What does indemnity mean in legal terms?

Asked by: Ms. Francesca Bednar  |  Last update: December 23, 2022
Score: 4.2/5 (13 votes)

To indemnify another party is to compensate that party for losses that that party has incurred or will incur as related to a specified incident.

What happens when you indemnify someone?

To indemnify someone is to absolve that person from responsibility for damage or loss arising from a transaction. Indemnification is the act of not being held liable for or being protected from harm, loss, or damages, by shifting the liability to another party.

What is the purpose of indemnity?

“To indemnify” means to compensate someone for his/her harm or loss. In most contracts, an indemnification clause serves to compensate a party for harm or loss arising in connection with the other party's actions or failure to act. The intent is to shift liability away from one party, and on to the indemnifying party.

What does the term indemnity means?

Definition: Indemnity means making compensation payments to one party by the other for the loss occurred. Description: Indemnity is based on a mutual contract between two parties (one insured and the other insurer) where one promises the other to compensate for the loss against payment of premiums.

What does it mean to receive indemnity?

Indemnity is a comprehensive form of insurance compensation for damages or loss. In this type of arrangement, one party agrees to pay for potential losses or damages caused by another party.

What it means to indemnify someone.

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How does an indemnity agreement work?

Put simply, indemnity is a contractual agreement between two parties, where one party agrees to pay for potential losses or damages claimed by a third party. For example, say you own a shopping centre, and you hire a snow removal service to clear your parking lot in the winter.

What is indemnity example?

An example of an indemnity would be an insurance contract, where the insurer agrees to compensate for any damages that the entity protected by the insurer experiences.

What is the difference between liability and indemnity?

The key difference between public liability and professional indemnity is that while public liability covers for risks of injury or damage, professional indemnity is focused on the work side of things, covering for professional errors and negligence.

Is an indemnity a guarantee?

Indemnities and guarantees are often confused. A guarantee is an agreement to meet someone else's agreement to do something – usually to make a payment. An indemnity is an agreement to pay for a cost or reimburse a loss incurred by someone else.

What are the two purposes of indemnity?

There are two parties in an indemnity contract, including the indemnitee and indemnifier. The indemnitee is the party that is seeking protection, whereas the indemnifier is the one promising to hold harmless.

Why are indemnity clauses bad?

Depending on the specifics of an indemnity clause in a contact, it can shift all the risk of something going wrong to you and leave the other party free to walk away, even if the other party is partly at fault.

Is it good to be indemnified?

Why Indemnification is Important. Indemnification can be important to both parties entering into a transaction or contractual agreement. If you are granting the indemnity, the provision of reasonable protection against liability may be essential to you being able to do business with the other party.

How do you enforce an indemnity clause?

Tips for Enforcing Indemnification Provisions
  1. Identify Time Periods for Asserting Indemnification Rights. ...
  2. Provide Notice in a Timely Fashion. ...
  3. Notify All Concerned Parties. ...
  4. Understand Limitations on Recovery. ...
  5. Exclusive Remedy. ...
  6. Scope of Damages. ...
  7. Claims Process/Dispute Resolution.

Will indemnify and hold harmless?

This definition, while suggesting a relationship with "indemnify", supports the view that the words "hold harmless" involve a limitation or exclusion of liability while "indemnify" involves reimbursing another for a loss suffered.

Why is an indemnity better than damages?

The major point of difference between Damages and Indemnity is that Indemnity can be claimed for loss arising out of action of a third party whereas damages can only be claimed for loss arising out of the actions of the parties to the contract upon breach of contract.

What are the rights of indemnity holder?

1) The indemnifier will have to pay damages which the indemnity holder will claim in a suit. 2) The indemnity holder can even compel the indemnifier to pay the costs he incurs in litigating the suit. 3) If the parties agree to legally compromise the suit, the indemnifier has to pay the compromise amount.

Which is better guarantee or indemnity?

Indemnities offer certain advantages over a guarantee, including: An indemnity is a primary obligation from the promisor to the beneficiary. This means it is more robust than a guarantee which is a secondary obligation. Therefore, an indemnity can survive if the original contract is set aside.

Is an indemnity a debt claim?

Looking at various cases, it is clear that indemnities fall into two separate categories: indemnities for debt claims; and. indemnities for damages claims.

Can indemnity be capped?

IV.

However, a capped indemnity clause operates on a different footing as the concept of reasonability, foreseeability and remoteness applicable to a damage claim is not applicable to the adjudication of an indemnity claim.

What are the things that must be specified in an indemnity clause?

Indemnity clauses often set out a list of what actions a party is insured against, for example:
  • All lawsuits, actions or proceedings, demands, damages and liabilities.
  • All claims, liabilities, losses, expenses and damages arising from a contract.

What does family indemnity mean?

The Family Indemnity plan (F.I.P) protects your loved ones. Whenever there's a death in the family, the Family Indemnity Plan (F.I.P) helps to cover the expenses, so you and your loved ones have less to worry about. A maximum of six (6) family members can be insured for as little as $422.40 permonth.

What is indemnity settlement?

§ 115.36 Indemnity settlements. (a) An indemnity settlement occurs when a defaulted Principal and its Surety agree upon an amount, less than the actual loss under the bond, which will satisfy the Principal's indebtedness to the Surety.

How long does indemnity last?

Indemnity insurance has a one-off fee and never expires. Indemnity insurance is not just limited to sellers. Buyers can purchase a policy instead of rectifying defects in a property.

When can you claim indemnity?

Indemnity Claims are the method by which a payer can claim their payment back under the Direct Debit Guarantee. The bank is obliged to offer an immediate refund in the event that a Direct Debit has been taken in error or without authority. This refund is then claimed back out of the Service User's (your) bank account.

Do indemnity clauses hold up in court?

Court will not enforce an indemnification provision that indemnifies an indemnitee for its own negligence “unless the intention of the parties is clearly and unambiguously expressed.” Courts first look for specific language in the contract that address the fault or negligence of the indemnitee.