Suppressio veri

Concealment of truth.

In general a suppression of the truth, when a party is bound to disclose it, vitiates a contract. In the contract of insurance a knowledge of the facts is required to enable the underwriter to calculate the chances and form a due estimate of the risk; and, in this contract perhaps more than any other, the parties are required to represent every thing with fairness.

Suppressio veri as well as suggestio falsi is a ground to rescind an agreement, or at least not to carry it into execution.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.

The suppression of the truth