What’s a Bordereau?

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A bordereau is a detailed written note that lists documents or accounts related to a particular subject. It is commonly used in the insurance industry to describe policies and is also used for reinsurance arrangements. The term comes from French and was famously involved in the Dreyfus affair.

A bordereau is a written note or memorandum that provides information in detail for its reader. It usually contains information such as a complete list of documents or accounts related to a particular subject. Probably the most common use of this document is within the insurance industry, where an insurance company may develop one that describes an insurance policy in some way. The main purpose of this type of document is to provide information to another party, which is usually another insurance company or a customer for whom the insurance company has issued the policy, be it an individual or a company .

The term comes from French and probably comes from the French word bord, which means edge. Perhaps the most famous reference to the term bordereau in its traditional sense is his involvement in the Dreyfus affair, a notable event in French and European history. In 1894, a French spy discovered a bordereau dealing with French military secrets in the trash can of the German embassy in Paris and it contained a list of secret French military documents that the writer could potentially obtain. Suspicion immediately fell on Alfred Dreyfus, a young French officer. Following a very public investigation, arrest, and judicial inquiry, the public widely condemned Dreyfus, though his possible motives remained unclear, at best, and some questioned guilt. of him.

Today, insurance companies all over the world use a bordereau to explain certain operations or aspects of their policies or insurance premiums to their reinsurer. For example, it can list insurance premiums or losses that reinsurance affects in some way. Insurance companies usually use these documents as part of pro rata reinsurance agreements. Some insurance companies periodically issue them to their customers regarding all pending and completed claims. The content of a particular document depends on the needs and wishes of the client and can be a simple list of basic facts or can contain a great deal of detailed information on different aspects of the policy.

Bordereaux can also be used for reinsurance arrangements. For example, the insurer may use a bordereau for the purpose of transferring reinsurance to another insurer or to convey information to various insurers about particular policies. Insurance companies often use the information in a bordereau to justify the costs of reinsurance premiums or to explain the calculation of risk inherent in the particular insurance policy.




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