Glossary Terms A - D Flashcards
Accident
Unplanned, unforeseen event which occurs suddenly and at an unspecified place.
Accident Insurance
A type of insurance that protects the insured against loss due to accidental bodily injury.
Accidental bodily injury
Unplanned, unforeseen traumatic injury to the body.
Accidental death and dismemberment
An insurance policy which pays a specific amount or a specified multiple of the insurance benefit if the insured dies, loses his or her sight, or loses two limbs due to an accident.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
AIDS
An infectious and incurable disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Accidental death benefits
A policy rider that states that the cause of death will be analyzed to determine if it complies with the policy description of accidental death.
Activities of daily living
Activities individuals must do every day such as moving about, getting dressed, eating, bathing, etc.
Actual charge
The amount a physician or supplier actually bills for a particular service or supply.
Adhesion
A contract offered on a “take it or leave it” bases by the insurer, in which the insured‘s only option is to except or reject the contract. Any ambiguities in the contract will be settled in favor of the insured.
Admitted (authorized) insurer
An insurance company authorized and licensed to transact insurance in a particular state.
Adult day care
A program for impaired adults that attempts to meet their health, social, and functional needs in a setting away from their homes.
Adverse selection
A tendency of risks with higher probability of loss to purchase and maintain insurance more often than the risks who present lower probability.
Agent
An individual who is licensed to sell, negotiate, or effect insurance contracts on behalf of an insurer.
Aleatory
A contract in which participating parties exchange unequal amounts. Insurance contracts are aleatory in that the amount the insured will pay in premiums is unequal to the amount the insurer will pay in the event of a loss.
Alien insurer
An insurance company that is incorporated outside the United States.
Apparent authority
The appearance or the assumption of authority based on the actions, words, or deeds of the principle or because of circumstances the principal created.
Alzheimer’s disease
A disease that causes the victim to become dysfunctional due to degeneration of brain cells and severe memory loss.
Approved amount
The amount Medicare determines to be reasonable for a service that is covered under part B of Medicare.
Assignment
A claim to a provider or medical supplier to receive payments directly from Medicare.
Attained age
The age of the insured at a determined date.
Attending physician’s statement (APS)
A statement usually obtained from the applicant’s doctor.
Avoidance
A method of dealing with risk (for example if a person wanted to avoid the risk of being killed in an airplane crash, he or she might she was never to fly in a plane.)
Basic hospital expense insurance
Coverage that provides benefits for room, board and miscellaneous hospital expenses for a certain number of days during the hospital stay.
Basic medical expense insurance
Coverage for doctors visits, x-rays, lab tests, and emergency room visits; benefits, however, are limited to specified dollar amounts.
Beneficiary
The person who receives the proceeds from the policy when the insured dies.
Benefit Period
The length of time over which the insurance benefits will be paid for each illness, disability or hospital stay.