Question

Difficulty: HardElements of Insurable Risk

Match each proposed risk scenario with the primary element of an insurable risk that it violates.

  • An entrepreneur wants a policy to protect against the potential financial failure of a newly launched tech startup.The risk must involve pure loss, not speculative gain
  • A parent requests a policy covering the subjective emotional distress of losing a child's favorite stuffed animal.The loss must be definite and measurable in financial terms
  • A homeowner seeks coverage against the expected gradual fading of exterior paint over twenty years.The loss must be accidental and due to chance
  • An insurer is asked to write earthquake coverage for every single commercial building located directly on a major fault line in one city.The loss must not be catastrophic to the insurer

Answer

The startup represents speculative risk; the sentimental item lacks measurable financial value; the fading paint is an expected inevitability rather than an accident; and the concentrated earthquake exposure threatens catastrophic loss for the insurer.
Each scenario violates one fundamental requirement for insurability: speculative intent, subjective valuation, inevitable deterioration, and catastrophic geographical concentration, respectively.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the tech startup scenario.
Identified as a speculative risk.
Business ventures involve the potential for financial gain, violating the pure risk requirement.
2
Analyze the sentimental stuffed animal scenario.
Identified as lacking definite financial measurement.
Insurance indemnifies economic loss, not subjective emotional value.
3
Analyze the fading exterior paint scenario.
Identified as lacking the accidental element.
Expected deterioration over time is not fortuitous or due to chance.
4
Analyze the concentrated earthquake scenario.
Identified as a catastrophic exposure.
Insuring adjacent properties against the same peril prevents the independent distribution of risk, exposing the insurer to catastrophic loss.

Key Concept

Elements of Insurable Risk
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