A POWER POINT PRESENTATIONA POWER POINT PRESENTATIONBY BY

DR.SANGEETA CHOWDHRY DR.SANGEETA CHOWDHRY &&

DR.SUNIL SHARMADR.SUNIL SHARMADEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC MEDICINE & DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC MEDICINE &

TOXICOLOGYTOXICOLOGY

GOVT. MEDICAL COLLEGE,GOVT. MEDICAL COLLEGE, JAMMUJAMMU

ACT OF GOD

DEFINITIONDEFINITION

Inevitable, unpredictable, Inevitable, unpredictable, and unreasonably severe and unreasonably severe event caused by natural event caused by natural forces without any human forces without any human interference, and over interference, and over which an insured which an insured party has no control,party has no control, such such as an earthquake, flood, as an earthquake, flood, hurricane, lightning, hurricane, lightning, snowstorm.snowstorm.  Acts of God Acts of God are insurable are insurable accidents and valid excusaccidents and valid excuses for non performance of es for non performance of a contract. It is also a contract. It is also called act of nature.called act of nature.

EARTHQUAKEEARTHQUAKE

An earthquake is a An earthquake is a sudden, rapid sudden, rapid shaking of the shaking of the Earth caused by Earth caused by the release of the release of energy energy stored in stored in rocksrocks

FLOODFLOOD

An overflowing of a An overflowing of a large amount of large amount of water water beyond its beyond its normal confines, normal confines, especiallyespecially over over what is normally what is normally dry land.dry land.

HURRICANEHURRICANE

A hurricane is a A hurricane is a tropical storm with tropical storm with winds winds that have that have reached a constant reached a constant speedspeed of 74 of 74 miles miles per hour or more.per hour or more.

LIGHTNINGLIGHTNINGA discharge of A discharge of

atmospheric atmospheric electricity, electricity, accompanied by a accompanied by a vivid flash of light,vivid flash of light, commonly from commonly from one cloud to one cloud to another, another, sometimes from a sometimes from a cloud to the earth.cloud to the earth.  

SNOWSTROMSNOWSTROM

  A storm with A storm with widespread widespread snowfall snowfall accompanied accompanied by by strong windsstrong winds

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?Insurance contracts Insurance contracts

often exclude acts of often exclude acts of God from the list of God from the list of insurable occurrences insurable occurrences as a means to waive as a means to waive their obligations their obligations for for damage caused by the damage caused by the onset of permanent onset of permanent illness, lightning, illness, lightning, hurricanes, hurricanes, floods or floods or earthquakes; all earthquakes; all examples of acts of examples of acts of God.God.

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?"Circumstances which "Circumstances which

no human foresight no human foresight can provide against, can provide against, and of which human and of which human prudence is not bound prudence is not bound to recognize to recognize the the possibility, and which possibility, and which when they do occur, when they do occur, therefore,therefore, are are calamities that do not calamities that do not involve the obligation involve the obligation of paying for the of paying for the consequences that consequences that may result from may result from them."them."

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?Traditionally, homeowner’s Traditionally, homeowner’s

insurance policies have insurance policies have contained an exclusion contained an exclusion clause for damages caused clause for damages caused by “acts of God”, a catch-all by “acts of God”, a catch-all term that covers any sort of term that covers any sort of act of nature that cannot be act of nature that cannot be controlled, controlled, like earthquakes like earthquakes or hurricanes. “Acts of or hurricanes. “Acts of God” also typically include God” also typically include damages as a result of war, damages as a result of war, i.e. a nuclear war. In recent i.e. a nuclear war. In recent years, however, there has years, however, there has been a trend toward the been a trend toward the removal of the “acts of removal of the “acts of God” God” exclusion clause in exclusion clause in many homeowners’ many homeowners’ insurance policies, at least insurance policies, at least with respect to some such with respect to some such events. events. 

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?In any case, it is In any case, it is

essential when essential when purchasing any purchasing any homeowner’s homeowner’s insurance policy that insurance policy that you educate yourself you educate yourself regarding the regarding the damages caused by damages caused by “acts of God” “acts of God” that that your policy will – or your policy will – or will not – cover, as will not – cover, as well as whether you well as whether you need toneed to purchase purchase additional insurance additional insurance coverage.coverage.

