What type of representation might cause an insurance contract to be voided?

Material representation refers to any information or statements made by the insured that are essential to the risk assessment by the insurer. If a material representation is found to be false or misleading, it can impact the insurer's decision to underwrite the policy or the terms of coverage offered. In insurance contracts, a misrepresentation of material fact means the insurer was led to believe something that was important to the risk evaluation process when deciding whether or not to issue the policy.

If the insurer determines that a material misrepresentation occurred, they have the right to void the contract because the incorrect information would have influenced their underwriting decision. For example, if an applicant states they have no previous claims when they have in fact filed multiple, this misrepresentation could be seen as material, allowing the insurer to void the policy.

The other types of representations, while they play distinct roles in insurance contracts, do not carry the same weight as material representations in voiding a contract. Affirmative representations are generally statements that the insured believes to be true, but do not necessarily affect the underwriting decision as directly as material ones. Promissory representations involve commitments that the insured agrees to uphold in the future, but violating such a promise typically leads to non-renewal rather than immediate voiding of