Question

Difficulty: MediumPerils and Hazards

Match each risk scenario with the correct insurance classification.

  • A struggling concert venue owner hires someone to deliberately damage the sound equipment to claim a total loss.Moral Hazard
  • A lightning strike causes a sudden power surge that destroys several expensive servers in a data center.Peril
  • A delivery driver consistently leaves the delivery van unlocked with the engine running while dropping off packages, assuming the company's auto policy will cover any theft.Morale Hazard
  • An apartment building features an aging wooden staircase with significant dry rot that the landlord has not yet replaced.Physical Hazard

Answer

The concert venue owner's actions constitute a Moral Hazard. The lightning strike is a Peril. The delivery driver's actions represent a Morale Hazard. The aging staircase represents a Physical Hazard.
Each scenario illustrates a distinct risk principle: lightning is the active peril causing the loss; dry rot is a physical hazard because it is a tangible property condition; intentional damage is a moral hazard rooted in dishonesty; and leaving a vehicle running is a morale hazard rooted in carelessness.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the concert venue scenario.
Identified as a dishonest act intended to defraud the insurer.
Dishonest or illegal character traits that increase loss probability are classified as moral hazards.
2
Analyze the lightning strike scenario.
Identified as the direct, active cause of the loss.
The active event that directly causes the damage is classified as a peril.
3
Analyze the delivery driver scenario.
Identified as carelessness and indifference to loss.
Carelessness stemming from the security of having insurance is classified as a morale hazard.
4
Analyze the apartment staircase scenario.
Identified as a tangible property defect.
Physical conditions of the property that increase the likelihood of a loss are classified as physical hazards.

Key Concept

Distinguishing between perils (causes of loss) and the three types of hazards (physical, moral, and morale) that increase the frequency or severity of a loss.
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