Definition of "Abandonment clause"

In marine insurance, clause giving an insured the right to abandon lost or damaged property and still claim full settlement from an insurer (subject to certain restrictions). Two types of losses are provided for under abandonment clauses:

  1. Actual total lossproperty so badly damaged it is unrepairable or unrecoverable; causes include fire, sinking, windstorm damage, and mysterious disappearance. For example, until the 1980s the Titanic, which sank off Newfoundland in 1912, was deemed to be unrecoverable and the Commercial Union Insurance Company had paid its owners for their loss due to sinking. Owners of ships that mysteriously disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle have been able to collect insurance proceeds. Disappearance of pleasure craft due to drug pirates has resulted in indemnification of owners through insurance proceeds.
  2. Constructive total lossproperty so badly damaged that the cost of its rehabilitation would be more than its restored value. For example, a ship and/or its cargo is damaged to such a degree that the cost of repair would exceed its restored value. The insured can abandon the property if (a) repair costs are greater than 50% of the value of the property after it has been repaired and (b) the insurance company agrees to the insured's intent to abandon.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

State laws based on a model law of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) that allow insurers to set rates independently; or adopt those rates developed by a rating ...

Coverage for liability for damage to property of others from untimely discharge of fire-fighting sprinkler systems. This coverage is available as an endorsement to broad-form comprehensive ...

Inquiry conducted by a committee of the legislature of the State of New York in 1905 that looked at abuses of life insurance companies operating in the state. This study led to stricter ...

Insurance company that is a member of a rating bureau. The insurer usually joins such an organization when its statistical experience in a given line of insurance is not sufficient for it ...

Estimate of maximum dollar value that can be lost under realistic situations. For example, a fire or other peril occurs, but a sprinkler system works and a fire department responds in good ...

Type of benefit in which an employee obtains shares of stock in the company, the amount normally determined by the employee's level of compensation. ESOP acts as a leverage tool through ...

Structure. In general, company functions are delegated to several departments: actuarial, agency, claims and loss control, investments, legal, marketing, and underwriting. ...

Figure used in calculating a worker's primary insurance amount (PIA) to determine Social Security benefits in the following manner: calculate the number of years between the worker's ...

Percentage of income required by a retiree to maintain a desired standard of living during the retirement years. ...

Popular Insurance Questions