What principle exists to ensure a connection between an occurrence and resultant damage?

The principle that ensures a connection between an occurrence and resultant damage is the Doctrine of Proximate Cause. This concept is fundamental in insurance and liability law because it establishes a direct link between the cause of an event and the effect that follows. For example, if a fire damages a property, the proximate cause would be the actual fire, and the damages are the result of that specific event. This principle is essential for determining liability, as it helps avoid situations where an insured event leads to a claim that is too remote or unrelated to the coverage provided by the policy.

In contrast, severability pertains to how coverage is interpreted for multiple parties under a single policy, ensuring one party's actions do not invalidate coverage for others. Liberalization refers to the automatic improvement of coverage without an increase in premium, while abandonment involves relinquishing a property back to the insurer after a loss occurs. These concepts do not directly address the need to link an occurrence with the resultant damage, which is the crux of proximate cause.