In the context of property insurance, what does the term 'sub-limit' refer to?

The term 'sub-limit' in property insurance refers to a maximum amount set for specific risks within a policy. This means that while the overall policy may offer a certain limit of coverage, there can be lower, designated limits that apply to specific types of coverage or individual risks. For example, a property insurance policy might have a total coverage amount of $1 million but include a sub-limit of $250,000 for damage caused by flooding. This allows insurers to control their exposure by capping their liability for certain risks while still providing broader coverage for the overall policy.

Understanding sub-limits is essential for policyholders as it helps them recognize potential gaps in coverage and the maximum they can claim for specific scenarios. In contrast, limitations on overall policy coverage do not specify those particular risks; general exclusions denote what is not covered by the policy; and annual growth in policy value refers to adjustments that might be made, typically related to inflation, which do not directly pertain to sub-limits.