Glossary

The A201 construction contract, developed and published by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), is a widely used standard contract document that outlines the general conditions of the contract for construction between the owner and the general contractor, including hold harmless provisions and insurance requirements. While modifications are common, the A201 contract is probably the most widely used of all standard construction contracts; therefore, its provisions have risk and insurance implications for many construction projects.

Abandonment is a clause in property insurance policies prohibiting the insured from abandoning damaged property to the insurer for repair or disposal.

Abatement is the act or process of diminishing the presence of a pollutant (e.g., asbestos or lead) in either degree or intensity.

The ABC test is utilized in several jurisdictions (e.g., California, Massachusetts, New Jersey) to distinguish employees from independent contractors.

"Absolute" exclusions are found within certain insurance policy forms and preclude coverage for claims that are remotely related to the actual nature of the exclusion.

The standard pollution exclusion in post-1986 Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), commercial general liability (CGL) policies is called the absolute pollution exclusion.

An absorbed dose is the amount of a chemical that enters the body of an exposed organism.

To accept is to agree to insure.

The access to records clause, also referred to generically as an "inspection" or "audit" clause, is one of the most significant contract rights that a reinsurer has under a reinsurance agreement.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines accident, in common usage, as an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstances or an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance.