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Life & Health · Chapter 2 · Perils, Losses & Hazards

Accident vs Occurrence

Definition
Accident: an unforeseen, unintended, SUDDEN event at a specific time and place. Occurrence: ANY event causing loss — including accidents AND losses from repeated/continuous exposure over time.
Exam tip
Every accident is an occurrence, but not every occurrence is an accident. A knee ruined by one car crash = accident; a knee worn out by years of activity = occurrence.
Easy to confuse with

These are what this term gets tested against — if you can't tell them apart cold, drill the contrast.

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Verified against primary sources · 2026-08-10