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?Many damages to homes Many damages to homes

are caused by acts of are caused by acts of nature, such as high nature, such as high winds, tornadoes, hail, winds, tornadoes, hail, storms, and ice, which storms, and ice, which may or may not be may or may not be classified as “acts of classified as “acts of God”, depending on the God”, depending on the terms of your terms of your homeowner’s insurance homeowner’s insurance policy.policy.  If your home If your home suffers damages as a suffers damages as a result of an “act of God”, result of an “act of God”, you should immediately you should immediately contact your contact your homeowner’s homeowner’s insurance company in insurance company in order to determine order to determine whether the damages will whether the damages will be covered. be covered. 

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?  There are some specific There are some specific

types of damages that types of damages that your homeowner’s your homeowner’s insurance policy might not insurance policy might not cover, even if they result cover, even if they result from an “act of God” for from an “act of God” for which your policy which your policy generally provides generally provides coverage. coverage. For instance, if For instance, if there is a major ice storm there is a major ice storm that causes damage to that causes damage to your roof, your roof, your your homeowner’s insurance homeowner’s insurance policy is likely to provide policy is likely to provide you with coverage for the you with coverage for the damages to your roof. damages to your roof. 

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?  However, there are some However, there are some

property damages that you property damages that you also may have suffered as a also may have suffered as a result of the ice storm that result of the ice storm that your homeowner’s insurance your homeowner’s insurance policy may not cover. policy may not cover. For For instance, some homeowner’s instance, some homeowner’s insurance policies will not insurance policies will not provide coverage for the costs provide coverage for the costs of spoiled food resulting from of spoiled food resulting from an extended power outage an extended power outage caused by an ice storm, while caused by an ice storm, while other homeowner’s policies will other homeowner’s policies will cover such costs. cover such costs. Therefore, Therefore, you must read your you must read your homeowner’s insurance policy homeowner’s insurance policy carefully, and be aware of such carefully, and be aware of such exclusions in coverage.exclusions in coverage.

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?Furthermore, common “acts of Furthermore, common “acts of

God”, such as flooding and God”, such as flooding and earthquake damage, are earthquake damage, are generally still excluded from generally still excluded from coverage by most homeowner’s coverage by most homeowner’s insurance policies. Your only insurance policies. Your only option for coverage for option for coverage for damages caused by these “acts damages caused by these “acts of God” of God” is to purchase an add-is to purchase an add-on policy, called a “rider”, that on policy, called a “rider”, that provides you with additional provides you with additional coverage in the event that your coverage in the event that your home receives damages from an home receives damages from an excluded “act of excluded “act of God”.God”.  Particularly if you live in Particularly if you live in a flood-prone area, you must a flood-prone area, you must assess the likelihood and/or risk assess the likelihood and/or risk of damages that might occur to of damages that might occur to your home as a result of your home as a result of flooding with the costs of flooding with the costs of maintaining additional flood maintaining additional flood insurance coverage. insurance coverage. 

.......cont................................cont.........................

WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' WHAT ARE 'ACTS OF GOD' CLAUSES IN INSURANCE CLAUSES IN INSURANCE

POLICIES?POLICIES?If your home, or If your home, or

homes in your area, homes in your area, have sustained flood have sustained flood damages in the past, damages in the past, it is likely to be it is likely to be worth the costs of worth the costs of purchasing a flood purchasing a flood insurance rider. insurance rider. If If you live in a high-you live in a high-risk area in terms of risk area in terms of flooding, you may be flooding, you may be able to purchase able to purchase flood insurance flood insurance policy. policy.

A COMMON MYTH......A COMMON MYTH......

"There are people who "There are people who believe that every believe that every happening in the happening in the world is dictated by world is dictated by the Supreme Beingthe Supreme Being and that therefore and that therefore what is, is, and could what is, is, and could not not ever have been ever have been otherwise. There are otherwise. There are sects so imbued with sects so imbued with this concept ... that this concept ... that their members refuse their members refuse even to summon a even to summon a doctor when ill."doctor when ill."

THANK YOU..............