An act of god

An act of God

Meaning

Some event that is considered to be outside human control. Commonly used in insurance policies to refer to events that the insured cannot be held responsible for.

Examples

The insurance company had to pay up for the lightning strike damage. After all, it wasn’t my fault, it was an act of God.

Where did it originate?

Britain. Used from the 13th century in its original religious sense and from the mid 19th century when referring to insurance claims.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.