Sunday, August 01, 2010

Life Insurance Glossary

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Accidental Bodily Injury:
Insured's bodily injury or death is due to an unforseen accident independent of any natural causes.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D):
This type of insurance pays a benefit to the insured or the insured's beneficiary in the event of bodily injury or death by accidental means (See also Accidental bodily injury). Accident insurance can take the form of an individual policy or an AD&D rider on an insurance policy to supplement the death benefit amount when the insured loses any two limbs or eyesight in both eyes.

Accidental Death Rider:
A rider added to a life insurance policy that pays a benefit to the beneficiary in addition to the face amount of the policy when the insured's death is the result of an accident (See also Accidental death and dismemberment). Sometimes referred to as Double or Triple Indemnity where two or three times the death benefit amount is paid to the beneficiary when certain age and time restrictions are met.

Accidental Means:
An uncontrollable, unforeseen event that occurs which results in accidental bodily injury (See also Accidental Bodily Injury). The mishap itself would have to be accidental in addition to the injury.

Act of God:
Certain acts of nature such as earthquakes, floods, or hurricanes, that are beyond human control.

Actuarial:
Deals with the mathematics and probabilities of insurance. Ensures evaluation of risk, adequate premium payment and other statistical studies for all type of risks that are underwritten.

Adhesion, Contracts of:
A one-sided, legally binding agreement prepared by one party and wholly accepted or rejected by another party. An insurance policy is a unilateral, take it or leave it contract because the insurer sets the terms of the policy. All insurance contracts are considered to be contracts of adhesion.

Age Basis (Age Change):
An applicant's insurance age is determined one of two ways, depending on the insurance carrier: (1)Age Nearest: six months before applicant's birthday, their insurance age changes; (2)Actual Age: applicant's last birthday will be used to determine the insurance age. Most insurance carriers use age nearest.

Aggregate Limit:
In Liability Insurance, the maximum amount of coverage under the contract period, regardless of how many accidents occur.

Aleatory Contract:
A contract such as an insurance contract in which the dollar amount to be paid by each party is not equal. For example, a policyholder could pay a premium and collect nothing from the insurer, or the policyholder could pay a premium and collect more from the insurer than the amount of premium paid if a loss occurs.

Amendment:
An official document that serves as a revision to the original policy.

Annually Renewable Term (ART):
Provides the policyowner the right to renew his/her term life insurance policy at the end of each year without evidence of insurability. This annual renewal right continues until the policyowner reaches a specified age or for the number of years determined by the policy's contract. With most Annual(Yearly) Renewable Term contracts, the premium increases every year, especially as the policyowner reaches age 50 and older.

Application:
A form that the proposed insured completes with personal, financial and familial history information and used by the insurer to decide whether or not to accept the risk and determine the proposed insured's underwriting classification.

Appraisal:
A valuation of property conducted to determine the amount of insurance to be purchased or the amount of damage to be paid.

Assignment:
The transfer of ownership rights of a life insurance policy to another person or business.

Attained Age:
The age of the insured on a particular date.

Attending Physician's Statement (APS):
Medical information and records usually obtained from the insured's primary care physician and used in underwriting a life or health insurance application.

Authorization:
The amount of insurance coverage an underwriter will accept on a given color of property or risk exposure.

Auto Collision:
In auto insurance, coverage separate from comprehensive insurance that provides protection to the insured in the case of physical damage to the insured's car should a collision occur with another inanimate object.

For more reference, click on any of the letters below to find life insurance terms that begin with that letter.
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