News

Crime victims have a right to receive compensation for damages like pain and suffering. They usually receive that compensation in the form of financial recovery as part of a civil judgment. In some cases, however, other parties in addition to the criminal defendant, are liable for the crime. In these instances, insurance coverage may offer financial recovery for the victim.

The two major forms of insurance used as financial recovery for crime victims are:

• commercial liability insurance; and
• homeowners insurance.

In both cases, most insurance policies will only provide coverage if the acts of the insured were unintentional and not criminal. This means that typical cases where insurance may be used as a source of recovery involve an act of negligence like failing to lock a door or unreasonably failing to discover abuse.