Glossary of Insurance Terms

This page provides a glossary of insurance terms and definitions that are commonly used in the insurance business. New terms will be added to the glossary over time.

Glossary of Insurance Terms

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Accident an unexpected event or circumstance without deliberate intent.
Accident
Accident Insurance insurance for unforeseen bodily injury.
Accident Insurance
Accident Only an insurance contract that provides coverage, singly or in combination, for death, dismemberment, disability, or hospital and medical care caused by or necessitated as a result of accident or specified kinds of accident.
Accident Only
Accident Only or AD&D policies providing coverage, singly or in combination, for death, dismemberment, disability, or hospital and medical care caused by or necessitated as a result of accident or specified kinds of accidents. Types of coverage include student accident, sports accident, travel accident, blanket accident, specific accident or accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D).
Accident Only or AD&D
Accidental Bodily Injury unexpected injury to a person.
Accidental Bodily Injury
Accidental Death & Dismemberment an insurance contract that pays a stated benefit in the event of death and/or dismemberment caused by accident or specified kinds of accidents.
Accidental Death & Dismemberment
Accumulation Period period of time insured must incur eligible medical expenses at least equal to the deductible amount in order to establish a benefit period under a major medical expense or comprehensive medical expense policy.
Accumulation Period
Actual Cash Value repayment value for indemnification due to loss or damage of property; in most cases it is replacement cost minus depreciation
Actual Cash Value
Actuarial Report (PC Insurance)a document or other presentation, prepared as a formal means of conveying to the state regulatory authority and the Board of Directors, or its equivalent, the actuary's professional conclusions and recommendations, of recording and communicating the methods and procedures, of assuring that the parties addressed are aware of the significance of the actuary's opinion or findings and that documents the analysis underlying the opinion. (In Life and Health) this document would be called an "Actuarial Memorandum."
Actuarial Report
Actuary business professional who analyzes probabilities of risk and risk management including calculation of premiums, dividends and other applicable insurance industry standards.
Actuary
Adjuster a person who investigates claims and recommends settlement options based on estimates of damage and insurance policies held.
Adjuster
Admission hospital inpatient care for any medical condition.
Admission
Admitted Assets insurer assets which can be valued and included on the balance sheet to determine financial viability of the company.
Admitted Assets
Admitted Company an insurance company licensed to do business in a state(s), domiciled in an alternative state or country.
Admitted Company
Advance Premiums occur when a policy has been processed, and the premium has been paid prior to the effective date. These are a liability to the company and not included in written premium or the unearned premium reserve.
Advance Premiums
Adverse Selection the social phenomenon whereby persons with a higher than average probability of loss seek greater insurance coverage than those with less risk.
Adverse Selection
Advisory Organization a group supported by member companies whose function is to gather loss statistics and publish trended loss costs.
Advisory Organization
Affiliate a person or entity that directly, or indirectly, through one or more other persons or entities, controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the insurer.
Affiliate
Aggregate the maximum dollar amount or total amount of coverage payable for a single loss, or multiple losses, during a policy period, or on a single project.
Aggregate
Aggregate Cost Payments method of reimbursement of a health plan with a corporate entity that directly provides care, where (1) the health plan is contractually required to pay the total operating costs of the corporate entity, less any income to the entity from other users of services, and (2) there are mutual unlimited guarantees of solvency between the entity and the health plan that put their respective capital and surplus at risk in guaranteeing each other.
Aggregate Cost Payments
Aircraft coverage for aircraft (hull) and their contents; aircraft owners' and aircraft manufacturers liability to passengers, airports and other third parties.
Aircraft
ALAE an estimate of the claims settlement associated with a particular claim or claims.
ALAE
Alien Company an insurance company formed according to the laws of a foreign country. The company must conform to state regulatory standards to legally sell insurance products in that state.
Alien Company
Allied Lines coverages which are generally written with property insurance, e.g., glass, tornado, windstorm and hail; sprinkler and water damage; explosion, riot, and civil commotion; growing crops; flood; rain; and damage from aircraft and vehicle, etc.
