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

Loss (Direct vs Indirect)

Definition
An unintentional decrease in value due to a peril. Direct loss: the peril damages the person/property with no intervening cause (the peril is the proximate cause). Indirect (consequential) loss: results FROM a direct loss.
Example
Fire destroys a restaurant (direct); the income lost while it's closed for repairs (indirect/consequential).
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