Legal Definitions - exclusion a

"Exclusion a," often referred to as an expected/intended exclusion, is a standard clause found in many liability insurance policies. This provision specifies that the policy will not provide coverage for bodily injury or property damage that was either expected or intended by the insured person or entity. The fundamental purpose of this exclusion is to prevent individuals or businesses from intentionally causing harm and then seeking insurance coverage to pay for the resulting damages. Insurance is generally designed to cover unforeseen accidents and negligent acts, not deliberate acts of wrongdoing.

• Example 1: Intentional Property Damage

  A tenant, angry after a dispute with their landlord, deliberately smashes a hole in the wall of their rented apartment before moving out. The landlord discovers the damage and seeks compensation.

  How it illustrates the term: The tenant's renter's liability insurance policy would almost certainly deny coverage for the cost of repairing the wall. This is because the act of damaging the property was intentional and expected, falling directly under the expected/intended exclusion. The insurance policy is not meant to cover damages caused by the insured's deliberate destructive actions.

• Example 2: Deliberate Bodily Injury

  During a heated argument at a social gathering, one guest intentionally pushes another guest, causing them to fall and suffer a concussion. The injured guest incurs medical bills and sues the aggressor.

  How it illustrates the term: The aggressor's personal liability insurance (often part of a homeowner's policy) would likely invoke the expected/intended exclusion. The act of pushing was intentional, and while the specific injury (concussion) might not have been precisely "intended," it was a foreseeable consequence of an intentional harmful act. Insurance policies are not designed to protect individuals from the financial consequences of their own deliberate assaults.

• Example 3: Business Owner's Intentional Harm

  A restaurant owner, feeling threatened by a new competitor, intentionally spreads false and malicious rumors online about the competitor's food safety practices, leading to a significant drop in the competitor's customer base and revenue.

  How it illustrates the term: If the competitor sues for defamation and business losses, the restaurant owner's commercial general liability policy would likely deny coverage for the damages. The act of intentionally spreading false rumors to harm a competitor's business is a deliberate and intended action. The expected/intended exclusion would apply because the harm caused (loss of business) was a direct and intended result of the insured's actions, not an accidental occurrence.