{
  "id": "clause-communicable-disease-exclusion",
  "type": "clause",
  "languages": {
    "en": {
      "id": "clause-communicable-disease-exclusion",
      "lang": "en",
      "type": "clause",
      "title": "Communicable Disease Exclusion (LMA5391 et seq.)",
      "shortDefinition": "The communicable disease exclusion removes damage and business interruption connected with communicable diseases from property and business interruption cover, and was significantly developed further in response to COVID-19.",
      "synonyms": [
        "Communicable Disease Exclusion Clause",
        "LMA5391",
        "Coronavirus Exclusion"
      ],
      "linesOfBusiness": [
        "Property",
        "Business interruption"
      ],
      "jurisdictions": [
        "Global"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "London Market",
        "Exclusions",
        "Pandemic"
      ],
      "relations": {
        "relatedTerms": [
          "cov-epidemieversicherung",
          "term-haftungsausschluss"
        ],
        "partOf": [],
        "appliesTo": [
          "cov-business-interruption",
          "cov-property-all-risks"
        ],
        "regulatedBy": [],
        "relevantFor": [],
        "insurableVia": [],
        "mitigatedBy": [],
        "comprises": [],
        "alternativeTo": [],
        "complementedBy": []
      },
      "attribute": null,
      "profile": null,
      "coverageProfile": null,
      "clause": {
        "kind": "exclusion",
        "origin": "london-market",
        "favours": "insurer",
        "negotiability": "standard",
        "standardWordings": [
          "LMA5391 Coronavirus Exclusion",
          "LMA5393/LMA5394 Communicable Disease Exclusion"
        ]
      },
      "legalBasis": [],
      "standards": [],
      "reviewStatus": "expert-reviewed",
      "reviewedBy": "Guido Hesse, Hesse Group Holding AG",
      "lastReviewed": "2026-09-04",
      "version": "0.2.0",
      "updated": "2026-09-03",
      "generated": {
        "by": "cursor-agent/claude-sonnet-5",
        "at": "2026-09-03T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      "verified": [
        {
          "by": "human:ghesse",
          "at": "2026-09-04T00:00:00.000Z",
          "method": null
        }
      ],
      "staleAfter": null,
      "url": "https://hgh.ch/lexikon/en/knowledge/clause/communicable-disease-exclusion-lma5391-et-seq/",
      "alternateUrl": "https://hgh.ch/lexikon/de/wissen/klausel/communicable-disease-ausschluss-lma5391-ff/",
      "body": "## Purpose\n\nProperty and business interruption policies are traditionally designed around physical damage and were not intended to carry the systemic, barely diversifiable accumulation risk of a pandemic. Following the significant coverage disputes surrounding COVID-19, insurers tightened and standardised the communicable disease exclusion to consistently remove communicable diseases from base cover.\n\n## Effect and limits\n\nLMA5391, published in March 2020, excludes claims in any way caused by or resulting from COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, mutations or variations of it, or the fear or threat thereof. As a comparatively narrow drafting, it only bites where these causes are an adequate proximate cause of the loss. More developed clauses such as LMA5393/LMA5394 are drafted as absolute exclusions that also catch indirect and concurrent causes, and are therefore considerably broader than a pure causation clause. Some insurers now offer selective write-backs to ensure that damage from other insured perils such as fire or explosion remains covered even where a pandemic-related factor is also present.\n\n## Negotiation and practice\n\nWhen reviewing a policy, the key question is whether a narrow causation clause or an absolute exclusion is used, and whether a write-back for otherwise insured property perils is included. Businesses with high pandemic exposure should consider whether a standalone epidemic policy or a specific business interruption extension for infectious disease should be purchased to complement the base cover."
