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

Same as term Coinsurance: in property insurance, when the insurance policy contains this clause, coinsurance defines the amount of each loss that the company pays according to the following ...

owner of property has an insurable interest because of the expectation of monetary loss if that property is damaged or destroyed. creditor of an insured has an insurable interest in ...

Tax charged to finance the old age, survivors, disability, and health insurance (OASDHI) plan. Both employer and employee share in the cost, making contributions on an equal basis. The ...

Legislation excluding commercial banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System from most types of investment banking activities. The coauthor of the Act, Senator Carter Glass of ...

Arrangement in which individuals serve as trustees of their own living trust and name another party (successor trustee) to manage the assets if they should become incapacitated. In this ...

Transformation of a stock insurance company into a mutual insurance company, in which the stock company buys up and retires its shares. ...

Group that monitors government health insurance programs. Authorized by the 1972 amendment to the Social Security Act, PSROs were set up to cut costs and minimize abuses by checking on the ...

Regulation set forth by the national association of insurance commissioners (naic) to govern life insurance sales illustrations. Includes the following major provisions: POLICY OWNER must ...

Extra life insurance benefit found in the family income policy, family income rider, family MAINTENANCE POLICY, and FAMILY POLICY payable to the BENEFICIARY should the insured die within a ...

Popular Insurance Questions