So much of insurance revolves around who is at fault and who has to pay to make things right again. Waiver of subrogation is one more wrinkle in that complex equation.

Subrogation occurs when an insurer pays their insured for a loss caused by a third- party, and then attempts to recoup their payout by making a claim against the responsible third party.

For instance, if you’re in a car accident and it was the other party’s fault, your insurer pays for repairs to your vehicle and then pursues the other person’s insurance company for the loss. In your insurance policy, which is a contract between you and your insurance carrier, you agreed to allow the carrier to subrogate for any paid loss.

In a typical business contract, one business may ask another business to waive its rights of subrogation because the first business doesn’t want to be held responsible for a loss. When agreed to in such a contract, it prevents the business, and its insurer, who has agreed to waive their right, from seeking a share of the damages paid from the other party, even if they are at fault.

But be aware that when a business gives up its right to recover any losses, it increases the insurer’s risk and transfers responsibility to the insured and its insurer for sometimes uncontrollable losses. This can lead to unnecessary loss history and potentially increased insurance costs.

Conducting regular contractual reviews with your insurer agent can easily point out these exposures and help to you to understand and sometimes negotiate this requirement out of your risk profile.

Contact the professionals at Evergreen Insurance for more information.

Copyright 2022 Evergreen Insurance

Evergreen Insurance provides these updates for information only, and does not provide legal advice. To make decisions regarding insurance matters, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional or firm.