Under the continuous trigger, injury is deemed to occur continuously from initial exposure through the development of disease or damage until manifestation, triggering every policy in force during that span.
It developed in asbestos coverage litigation and extends to environmental and construction defect claims in many jurisdictions.
Alternative Names:
Continuous Injury Trigger, Triple Trigger
Why it Matters?
This is the trigger theory most favorable to policyholders because it activates decades of coverage rather than a single year, which is why it is contested vigorously in long-tail coverage disputes. Its practical effect depends on the allocation method: combined with all sums allocation it gives the insured access to any triggered year's full limits, while combined with pro rata it spreads the loss and assigns uninsured years to the policyholder.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Why is continuous trigger favorable to policyholders?
How does it interact with allocation?
