General Insurance PrinciplesQuestion 178 of 474
An applicant knows the basement floods each spring and stays silent although the application asks about past water damage. This is:
a.a breach of warranty that merely reduces the sum the insurer pays
b.an innocent misstatement that the insurer is expected to correct
c.a morale hazard the underwriter is expected to discover
d.concealment of a material fact, which can void the coverage
Explanation
Concealment is the deliberate withholding of a material fact the insurer needed to evaluate or price the risk, and a concealed fact of this size can let the insurer void the policy. The innocent-misstatement answer fails on the facts, because the applicant knew about the flooding and was directly asked. Recurring flooding is a physical condition of the property, not an attitude of indifference.
This topic, taught in full in the Personal Lines Insurance Producer guide. Personal Lines Insurance Producer — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $19.99 · 14-day refund →
Practice all 474 questions free — no signup required.
Own the complete Personal Lines Insurance Producer guide — PDF + EPUB, $19.99 →
Related questions on this topic
- An insured sells her house and tries to hand her homeowners policy to the buyer. Under the personal-contract rule:
- The doctrine of utmost good faith in insurance contracting means that:
- The difference between a representation and a warranty on an insurance application is that a warranty:
- Two applicants each give the wrong roof age. One is guessing honestly and the other is hiding a claim history. Fraud is distinguished by:
- A bank holds the mortgage on a house and the owner's adult son lives there rent free. Insurable interest in the dwelling is held by:
- A five-year-old laptop is destroyed by a covered fire. It would cost $1,200 to replace and its actual cash value is $700. Under an actual cash value policy with a $250 deductible, the insurer pays:
Last reviewed: · editorial process
PrepPass team · Verified against California Personal Lines Insurance License Exam · How we review