Insurance Risks - The Burden of Proof

The significant feature, however, which distinguishesJohns Gas. 337).
ARPI from other categories of insurance is that itThe key factor distinguishing an ARPI is the reversal
covers the assured against physical loss caused by allof the burden of proof.
perils and risks. Of course, having covered theIn a fire policy, the assured must prove that the loss
assured in the insuring clause, the policy will thenis caused by fire. Under ARPI the assured needs only
continue to exclude cover for various risks in theto prove the loss has taken place, subject to it being
exclusion clauses, such as nuclear explosion, war,fortuitous (although this begs the question as to
flood and many more. Therefore, is the ARPIwhat is meant by fortuitous or inevitable as
different from a standard fire policy? After thediscussed below), and the onus switches to the
application of numerous exclusions, the assured mayinsurer to prove that the exclusions apply.
only be left with cover for fireTherefore, it is essential that exclusion clauses are
Certainly in the United States an all risks policy isdrafted in an ARPI with absolute clarity. As with all
considered as "different". There is a presumption thatsuch rules there are exceptions, and it is common
it extends cover beyond the norm: "a specialwhere a policy is to cover areas of potential conflict
insurance and extended to risks other than thoseto include a reverse burden of proof clause in the
usually contemplated" (Goix v. Knox [1800] NY 1war exclusion clause.