What legal principle includes coverages that an average person would reasonably expect?

The doctrine of reasonable expectations is a legal principle that protects consumers by ensuring that insurance policies provide coverage that an average person would reasonably expect based on the language of the policy and the context in which it was purchased. This principle holds that if a policyholder has a reasonable belief that a certain risk is covered under their policy, that expectation should be honored, even if the written terms of the policy could be interpreted differently.

This doctrine is particularly significant in the world of insurance because it balances the often complex language and details of insurance contracts against the practical understanding of policyholders. When making decisions on claims, courts often refer to this doctrine to determine what a typical individual in the policyholder's position would believe to be covered, rather than strictly adhering to potentially technical or ambiguous policy language.

The other concepts presented are distinct legal principles not directly related to the expectations of a reasonable policyholder. Comparative negligence relates to the attribution of fault in tort cases, the principle of utmost good faith (uberrima fides) pertains to the duty of honesty in insurance contracts, and the judicial interpretation rule involves how courts interpret laws or contracts, which does not specifically address the expectations of coverage in the way the doctrine of reasonable expectations does.