Life Insurance> Resources> Glossary of Terms

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Accelerated Death Benefit Coverage
that allows the insured to receive a specified portion of the death benefit due to specified life-threatening or catastrophic conditions if certain conditions are met (also known as Living Benefit)

Accidental Death Insurance
Insurance providing payment if the insured's death results from an accident.

Accidental Death Benefit Rider
A life insurance policy rider providing for payment of an additional benefit related to the face amount of the base policy when death occurs by accidental means.

Annuitant
The person during whose life a defered annuity is based, and who will receive the annuity payments after the annuity starting date.

Annuity
An annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company which guarantees that in exchange for a premium, the insurance company will pay a lifetime income to an individual called the annuitant.

Automated Payment Transfer
A method of paying premiums under which the contract owner permits the insurance company to generate checks against the contract owner's bank account. The insurer then sends these checks directly to the contract owner's bank for payment when premiums are due.

Beneficiary
Person to whom the proceeds of a life policy are payable when the insured dies. The various types of beneficiaries are: primary beneficiaries (those first entitled to proceeds); secondary beneficiaries (those entitled to proceeds if no primary beneficiary is living when the insured dies); and tertiary beneficiaries (those entitled to proceeds if no primary or secondary beneficiaries are alive when the insured dies).

Best's Insurance Report
A guide, published by A.M. Best, Inc., that rates insurers' financial integrity and managerial and operational strengths.

Billing Method
The method(s) of payment that has been offered to you, such as Credit card, Pre-Authorized Checking or billing you directly.

Cancer Insurance
A living benefit insurance that pays a lump sum to the insured when first diagnosed with cancer, in addition to paying a daily benefit while in treatment.

Claim
A request for payment under the terms of an insurance policy.

Contingent Beneficiary
Person or persons named to receive proceeds in case the original beneficiary is not alive. Also referred to as secondary or tertiary beneficiary.

Contestability Period
The period of time (generally two years) during which the life insurance company may challenge the validity of a life insurance contract. One area that may be contested is whether the applicant represented truthfully his or her health condition and history at the time of application.

Conversion Privilege
Allows the policy-owner, before an original insurance policy expires, to elect to have a new policy issued that will continue the insurance coverage. Conversion may be effected at attained age (premiums based on the age attained at time of conversion) or at original age (premiums based on age at time of original issue).

Declined
A decision by the life insurance company based upon the results of their underwriting on the case. Cases that are declined usually involve health problems that exceed the company's willingness to accept the risk. Those who have serious health problems, including those who may have been declined, should consider applying for the almost guaranteed issue term insurance or the fully guaranteed issue term insurance available from your insurance agent or broker.

Decreasing Term Insurance
Term life insurance on which the face value slowly decreases in scheduled steps from the date the policy comes into force to the date the policy expires, while the premium remains level. The intervals between decreases are usually monthly or annually.

Deductible/Elimination Period
The period of time of hospital confinement which is excluded from benefit coverage.

Double Indemnity
A provision in a life insurance policy, subject to specified conditions and exclusions, under the terms of which double the face amount of the policy is payable if the death of the insured is the result of an accident. In general, the conditions are that the insured's death occurs prior to a specified age and results from bodily injury effected solely through external, violent and accidental means independently and exclusively of all other cause, within 60 or 90 days after such injury.

Exclusions
Specified hazards listed in a policy for which benefits will not be paid.

Face Amount
Commonly used to refer to the principal sum involved in the contract. The actual death benefit may be decreased by loans or increased by additional benefits payable under specified conditions or stated in a rider.

Grace Period
Period of time after the due date of a premium during which the policy remains in force without penalty. This period is usually 30-60 days depending on the plan and state you live in.

Guaranteed Insurability (Guaranteed Issue)
Arrangement, usually provided by rider, whereby additional insurance may be purchased at various times without evidence of insurability.

Hospital Accident Plan
Guaranteed supplemental protection to help pay out-of-pocket expenses for a covered accident.

