Why won't Mindy's claim against XYZ Consulting be covered?

The correct reasoning for the situation concerning Mindy's claim against XYZ Consulting revolves around the timing of the occurrence related to the policy coverage.

An insurance policy typically specifies a coverage term, or policy period, during which events must occur for a claim to be valid. If an occurrence, such as an accident or incident that gives rise to a claim, happened outside the defined policy period, then the insurer is not liable to cover that claim. This scenario is illustrated in the first point where the occurrence took place before the policy period.

Furthermore, for a claim to be accepted, it often needs to be filed within the timeframe of the occurrence policy period. If Mindy filed her claim after the event but still within the same policy period, it might lead to complications, but generally, the timing of the occurrence itself is the primary factor. Thus, if both points about the timing relative to the policy period— that the occurrence happened before it began, and that the claim wasn't filed in the appropriate period—apply to Mindy’s claim, it further solidifies that these are valid reasons why her claim may not be covered.

With both factors contributing to the lack of coverage, the answer reflects that the alignment of the occurrence date with the policy period is