    },
    "de": {
      "id": "clause-communicable-disease-exclusion",
      "lang": "de",
      "type": "clause",
      "title": "Communicable-Disease-Ausschluss (LMA5391 ff.)",
      "shortDefinition": "Der Communicable-Disease-Ausschluss nimmt Schäden und Betriebsunterbrechung im Zusammenhang mit übertragbaren Krankheiten aus der Sach- und Betriebsunterbrechungsdeckung heraus und wurde als Reaktion auf COVID-19 massgeblich weiterentwickelt.",
      "synonyms": [
        "Communicable Disease Exclusion Clause",
        "LMA5391",
        "Coronavirus Exclusion"
      ],
      "linesOfBusiness": [
        "Sach",
        "Betriebsunterbrechung"
      ],
      "jurisdictions": [
        "Global"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "London Market",
        "Ausschlüsse",
        "Pandemie"
      ],
      "relations": {
        "relatedTerms": [
          "cov-epidemieversicherung",
          "term-haftungsausschluss"
        ],
        "partOf": [],
        "appliesTo": [
          "cov-business-interruption",
          "cov-property-all-risks"
        ],
        "regulatedBy": [],
        "relevantFor": [],
        "insurableVia": [],
        "mitigatedBy": [],
        "comprises": [],
        "alternativeTo": [],
        "complementedBy": []
      },
      "attribute": null,
      "profile": null,
      "coverageProfile": null,
      "clause": {
        "kind": "exclusion",
        "origin": "london-market",
        "favours": "insurer",
        "negotiability": "standard",
        "standardWordings": [
          "LMA5391 Coronavirus Exclusion",
          "LMA5393/LMA5394 Communicable Disease Exclusion"
        ]
      },
      "legalBasis": [],
      "standards": [],
      "reviewStatus": "expert-reviewed",
      "reviewedBy": "Guido Hesse, Hesse Group Holding AG",
      "lastReviewed": "2026-09-04",
      "version": "0.2.0",
      "updated": "2026-09-03",
      "generated": {
        "by": "cursor-agent/claude-sonnet-5",
        "at": "2026-09-03T00:00:00.000Z"
      },
      "verified": [
        {
          "by": "human:ghesse",
          "at": "2026-09-04T00:00:00.000Z",
          "method": null
        }
      ],
      "staleAfter": null,
      "url": "https://hgh.ch/lexikon/de/wissen/klausel/communicable-disease-ausschluss-lma5391-ff/",
      "alternateUrl": "https://hgh.ch/lexikon/en/knowledge/clause/communicable-disease-exclusion-lma5391-et-seq/",
      "body": "## Zweck\n\nSach- und Betriebsunterbrechungspolicen sind traditionell auf physische Sachschäden ausgerichtet und nicht dafür konzipiert, das systemische, kaum diversifizierbare Kumulrisiko einer Pandemie zu tragen. Nach den erheblichen Deckungsstreitigkeiten rund um COVID-19 haben Versicherer den Communicable-Disease-Ausschluss verschärft und standardisiert, um übertragbare Krankheiten konsequent aus der Grunddeckung zu nehmen.\n\n## Wirkung und Grenzen\n\nDie im März 2020 veröffentlichte LMA5391 schliesst Ansprüche aus, die auf irgendeine Weise durch COVID-19, das SARS-CoV-2-Virus, dessen Mutationen oder Varianten oder die Furcht davor verursacht werden oder daraus resultieren. Als vergleichsweise enge Fassung greift sie nur, wenn diese Ursachen adäquat kausal für den Schaden sind. Weiterentwickelte Klauseln wie LMA5393/LMA5394 sind als absolute Ausschlüsse formuliert, die auch mittelbare und gleichzeitig wirkende Ursachen erfassen und damit deutlich weiter reichen als reine Kausalitätsklauseln. Einige Versicherer bieten inzwischen selektive Rückeinschlüsse (\"write-backs\") an, die sicherstellen, dass Schäden durch andere versicherte Gefahren wie Brand oder Explosion trotz gleichzeitigem Pandemiebezug gedeckt bleiben.\n\n## Verhandlung und Praxis\n\nBei der Policenprüfung ist entscheidend, ob eine enge Kausalitätsklausel oder ein absoluter Ausschluss verwendet wird und ob ein Rückeinschluss für originär versicherte Sachgefahren vorgesehen ist. Unternehmen mit hoher Pandemie-Exponierung sollten klären, ob eine eigenständige Epidemieversicherung oder ein spezifischer Betriebsunterbrechungs-Zusatz für Infektionskrankheiten sinnvoll ergänzend hinzugebucht werden sollte."
    }
  }
}