Define: Robbery and hold up
In a contract, robbery and hold up refers to a defined peril in insurance policies covering the taking or forced surrender of insured property due to violence, threats, or force against authorized residents or visitors on the insured's premises. The term determines when losses caused by armed or forceful theft are covered rather than excluded as ordinary theft or burglary.
Legal accuracy standard set & glossary spot-checked by Imad Mohammed Nazar , Skadden-trained M&A lawyer, Legal Engineer at GenieAI
What Robbery and hold up Means in a Contract
Robbery and hold up is a defined term found primarily in property and casualty insurance contracts, as well as in some property management and lease agreements that incorporate insurance concepts. It describes a specific category of loss in which insured items are taken away, or surrendered under duress, because of force, threats, or physical violence directed against an authorized resident, employee, or visitor at the insured's property. The term is distinct from simple theft or burglary because it requires an element of confrontation or coercion against a person, not merely unauthorized entry or covert removal of property.
The purpose of including this term in a contract is to clarify the scope of coverage and to set expectations about what triggers a valid claim. Insurers use this definition to separate incidents involving direct threats to personal safety from other loss scenarios, since the risk profile, premium calculation, and claims investigation process differ substantially. For policyholders, understanding this clause helps determine whether an incident, such as an armed intruder forcing a tenant to hand over valuables, falls within the policy's protective scope.
How Robbery and hold up Is Defined or Measured
Most policies measure whether an event qualifies as robbery and hold up by examining three elements: the presence of force or threat, the involvement of an authorized person on the property, and the resulting taking or surrender of insured items. Unlike burglary provisions, which often require evidence of forced entry into a structure, robbery and hold up provisions focus on the interaction between the perpetrator and a person present at the location.
- Evidence of a verbal or implied threat against the victim.
- Use or display of a weapon or physical intimidation.
- Confirmation that the victim was an authorized resident, employee, or visitor.
- Documentation, such as police reports, supporting the sequence of events.
Because these elements can be subject to interpretation, many contracts include supporting definitions, exclusions, or examples to reduce ambiguity. Some policies also specify monetary thresholds or require timely reporting of the incident to law enforcement, which insurers rely on during claims assessment and any related Relevant Circumstances
Relevant Sectors