INTRODUCTION
Proximate cause is an event sufficiently related to an injury that the courts deem the event to be the cause of that injury. Proximate cause means the efficient causes which causes the loss. It is the real actual cause of loss. If the cause of loss (Peril) is insured the insurer will pays, otherwise the insurer will not compensate. In life insurance, the doctrine of causaproxima (proximate cause) is not applied because the insurer is bound to pay the amount or insurance. Whatever maybe the reason of death, it maybe natural or unnatural. So this principle is not of much practical importance in connection with life insurance but in the following cases the proximate causes are observed in the life insurance is like.
War-risk: where policy is issued on exclusion of war and aviation risks, the proximate cause of death is important because the in recover waives; its liability of death covered. In this case while the insured was in field or is engaged in operation of war and aviation only permission is paid or surrenders value whichever is higher is payable and the total policy amount is not payable.
Suicide: If suicide occurs within one year of the policy or there was intention to commit suicide then the payment of the policy would be restricted only up to the interest of the third party in policy, provided the that the interest was expressed at least one month before the suicide.
Accident benefit: A problem arises when an insured under an accident policy is killed or suffer in injury, which has an immediate cause and a remote cause. In accident benefit policy, double of the policy amount is paid. Therefore the cause of death in this policy is of paramount importance.
#The question was answered by Lugelo, student at Mwenge college of education
