Skip to main content
Toggle navigation
Search
Sign In
My IRMI Online
(0)
There are no products in your cart.
×
×
Clear
Search filter:
My access
All IRMI
Glossary
Keyboard shortcuts:
to navigate
enter
to search
esc
to dismiss
IRMI
Sign In
Demo
Content
Popular Resources
COVID-19 Resources
Product Catalog
Get Started
My IRMI Online
Insurance Glossary
Free Articles
Webinars
Free Content
Free Newsletters
What's New
Videos
Topics
Commercial Liability
Commercial Property
Commercial Auto
Professional Liability
Workers Comp
Risk Management
Risk Finance & Captives
Agricultural
New
Construction
Personal Lines
Claims, Case Law, Legal
Plans & Pricing
Overview
Risk & Insurance Package
Coverage Analysis Package
Books Package
Betterley Reports Package
Insurance Law Essentials
Request Demo
Conferences
Overview
Construction Risk Conference
Energy Risk & Insurance Conference
Agribusiness Conferences
Transportation Risk Conference
IRMI Seminars
Continuing Education
Overview
Personal Lines Courses
Commercial Lines Courses
Claims & Fraud Courses
General, Ethics & Law Courses
Captive & Risk Finance Courses
Insurance Industry Training
Certifications
Overview
Transportation Risk & Insurance Professional
New
Energy Risk & Insurance Specialist
Construction Risk & Insurance Specialist
Management Liability Insurance Specialist
Agribusiness & Farm Insurance Specialist
More
Why IRMI
About
Advertise
Careers
Contact Us
Help
Pay My Invoice
Privacy
Terms of Use
Accessibility
COVID-19 Resources
Request
Demo
Home
>
Glossary
Radiological Weapon
Home
Term
Radiological Weapon
Definition
Radiological Weapon — weapons that disperse radioactive agents to inflict injury or cause contamination or damage. A dirty bomb using a conventional explosion to disperse radioactive contaminants is one such type of weapon, but this could also encompass other ways to disperse nuclear contaminates, such as through a food or water source.
Related Terms
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Weapon
A less commonly used phrase with essentially the same meaning as "nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) weapon." This phrase is probably more technically correct because dirty bombs are not truly nuclear weapons, but rather radiological weapons. Nevertheless, dirty bombs are considered one of the NBC perils that insurers typically seek to exclude in the commercial lines policies they write.
Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD)
Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons that cause damage, destroy, or contaminate an extraordinarily wide area or inflict wide-scale sickness, death, or injury.
Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) Weapons
Weapons that disperse biological, chemical, or radioactive agents to inflict injury or cause contamination or damage. A dirty bomb using a conventional explosion to disperse radioactive contaminants would be included under the first category, as would a nuclear device that relies on nuclear fission to generate an explosion. Examples of biological agents would include anthrax and smallpox. Examples of chemical agents would include mustard gas, ricin, VX, and sarin gas. Due to the truly catastrophic exposure they pose, insurers generally exclude coverage for NBC perils—or seek a substantially higher premium to cover them—even when covering other acts of terrorism.
Dirty Bomb
A device utilizing conventional explosive materials, such as TNT or dynamite, to disperse radioactive material over a wide area, thereby contaminating the area. This is in contrast to a nuclear weapon, which relies on a nuclear-fission reaction to generate an extremely powerful explosive blast (although the term was originally coined for nuclear weapons that caused excessive contamination). The destructiveness of a dirty bomb would depend primarily upon the force of the conventional explosion. However, the resulting radioactive contamination would potentially make the area useless, or at the least cause people to panic. Manufacturing a dirty bomb is not significantly more complex than manufacturing a conventional bomb, and many types of radioactive materials could be used. Weapons-grade materials or spent nuclear fuel would cause the most significant contamination, but even medical supplies, such as radium, could be used. While this type of weapon has little traditional military use, it has the potential to serve well as a weapon of terror.
Why IRMI?
About
Advertise
Careers
Contact Us
Products
Help & Support
Pay My Invoice
Terms of Use
Privacy
Accessibility
Sitemap
Popular Resources
COVID-19 Resources
Product Catalog
Get Started
My IRMI Online
Insurance Glossary
Free Articles
Webinars
Free Content
Free Newsletters
What's New
Videos
Topics
Commercial Liability
Commercial Property
Commercial Auto
Professional Liability
Workers Comp
Risk Management
Risk Finance & Captives
Agricultural
Construction
Personal Lines
Claims, Case Law, Legal
Plans & Pricing
Overview
Risk & Insurance Package
Coverage Analysis Package
Books Package
Betterley Reports Package
Insurance Law Essentials
Request Demo
Popular Resources
COVID-19 Resources
Product Catalog
Get Started
My IRMI Online
Insurance Glossary
Free Articles
Webinars
Free Content
Free Newsletters
What's New
Videos
Topics
Commercial Liability
Commercial Property
Commercial Auto
Professional Liability
Workers Comp
Risk Management
Risk Finance & Captives
Agricultural
Construction
Personal Lines
Claims, Case Law, Legal
Plans & Pricing
Overview
Risk & Insurance Package
Coverage Analysis Package
Books Package
Betterley Reports Package
Insurance Law Essentials
Request Demo
Navigation
Conferences
Continuing Education
Certifications
Why IRMI?
About
Advertise
Careers
Contact Us
Products
Help & Support
Pay My Invoice
Terms of Use
Privacy
Accessibility
Sitemap
Social Media
User ID:
Subscriber Status:
Free