Also known as:insurance policies · policy · insurance contract
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A contract of insurance. A document detailing such a contract.
Sources & Authorities· 36 primary sources
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Cases
Statutes
How it applies
Common Examples
6
Landlord Attempts Self-Help Eviction
Ibrahim Iqbal leased commercial space to Interlink Communications under a policy that allowed the landlord to remove the tenant after lease termination without court process. When the lease ended, the landlord changed the locks and removed the tenant's equipment. The tenant sued, claiming the self-help clause violated public policy because state law provided a speedy judicial remedy for possession.
Apportionment Challenge Reaches Court
India Inoue, a state resident, challenged her district's legislative map as violating equal protection. The state argued the claim presented a nonjusticiable political question. The court applied the six-factor test and found none of the factors present, allowing the suit to proceed to adjudication on the merits.
Diversity Jurisdiction for Insurer
Ilana Isaacs, a citizen of State A, sued an insurer incorporated in State B with its principal place of business in State C. The suit arose from a liability policy issued to a State A resident who was not joined as a defendant. The court treated the insurer as a citizen of State A for diversity purposes under the direct-action exception.
Iain Irons created a trust funded by proceeds from an insurance policy on his life. The trust directed the trustee to use the funds to pay fines for any beneficiary convicted of a crime. The court held the trust invalid because its purpose was unlawful and contrary to public policy.
Mortgage Clogs Equity of Redemption
Isla Ireland borrowed from Ironclad Industries and gave a mortgage on her home. The mortgage contained a clause stating that if she missed any payment the lender could keep the property outright. The court voided the clause as an invalid clog on the equity of redemption.
Contract Term Against Public Policy
Ira Irving agreed to sell his business to Ideal Solutions. The contract included a promise that Irving would never disclose any information about the company's prior regulatory violations. A statute required such disclosures to state agencies. The court refused to enforce the nondisclosure term because it violated public policy derived from the statute.
Common questions
Frequently Asked
3
What is the basic legal nature of an insurance policy?+
An insurance policy is a contract of insurance. It is also the document that details the terms of that contract.
Supporting sources
How does the direct-action provision in diversity jurisdiction treat an insurance policy?+
In a direct action against the insurer of a liability policy where the insured is not joined, the insurer is deemed a citizen of the same state as the insured for purposes of determining diversity jurisdiction.
Can a term in an insurance policy be void as against public policy?+
Yes. A term is unenforceable if it violates legislation or a judicially recognized public policy, such as a clause that prevents required disclosures or attempts to waive statutory protections.
410 U.S. 113 (1973)Constitutional Law
…formal AMA action took place until 1967. In that year, the Committee on Human Reproduction urged the adoption of a stated policy of opposition to induced abortion, except when there is "documented medical evidence" of a threat to the health or life of the mother, or that the child "may be born with incapacitating…
Criminal Law Constitutional ProtectionsConstitutional protections of accused persons · Due process implications related to identificationNEXTGENIntermediate