What type of agreement is a Reservation of Rights letter?

A Reservation of Rights letter is classified as a unilateral agreement because it is issued by an insurance company to inform the insured that it may have coverage under the policy, but it reserves the right to deny coverage for certain claims or circumstances. This type of letter does not require acceptance or agreement from the insured; rather, it expresses the insurer's position regarding the handling of a claim while still investigating the validity of coverage.

In a unilateral agreement, one party takes on obligations or responsibilities without a reciprocal commitment from the other party. The insurance company is essentially notifying the insured of its stance, but the insured does not have to agree to or sign the letter for it to be effective. This distinction sets it apart from bilateral agreements, where both parties involved agree to terms and have mutual obligations.

Thus, understanding the nature of a Reservation of Rights letter as a unilateral agreement is critical for recognizing the dynamics of communication and legal obligations between insurers and insured parties in the context of claims processing.