[E030]

entitlement, psychology of

A concept or societal phenomenon expressing the expectation of people that their desires and wants are their legitimate needs which society can and must fulfill. The concept affects insurance when the law expands to permit increasing numbers of plaintiffs to recover from insurers in cases where questionable coverage exists (e.g., when courts appear eager to find that insurance coverage exists if there is any indication that the insured expected such coverage to exist, or when jury awards increase beyond economic justification).