14:18
take it from someone who is actually cooked
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LSDefine
Simple English definitions for legal terms
drop-down clause
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A quick definition of drop-down clause:
A drop-down clause is a part of an insurance policy that says if the primary insurance company can't pay for a claim, the secondary insurance company will step in and cover it. This means that even if the first insurance company goes bankrupt or can't pay for some reason, the person who has the insurance policy will still be protected.
A more thorough explanation:
A drop-down clause is a provision in an insurance policy that requires an excess insurer to provide coverage to the insured even if the underlying coverage has not been exhausted. This usually happens when the underlying insurers are insolvent and cannot provide coverage.
Let's say a company has a liability insurance policy with a limit of $1 million. The company is sued for $2 million, and the primary insurer pays out the $1 million limit. However, the company still owes $1 million in damages. If the excess policy has a drop-down clause, the excess insurer will provide coverage for the remaining $1 million, even though the primary coverage has not been exhausted.
This clause is important because it ensures that the insured is protected even if the underlying insurers are unable to provide coverage. Without a drop-down clause, the insured would be responsible for any damages that exceed the primary coverage limit.