absolute pollution exclusion

This exclusion earned its name due to its removal of the "sudden and accidental" exception to the 1973 CGL's standard pollution exclusion. While it does remove coverage for most pollution events that would occur in the course of an insured's business operations, coverage is preserved for some significant exposures, primarily for certain incidental pollution (including hostile fire) damages, products and completed operations liability, and certain off-premises work by contractors. Since the exclusion is not truly "absolute," a more appropriate moniker for it is "broad form pollution exclusion," and this is used in some IRMI publications.