Chapter 12 - Life Insurance Contractual Provisions Flashcards
Name the important Life Insurance Contractual Provisions. 14
Ownership Clause Entire Contract Clause Incontestable Clause Suicide Clause Grace Period Reinstatement Clause Misstatement of Age or Sex Clause Beneficiary Designation Change-of-Plan Provision Exclusions and Restrictions Payment of Premiums Assignment Clause Policy Loan Provision Automatic Premium Loan
What rights are included under the ownership clause? 5
- Naming and changing the beneficiary
- Surrendering the policy for its cash value
- Borrowing the cash value
- Receiving Dividends
- Electing settlement options
What are the two basic purposes of the Entire-Contract Clause?
- Prevents the insurer from amending the policy without the knowledge or consent of the owner by changing its charter or bylaws
- It protects the beneficiary. A statement made in connection with the application cannot be used by the insurer to deny a claim unless the statement is a material misrepresentation and is part of the application.
What is the purpose of the Incontestable Clause?
To protect the beneficiary if the insurer tries to deny payment of the claim years after the policy was first issued.
Under what circumstances of fraud so outrageous that it overrides the Incontestable Clause? 3
- The beneficiary takes out a policy with the intent of murdering the insured.
- The applicant had someone else take the medical examination.
- An insurable interest does not exist at the inception of the policy.
Who has the burden of proof to prove suicide?
The insurer.
Which types of policies have grace periods longer than 31 days?
Universal life and other flexible-premium policies.
What is the purpose of the grace period?
To prevent the policy from lapsing by giving the policyholder additional time to pay an overdue premium.
What are the requirements that must be fulfilled to reinstate a lapsed policy?
- Evidence of insurability is required
- All overdue premiums plus interest must be paid from their respective due dates.
- Any policy loan must be repaid or reinstated, with the interest from the due date of the overdue premium.
- The policy must not have been surrendered for its cash value
- The policy must be reinstated within a certain time period, typically three to five years from the date of lapse.
What are the advantages of reinstating a lapsed policy?
- Avoid the cost of paying acquisition expenses incurred if you had instead bought a new policy.
- The incontestable period and suicide period may have expired and will not renew when reinstating a policy.
What are the disadvantages of reinstating a lapsed policy?
- A substantial cash outlay is required if the policy lapses several years earlier.
- Insurers may have reduced premiums on policies and developed new products and as a result it may be less costly to purchase a new policy despite the insured being older when the new purchase is made.
- A new policy may provide for greater flexibility in the payment of premiums.
What are the principal types of beneficiary designations?
- Primary and contingent beneficiary
- Revocable and irrevocable beneficiary
- Specific and class beneficiary
What is the issue with naming minors as beneficiaries?
If policy owner dies before the beneficiary reaches the age of majority, they do not possess the legal capacity to receive the policy proceeds directly. Companies will require a guardian to receive the proceeds on the minor’s behalf.
Why should an estate not be names as a beneficiary?
To avoid:
- Attorney’s fees and other probate expenses
- Federal estate taxes
- State inheritance taxes
- Claims to creditors.
What is the purpose of the change of policy provision?
To provide flexibility to the policyholders, such as if the original policy may not longer be appropriate if family needs and financial objectives change.
What is the purpose of the war clause?
To reduce adverse selection against the insurer when large numbers of new insured may be exposed to death during wartime.
What are three notable exclusions and restrictions found in policies?
- War Clause
- Aviation Clause
- Suicide Clause
When can you pay your life insurance premiums? 4
Annually
Semiannually
Quarterly
Monthly
Why does the policyholder need to pay interest on the policy loan?
To offset the loss of interest to the insurer.
What are the three main sources of dividends?
- The difference between the expected mortality and actual mortality
- Excess interest earnings
- The difference between expected and actual operating expenses.
What are the five most common ways policy dividends can be taken?
- Cash
- Reduction of premiums
- Dividend Accumulations
- Paid-up additions
- Term insurance
What are the three nonforfeiture options (or cash-surrender options)?
- Cash Value
- Reduced Paid-Up Insurance
- Extended term insurance
What are the five most common settlement options?
- Cash
- Interest option
- Fixed-period option
- Fixed-amount option
- Life income options
Define Absolute Assignment
When all ownership rights in the policy are transferred to a new owner.
Define Accelerated Death Benefits
A rider or benefit in a life insurance policy that allows insureds who are terminally ill or who suffer from certain catastrophic diseases to receive part or all of their life insurance benefits before they died, primarily to pay for the care they require.