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A Brief Note on Contribution

Contribution is the notion wherein two or more insurers who are individually responsible for a loss event must share in the reimbursement of that loss. Contribution is also known as the shared responsibility principle.

If various insurance policies are in place to encompass the same property or loss, the principle of contribution is put into practise. Under this principle, the total payment for the actual loss is proportionately distributed among all insurance companies. The notion of contribution in insurance is an offshoot of the more fundamental principle of indemnification.

In order to ensure that the principle of indemnity is not compromised, it is utilised to ensure that continuing existence is maintained.

As a result, the idea of contribution is something that is only applicable to insurance contracts that are also contracts of indemnification.In point of fact, though, there would’ve been opportunities to obtain more than the actual loss in the event that the principle of contribution had not been created with the legal force necessary to enforce it.

Just to give you an idea of the likelihood, the insured would’ve gotten a claim in full a number of times by affecting a number of policies held by different insurers, which would have completely undermined the idea behind indemnity.

Principle of insurable interest

When entering into an insurance contract, it is necessary for the party to get an insurable interest in the property, products, or person being insured. In that case, the insurance policy does not constitute a formal contract, and it is for that reason not enforceable. In most cases, a person doesn’t even have an insurable interest if they are not at risk of experiencing any kind of financial loss as a result of the destruction or damage done to their property or person.A policy of insurance offers its policyholders protection against the various risks they are vulnerable to. There is a wide selection of insurable goods and policies available to cover a variety of risks. These products offer protection against the possibility of experiencing a loss of income as a result of a disability, death, or damage to property or possessions. They also cover the cost of repairing automobiles and medical care expenses.

Insurance contribution clause  

According to the contribution clause, in the event where there is greater than one policy covering the very same “insured interest,” and in the event there is indeed a claim circumstance, all of the policies will pay in exact ratio to the insurance cover.The phrase “contribution clause” originates from the world of insurance and refers to the process that takes place when many policies cover the same asset. The claim is then proportionately divided among the policies or insurers that are responsible for paying it. The proposed rules have made it very apparent that the contribution provision would not be applicable in the context of health insurance coverage.

Example of contribution in insurance

When an insured person purchases multiple policies covering the same risk, the contribution principle comes into play. It says the same thing as the principle of indemnity, which is that the insured cannot turn a profit by claiming the loss of one subject material from different policies or companies. This is the same thing that is stated in the principle of indemnity.

Example: A property with a value of Rs. 5 Lakhs has Rs. 3 Lakhs worth of insurance with Company A and Rs. 1 Lakhs worth of insurance with Company B. In the event that there is damages to the property worth 3 lakhs, the owner has the option of claiming the whole amount from Company A, however he will be unable to make any claims against Company B. Therefore, Company A has the right to seek reimbursement from Company B for the proportional amount that was paid out.

Conclusion

It indicates that even if, at the time of the loss, it is discovered that there is more than one policy covering the same loss, then all of the policies must compensate the failure proportionately to the extent of their respective liabilities. This is done to ensure that the insured does not sustain more than a single complete loss as a result of all of these different sources.If one insurer is responsible for covering the entire loss, because that insurer has the right to demand that any and all other interested insurers give him the money to the extent of their respective liabilities, regardless of whether or not they are split evenly.The insured is not permitted, under any conditions, to take full advantage of each policy individually so that they can receive the maximum number of claims.

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

What exactly are these things called in the world of insurance?

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How is the amount of the contribution determined in insurance?

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What exactly is a contribution clause in insurance?

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How many different requirements must be met before a contribution is made?

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