Skip to content

Insurance term

Coverage

What the policy responds to

Definition

The set of events, losses, and liabilities a policy agrees to pay for, defined together with its limits and exclusions.

In more detail

Coverage is only meaningful when read alongside the exclusions and the limits. A policy that names a peril in its summary may still decline a claim because of a condition attached elsewhere in the wording.

Limits can be per claim, per item, or aggregate across the policy period. Sub-limits on specific categories are a frequent source of shortfall at claim time.

Glossary entries are general explanations, not advice. Where a term appears in a contract or policy, the definition in that document governs.