The correct answer is C — an aggregate limit. An aggregate limit establishes the maximum amount an insurer will pay for all covered claims subject to that aggregate during the applicable policy period, ordinarily one year. The Hartford describes an aggregate limit as the maximum amount an insurer pays for all claims during the policy period.
This must be distinguished from an occurrence limit, which caps the amount payable for one occurrence. For example, a liability policy might provide a $1 million each-occurrence limit and a $2 million general aggregate. Multiple individually covered occurrences can therefore consume the aggregate until the total available limit has been exhausted.
A single limit generally refers to one combined limit rather than separate limits for different components, such as bodily injury and property damage. “Face amount” is terminology more commonly associated with life insurance or other contracts stating a specified benefit amount and does not describe an annual liability ceiling.
The official Series 17-70 outline specifically tests policy limits, per-occurrence limits, per-person limits, general and products/completed-operations aggregate limits, single/split limits, and combined single limits.
Thus, when the question asks for the limit controlling the maximum cumulative payout during the annual policy period, aggregate limit is the precise insurance term.
Therefore, C is correct.
