Insurance Terms

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Agent

Back 1

In insurance, person authorized to represent insurer in dealing with third parties in matters relating to insurance.

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Bailee for Hire

Back 2

One who has temporary possession of personal property of others for a purpose other than sale and who is compensated for caring for it

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Binder

Back 3

A written or oral agreement from the insurer giving temporary protection to insured pending issue of the policy

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Bodily Injury

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Generally defined in liability policies to mean bodily injury, sickness or disease sustained by a person, including death resulting from any of these at any time

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Broker

Back 5

One who is an independent middleman, not tied to a particular company, who obtains insurance for his clients from insurance companies or their agents.

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Burglary

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In insurance policies, generally defined as the unlawful taking of property from within the premises as evidenced by marks of forcible entry or exit

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Commission

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Sum paid as remuneration to the broker for business placed with an insurer

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Condition

Back 8

A condition imposed upon insured's under the policy requires them to do or not to do something during the term of the policy

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Condominium

Back 9

A system of separate ownership of individual units in a multiple unit building

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Consideration

Back 10

In a contract, an exchange of something of value between the parties

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Contract

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An agreement between two or more parties which is enforceable at law

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Damages

Back 12

An amount of money awarded to the person injured by another's tort

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Deductible

Back 13

The specific dollar amount or percentage of the insured value to be borne by the insured before he is entitled to recovery from the insurer

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Disability

Back 14

When used in accident and sickness insurance, a physical or mental inability to work

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Dwelling

Back 15

The building occupied as a private residence

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Endorsement

Back 16

Acknowledges a change in the terms of the contract

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Ethics

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Relating to moral character. Conforming to professional standards of ethics

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Exclusion

Back 18

Provision specifying the situations, occurrences or persons not covered by the policy

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Fiduciary

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One who manages money or property for another

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Fire

Back 20

The loss of property due to ignition or burning

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Floater

Back 21

Insurance document used to provide coverage for property having a high degree of mobility

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Forthwith

Back 22

Without delay. The words "forthwith" and immediately convey the same meaning

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Fraud

Back 23

A deliberate attempt to deceive, with a view to securing some profit

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Friendly Fire

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Fire confined to the place it is supposed to be

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Hazard

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A condition which may cause a peril to occur

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Hold Harmless

Back 26

A contractual agreement whereby one party assumes legal responsibility for the acts of another

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Hostile Fire

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One which becomes uncontrollable or breaks out from where it is intended to be and become a hostile element

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Indemnity

Back 28

Insurance principle which aims at ensuring the victim of a loss receives the actual amount of the loss, no more and no less

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Insurance Interest

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People have an insurable interest when they are able to show that they would suffer financially from a loss; a requirement of insurance contracts

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Insurance

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The undertaking by one person to indemnify another person against loss or liability for loss in respect of a certain risk or peril to which the object of insurance may be exposed... or to pay a sum of money or other thing of value upon happening of a certain event

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Loading

Back 31

The rate over and above the fire rate which is charged by the insurer to provide additional policy coverages

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Material Fact

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A fact which, if the insurer knew about it, would cause it to decline the insurance altogether, or charge a higher premium for accepting it

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Minimum Retained Premium

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The minimum amount of premium an insurer will retain in the event the policy is cancelled prior to its expiry

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Negligence

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Failure to use that degree of care which an ordinary person of reasonable prudence would use under the given circumstances

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Partial Loss

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A loss under an insurance policy which does not either completely destroy or render worthless the insured property, or which does not exhaust the insurance limits supplying thereto

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Payee

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One to whom insurance monies are payable on the event of a loss to insured property

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Peril

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The cause of loss

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Premises

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The land contained within the lot lines

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Premium

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The money or consideration paid by the insured to the insurer for insurance protection

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Private Protection

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Refers to the things a person has done internally to prevent or reduce loss

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Property Damage

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In commercial liability insurance policies generally defined as "physical injury to tangible property, including all resulting loss of use of that property; or loss of use of tangible property that is not physically injured

