general average
noun[U]
INSURANCE,LAWukusanagreementin which thecostofdamageto ashipor thegoodsit iscarryingissharedby theshippingcompanyand theownersof thegoodsif itbecomesnecessarytosaveeither theshipor thegoodsin anemergency:
Whilegeneralaveragetracesitsoriginsinancientmaritimelaw, itremainspartof thelawof mostcountries.
Compare
particular average