Allied Lines
All-Risk also known as open peril, this type of policy covers a broad range of losses. The policy covers risks not explicitly excluded in the policy contract.
All-Risk
Alternative Workers' Compensation other than standard workers' compensation coverage, employer's liability and excess workers' compensation (e.g., large deductible, managed care).
Alternative Workers' Compensation
Ambulatory Services health services provided to members who are not confined to a health care institution. Ambulatory services are often referred to as "outpatient" services.
Ambulatory Services
Annual Statement an annual report required to be filed with each state in which an insurer does business. This report provides a snapshot of the financial condition of a company and significant events which occurred throughout the reporting year.
Annual Statement
Annuitant the beneficiary of an annuity payment, or person during whose life and annuity is payable.
Annuitant
Annuities – Immediate Non-variable an annuity contract that provides for the fixed payment of the annuity at the end of the first interval of payment after purchase. The interval may vary, however the annuity payouts must begin within 13 months.
Annuities – Immediate Non-variable
Annuity a contract providing income for a specified period of time, or duration of life for a person or persons.
Annuity
Appraisal an estimate of value.
Appraisal
Arbitration a binding dispute resolution tactic whereby a conciliator with no interest in the outcome intercedes.
Arbitration
Assessed Value estimated value for real or personal property established by a taxing entity
Assessed Value
Asset probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by a particular entity as a result of past transactions or events. An asset has three essential characteristics: It embodies a probable future benefit that involves a capacity, singly or in combination with other assets, to contribute directly or indirectly to future net cash inflows; A particular entity can obtain the benefit and control others' access to it; and The transaction or other event-giving rise to the entity's right to or control of the benefit has already occurred.
Asset
Asset Risk in the risk-based capital formula, risk assigned to the company's assets.
Asset Risk
Assigned Risk A governmental pool established to write business declined by carriers in the standard insurance market.
Assigned Risk
Assisted Living Care a policy or rider that provides coverage only while a policyholder is confined to an assisted living facility and meets the policy requirements for coverage.
Assisted Living Care
Assumed Reinsurance the assumption of risk from another insurance entity within a reinsurance agreement or treaty.
Assumed Reinsurance
Authorized Company an insurer licensed or admitted to do business in a particular state.
Authorized Company
Authorized Control Level Risk Based Capital theoretical amount of capital plus surplus an insurance company should maintain.
Authorized Control Level Risk Based Capital
Authorized Reinsurance reinsurance placed with a reinsurer who is licensed or otherwise allowed to conduct reinsurance within a state.
Authorized Reinsurance
Auto Liability coverage that protects against financial loss because of legal liability for motor vehicle related injuries (bodily injury and medical payments) or damage to the property of others caused by accidents arising out of ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle (including recreational vehicles such as motor homes). Commercial is defined as all motor vehicle policies that include vehicles that are used primarily in connection with business, commercial establishments, activity, employment, or activities carried on for gain or profit. No Fault is defined by the state concerned.
Auto Liability
Auto Physical Damage motor vehicle insurance coverage (including collision, vandalism, fire and theft) that insures against material damage to the insured's vehicle. Commercial is defined as all motor vehicle policies that include vehicles that are used in connection with business, commercial establishments, activity, employment, or activities carried on for gain or profit.
Auto Physical Damage
Automobile Liability Insurance coverage for bodily injury and property damage incurred through ownership or operation of a vehicle.
Automobile Liability Insurance

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Qualified Actuary a person who meets the basic education, experience and continuing education requirements (these differ by line of business) of the Specific Qualification Standard for Statements of Actuarial Opinion, NAIC Property and Casualty Annual Statement, as set forth in the Qualification Standards for Actuaries Issuing Statements of Actuarial Opinion in the United States, promulgated by the American Academy of Actuaries, and is in good standing of the American Academy of Actuaries who has been approved as qualified for signing casualty loss reserve opinions by the Casualty Practice Council of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Qualified Actuary

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