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Public Protection

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Refers to the protection provided to insured property from outside sources

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Pure Risk

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Involves the chance of financial loss, with no chance of financial gain

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Rebate

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Discount or reduction in stipulated premium of policy, generally by agent or broker and intended as an enticement

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Relative

Back 45

One person connected to another by blood or affinity

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Repair

Back 46

The act of restoring a damaged structure or thing to a condition as close as possible to that in which it originally existed

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Replacement Cost

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The cost of replacing, repairing, constructing or reconstructing, whichever is the least, the property on the same site with new property of like kind and quality and for like occupancy without deduction for depreciation

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Retention

Back 48

Refers to "self insurance"; a means of generating funds from within the organization to pay for losses

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Rider

Back 49

Adds additional coverages to the existing contract

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Risk Control

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A risk management technique concerned with taking measures to reduce the frequency and severity of losses

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Risk

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The chance of financial loss to which the object of insurance may be exposed

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Robbery

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Felonious taking of property from the possession of another against his will, accomplished by means of force or fear

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Subrogation

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Refers to the lawful substitution of a third party in place of a party having a claim against another party. In insurance contracts, the insurer has the right to "step into the shoes" of the party whom it has compensated and sue any party whom the compensated party could have sued

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Theft

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The taking of property without the owners consent

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Third Party

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One who is not a party to the insuring agreement but who may have rights therein

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Tort

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A legal wrong, other than breach of contract, for which the court will provide a remedy in the form of a suit for damages

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Tortfeasor

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One who commits a tort, a wrong-doer

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Total Loss

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Complete destruction of insured property

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Underwriter

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(A) the one assuming a risk in return for the payment of a premium. (B) the person within the insurance company authorized to accept or reject applications for insurance

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Utmost Good Faith

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A requirement of insurance contracts; implies complete honesty, concealing nothing

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Valued Policy

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One in which the insured and insurer agree as to the value of property insured in advance of any loss to it, such amount to be paid in the event of a total loss of the covered property

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Void

Back 62

Having no legal force or binding effect

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Voidable

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That which is capable of being declared void

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Waive

Back 64

To voluntarily give up a right

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Waiver

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The unilateral and voluntary relinquishment of a known right

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Waiver of Coinsurance

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A clause contained in commercial property insurance policies which provides that the coinsurance penalty will not be applied in situations involving small losses even though insured may not be in compliance with coinsurance requirements, eg. Penalty waived for losses which are less than 2% of amount of insurance and less than $5000

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Warranty

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A promise that certain facts are truly as they are represented to be and that they will remain so

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Civil law

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Concerned with settling disputes between individuals or other legal entities in matters not involving a criminal act. The goal of any civil suit is to is to gain financial compensation

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Aggregate Limit

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The maximum amount paid for all valid claims during the policy term in liability insurance

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Occurrence

Back 70

An accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.

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Spread of Risk

Back 71

The losses of a few, shared among the many.

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Agreement

Back 72

In a contract, an unconditional acceptance of the terms of an offer made.

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Riot

Back 73

An act or threat of violence by one or more persons who are a part of an assembly of 3 or more persons that might give rise to damage to property or bodily injury.

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Vacant

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Referring to the circumstances where, regardless of the presence of furnishings, all occupants have moved out with no intention of returning and no new occupant has taken up residence; or, in the case of a newly constructed house, no occupant has yet taken up residence.

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Estoppel

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When the adjuster uses words that may make a client think something is covered, even when it may not be, the insurer will be estopped, which prevents them from denying that coverage.

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Surety Bonds

Back 76

An undertaking by one party (surety), to become accountable to another party (obligee) for the performance of an obligation or undertaking by a third party (principal).

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Punative Damages

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These damages are intended to punish the defendants for their actions and serve to deter others from similar behaviour in the future. These damages are not covered by liability insurance.

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Variable Sanctions

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Apply when chargeable claims occur.

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Vicarious Liability

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The indirect legal responsibility one person may have for the acts of another