Civil Damages

What Does Civil Damages Mean?

Civil damages are monetary awards given to a plaintiff in a civil suit when they prevail in their case.

In the context of insurance, policyholders may sue insurance companies if they believe the insurer has caused them financial harm. If the plaintiff succeeds in their case, they are typically awarded civil damages.

Insuranceopedia Explains Civil Damages

Civil damages can vary significantly from case to case. Depending on the extent of the loss, the defendant’s degree of responsibility, and legal precedents, the plaintiff may be awarded anything from a few thousand dollars to tens of millions.

A policyholder may choose to sue their insurer if they have incurred a loss that they believe should have been covered by their insurance policy, but the insurer denies the claim. In such cases, the plaintiff bears the burden of proof to demonstrate that they should be awarded damages for the denied claim.