as its overall exposure to the substance changes. For example, a small dose of carbon monoxide may cause drowsiness; a large dose can be fatal.

Double excess coverage is a provision within directors and officers (D&O) liability policies covering an insured director's or officer's work in conjunction with an outside firm, usually a nonprofit organization. When "outside directorship liability" coverage is written on a double excess basis, the policy will be required to pay claims only after: (1) the outside organization's D&O insurer pays the claim and (2) the outside firm is financially unable to reimburse the director or officer for the claim.

Double indemnity refers to payment by a life insurance policy of two times the face value when death results from an accident (e.g., an auto accident) as opposed to a health problem (e.g., cardiac arrest).

Double protection refers to a form of life insurance combining whole life with an equal amount of term, with the term expiring at a future date, usually age 65.

A downsizing exclusion is an exclusion sometimes found within employment practices liability insurance policies that precludes coverage for claims resulting from large-scale layoffs within the insured organization. There are two rationales underlying downsizing exclusions. The decision to terminate a significant portion of its workforce is largely within an insured organization's control, and insurers could be faced with catastrophic losses in the absence of the exclusion. Downsizing exclusions are no longer common. Instead of excluding this exposure, as was once standard practice, underwriters currently surcharge firms they perceive as having a significant downsizing exposure. In other instances, underwriters impose special, higher deductibles/retentions for downsizing claims.

Draft authority is the authority insurers grant to some agents to issue claim drafts on their behalf. This is most commonly done with personal lines coverages not involving liability (e.g., auto physical damage and damage to insured property under homeowners policies). Draft authority is usually limited to small amounts ($2,500 or less).

Dramshop liability is imposed upon those in the business of serving alcoholic beverages for loss arising out of the intoxication of patrons.

Drilling fluid is any of a number of liquid and gaseous fluids and mixtures of fluids and solids (as solid suspensions, mixtures, and emulsions of liquids, gases, and solids) used to aid the drilling of boreholes into the earth.