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Insurance Policy

Insurance Policy

Definition

Insurance Policy — in broad terms, the entire printed insurance contract. Generally, an insurance policy is assembled with a combination of various standard forms, including a declarations page, coverage form, and endorsements. Sometimes a causes of loss form is also required. Together these forms delineate the coverage term, the insurance policy limits, the grant of coverage, exclusions and other limitations of coverage, and the duties and responsibilities of the insured in the event of a loss.

Related Terms

Causes of Loss Forms

Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), commercial property insurance forms that establish and define the causes of loss (or perils) for which coverage is provided. A causes of loss form is combined with one or more coverage forms, the commercial property conditions form, the common policy conditions form, and the declarations to make up an ISO commercial property policy. There are three causes of loss forms: the basic, broad, and special causes of loss forms. The basic and broad causes of loss forms are named perils forms; they provide coverage for loss from only the particular causes that are listed in the policy as covered. The special causes of loss form is an all risks form; it provides coverage for loss from any cause except those that are specifically excluded.

Coverage Form

One of the primary standardized insurance forms used to construct an insurance contract. The coverage form generally contains the insuring agreement, coverage conditions, exclusions, and policy definitions.

Declarations

The front page (or pages) of a policy that specifies the named insured, address, policy period, location of premises, policy limits, and other key information that varies from insured to insured. The declarations page is also known as the information page. Often informally referred to as the "dec" or "dec page."

Endorsement

An insurance policy form that either changes or adds to the provisions included in one or more other forms used to construct the policy, such as the declarations page or the coverage form. Insurance policy endorsements may serve any number of functions, including broadening the scope of coverage, limiting or restricting the scope of coverage, clarifying the application of coverage to some unique loss exposure, adding other parties as insureds, or adding locations to the policy. They often effect these changes by modifying the existing insuring agreement, policy definitions, exclusions, or conditions in the coverage form or adding additional information, such as insured locations, to the declarations page.

Exclusion

A provision of an insurance policy or bond referring to hazards, perils, circumstances, or property not covered by the policy. Exclusions are usually contained in the coverage form or causes of loss form used to construct the insurance policy.

Insuring Agreement

That portion of the insurance policy in which the insurer promises to make payment to or on behalf of the insured. The insuring agreement is usually contained in a coverage form from which a policy is constructed. Often, insuring agreements outline a broad scope of coverage, which is then narrowed by exclusions and definitions.

Policy Conditions

The section of an insurance policy that identifies general requirements of an insured and the insurer on matters such as loss reporting and settlement, property valuation, other insurance, subrogation rights, and cancellation and nonrenewal. The policy conditions are usually stipulated in the coverage form of the insurance policy.

Policy Definitions

In defining the scope of coverage, insurance policies rely on terms and phrases that have very special and often very specific meanings. Since these terms and phrases are usually repeated many times in the insurance policy, a single definition of the term or phrase is included in the definitions section of the policy instead of being repeated whenever the term is used. The reader is alerted when a defined term is used in the insurance policy, usually by its placement within quotation marks. Since definitions may have a significant impact on the scope of coverage, they must be carefully reviewed when interpreting the policy's coverage intent.

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