Hospital Indemnity Plan
Supplemental protection to help pay out-of-pocket hospital expenses. Pays for each day of confinement, starting the very first day for accidents and a specified day for illness.

Insurance Representative
Once you have purchased a policy, you are assigned a person who is responsible for your policies and making sure your needs are addressed.

Insured
The person whose life or health is insured under an insurance policy.

Insurer
Party that provides insurance coverage, typically through a contract of insurance. For example, in this case, life and health insurance plans are provided by Peoples Benefit Life Insurance Company.

Issue age
The age of the insured at the time the contract was issued.

Lapse
Termination of a policy upon the policy owner's failure to pay the premium within the grace period.

Level Premium
Term policies frequently come in versions of 5-year level term, 10-year level term, 15-year level term, 20-year level term, 25-year level term, and 30-year level term. The premium charged in each of these configurations remains the same, or "level," throughout the specified term. In each configuration, at the time when the policy is purchased, the insurance company sets the maximum charge for the coverage provided for the period selected. The death benefit provided also remains the same throughout the selected period.

Level Term Insurance
Term coverage on which the face value and premiums remain unchanged from the date the policy comes into force to the date the policy expires.

Medical Examination
Usually conducted by a licensed physician; the medical report is part of the application, becomes part of the policy contract and is attached to the policy. A "non-medical": is a short-form medical report filled out by an applicant. Various company rules, such as amount of insurance applied for or already in force; applicant's age, past physical history; etc., may be determined whether the examination will be "medical" or "non-medical."

Medical Information Bureau (MIB)
An organization that serves as a clearinghouse of medical information for the life insurance industry. When a person applies for life insurance, the life insurance company generally sends out the applicant's medical test results and any other collected medical information that suggests health impairment to the MIB. Access to MIB information is restricted to authorized medical, underwriting and claims personnel in life insurance companies who participate in MIB services. No member insurance company can request MIB information on a life insurance applicant without the applicant's permission. An insurance company cannot base its underwriting decision solely upon MIB supplied information.

Mortgage Insurance
A basic use for life insurance, so-called because many family heads purchase insurance specifically for paying off any mortgage balance outstanding at the time of their death. The insurance generally is made payable to the insured's beneficiary of choice.

Premium
The periodic payment required to keep an insurance policy in force. Proceeds Net amount of money payable by the company at the insured's death or at policy maturity.

Re-entry Option
An option in a renewable term life policy under which the policy-owner is guaranteed, at the end of the term, to be able to renew his or her coverage without evidence of insurability, at a premium rate specified in the policy.

Rider
Strictly speaking, a rider adds something to a policy. However, the term is used loosely to refer to any supplemental agreement attached to and made a part of the policy, whether the policy's conditions are expanded and additional coverages added, or a coverage or condition is waived.

Right to Review
Policyowners have a specified amount of days to examine their new policies at no obligations.

Standard Rating
The premium rates established for the applicant who fits the life insurance company's underwriting department's definition of normal mortality risk. Most applicants who have not had a personal or family history of serious disease or health-related problems are generally rated standard.

Suicide Clause
Policy language that says if the insured commits suicide within a specified period, usually two years after the issue date, the company's liability will be limited to a return of premiums paid.

Term Insurance
Life insurance designed to cover the insured for a specified period of time (or term). Term policies provide life insurance protection without any investment or "cash value" features which can increase the cost of the coverage -- and as such, generally offer the most protection for your premium dollars.

Underwriter
Company receiving premiums and accepting responsibility for fulfilling the policy contract.

Waiver of Premium Rider
or provision included in most life insurance policies exempting the insured from paying premiums after he or she has been disabled for a specified period of time, usually six months.

Whole Life
A policy that builds a cash value and gives protection through the policyholder's lifetime as long as premiums are paid.

Yearly Renewable Term (YRT)
A term policy that gives the policyholder the right to continue the coverage at the end of each policy year without providing evidence of insurability. The renewal right continues for a specified number of years or until the insured reaches an age specified in the policy. The premium charged each year generally increased to the annual premium charged for the insured's now-attained age.

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