Glossary

Binder – temporary contract of insurance, oral or written.

Building and Structures - covers materials, equipment, supplies, additions, and new construction.

Business Income – intended to help you cover loss of income if your business has to temporarily close due to damage caused by a covered loss.

Business Interruption – intended to provide funds necessary while a business’ operations are suspended as a result of damage caused by a covered peril. Business interruption pays a business’s net profit or loss before income taxes and continuing operating expenses, including payroll.

Business Personal Property (BPP) – including Property located in or on the buildings at the described premises or in the open (or in a vehicle) within 100 feet of the described premises. This can include property you own or lease (office furniture, equipment, and inventory), as well as tenant’s improvements and betterments.

Civil Commotion – uprising or disturbance by a large number of people.

Coinsurance – part of a property insurance policy which requires the insured to carry a minimum specified amount of the replacement cost value of the insured property in order for partial losses to be paid in full.

Crime insurance – covers your business from fraud, theft, and forgery.

Deductible – clause of property insurance contracts whereby the company agrees to pay a claim after it exceeds a given amount or percentage amount.

Dwelling – a house, apartment, or other places of residence.

Equipment breakdown – covers your equipment, including computers.

Extra Expense - covers expenses while mitigating the business loss, or increased costs in continuing a business in the wake of a loss. Reimbursement can include moving a covered business to a different location while the covered property is restored and can include equipment breakdown coverage.

Fair Rental Value - pays for lost rental income while a property is inhabitable.

Glass Breakage – all building glass, including storm doors and windows is covered under the “glass peril” unless the insured premises has been vacant for 60 consecutive days or more immediately before the loss.

Hail – hail peril does not include loss to property contained in a building caused by any of the following elements unless the direct force of hail “causes an opening” which permits these elements to enter: rain, snow, sleet, dust

Improvements, Betterments, Additions, or Alterations – includes fixtures, alterations, installations or additions made a part of the building or structure you occupy but do not own.

Jettison – the act of throwing cargo overboard in order to protect the ship and crew from further harm. Jettison is a voluntary act, typically taken in an emergency to lighten the load of a ship.

Liberalization Clause – if an insurer makes a change which broadens coverage under an existing edition of the policy without an additional premium charge, the change will automatically apply to an insured’s insurance as of the date the insured implements the change in an insured’s state.

Mortgagee – person to whom property is mortgaged such as a bank or loan company.

Mortgagor – a person who mortgages his/her property.

Neglect – the insured’s unwillingness to use all means available to save and preserve her/his damaged property from further loss. 

Occurrence – is a sudden, unexpected, unforeseen event resulting in financial loss including repeated and continuous exposure to the same harmful conditions.

Ordinance or Law – provides coverage in the event that building codes (placed after a structure was built) require additional features not contained in the covered structure at the time of loss.

Personal Property – includes your personal items such as furniture, jewelry, electronics and clothing.

Reasonable Repairs – in the event that covered property is damaged by an insured peril, the insurer will pay the reasonable cost incurred by the insured for necessary measures taken solely to protect against further damage.

Riot – an assemblage of three or more people which results in the use of force or violence against individuals or property.

Subrogation – the process by which the insurance company, after paying its insured for a loss, assumes the insured’s rights of recovery against a responsible third party.

Unilateral – a contract in which only one party (the insurance company) makes legally enforceable promises.

Unoccupied – refers to a building that is furnished and not being used as a dwelling or for business.

Coming Soon.

Waiver – voluntary relinquishment of a known right