What concept deals with losses caused by concurrent perils, one of which is excluded from coverage?

The concept of concurrent causation directly addresses the scenario where two or more perils occur simultaneously, and one of those perils is excluded from the coverage of an insurance policy. In situations where a loss arises from multiple causes, concurrent causation is particularly relevant because it helps to determine how the insurance company will respond to a claim when part of the loss results from an excluded event.

The principle is often applied to clarify that when a covered peril and an excluded peril contribute to a loss, the insured typically cannot claim full benefits, as the exclusion may limit or negate the insurer's responsibility for the loss. In contrast to this concept, other options relate to different aspects of insurance and loss determination. For example, proximate cause refers to the primary cause of a loss, while a double indemnity clause typically pertains to life insurance policies providing double payment under certain conditions. An exclusion clause specifically details what is not covered under the policy but does not encompass the interaction of covered and excluded risks as directly as concurrent causation does. Thus, concurrent causation provides a framework for understanding the implications of multiple causes leading to a loss, where one cause is specifically excluded from coverage.