Define: Wear and tear

The meaning of “Wear and tear” differs based on where it is used. We list many below, then combine them into one or more market-standard definitions.

How is Wear and tear defined in a legal contract?

  • Wear and tear means harm or a decrease in value due to the passing of time, routine usage, or insufficient upkeep. Seen in 62 SEC filings
  • Wear and tear means a decline in value due to time, natural deterioration, regular use, depreciation due to usage, damage by exposure to light, lack of maintenance or damage which occurs gradually over a period of time. Seen in 10 SEC filings
  • Wear and tear means the slow deterioration linked with normal use and aging of the item in question. Seen in 10 SEC filings
  • Wear and tear means the usual expected deterioration of the insured item arising from regular usage and age. Seen in 8 SEC filings
  • Wear and tear means harm or the slow decline in operating performance of a covered component which naturally and inevitably occurs as a result of normal use, wear or aging. Seen in 7 SEC filings
  • Wear and tear means corrosion, erosion, wasting, wearing away, abrasion or other gradual deterioration including that caused by atmospheric conditions and includes the cost of maintenance, normal upkeep and routine making good. Seen in 7 SEC filings
  • Wear and tear means damage to Components which have reached the end of their normal effective working lives because of gradual reduction in operating performance. Seen in 6 SEC filings
  • Wear and tear means harm or a decrease in value due to age, regular use or lack of maintenance. Seen in 6 SEC filings

Note: The Genie AI Legal Assistant pulled this data out of the SEC EDGAR Database of 500,000 records from the past 22 years of filings. We regularly update this page as new filings and definitions come in.

Search EDGAR for 'Definitions of wear and tear' yourself to verify these results. We are always keen to point people to source documents.

Which definition should you use?

🤔 Our AI Legal Assistant has combined and improved the above descriptions to create market-standard 'Genie definitions' below, with guidance on which documents and which industry to use for each.

Genie Definition 1

  • Wear and tear means the decrease in value or operational performance of an item due to normal use, time, and insufficient maintenance.

Relevant Contract Types

Relevant Circumstances

  • Asset depreciation over time.
  • Accrual of damage during the rental period.
  • Physical wear of equipment through standard usage.

Relevant Sectors

Genie Definition 2

  • Wear and tear means the gradual, inevitable deterioration caused by regular use, age, and exposure to environmental elements.

Relevant Contract Types

Relevant Circumstances

  • Wear generated by regular use over the contract period.
  • Deterioration of products due to environmental factors.
  • Expected depreciation of assets over time.
  • Wear and tear exclusion clauses in insurance contracts.

Relevant Sectors

Are you creating, reviewing or negotiating a document?

Looking for further advice on how to define “Wear and tear" in your document? 

🚀 Try our AI Legal Assistant! It can suggest a definition just for your specific needs (Simply import your contract, then ask it to draft a definition suitable for your document, that's it!)

What is the most popular definition of 'Wear and tear'?

Wear and tear means the decrease in value or operational performance of an item due to normal use, time, and insufficient maintenance

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