CII Certificate in Insurance - Insurance, Legal and Regulatory (IF1) Practice Test

The proximate cause of an event is the primary reason or the main cause that set off a chain of events leading to an accident. In this scenario, the branches blown into the road are a direct result of a storm. Thus, the storm can be identified as the proximate cause because it initiated the conditions that led to the accident.

While the branches are directly involved in the incident, their presence on the road is ultimately due to the storm's high winds or extreme weather conditions. The delay in moving the branches may have contributed to the situation but does not signify the fundamental cause of the incident. Similarly, the motorist, being the individual who encountered the branches, is affected by the chain of events initiated by the storm but does not play a role in causing the accident itself. In this context, understanding the difference between proximate cause and the contributing factors is essential for determining liability and coverage under insurance policies.