Taxes and Field Underwriting Flashcards
Define unreimbursed medical expenses
Premiums paid by the employees that the employer or insurance plan has not reimbursed (these are tax deductible)
What percentage of a person’s adjusted gross income can a person under 65 deduct on their taxes (medical and LTC)
Any medical and dental expenses that exceed 10% of their adjusted gross income (the excess after 10% is tax deductible)
What percentage of a person’s adjusted gross income can a person over 65 deduct on their taxes (medical and LTC)
Any medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5% of their adjusted gross income (the excess after 7.5% is tax deductible)
What are some expenses that a person cannot deduct on their taxes (3)
- Funeral and burial expenses
- OTC medications
- Cosmetic
Are disability income insurance premiums paid by the insureds tax deductible
No, premiums paid by the member are not tax deductible
Are premiums paid for business continuation policies (key employee, buy-out plans) tax deductible
No, they are not tax deductible even though the employer is paying the premiums
Are premiums paid for AD&D tax deductible if paid by the employee
No, they are not tax deductible
In order to deduct LTC policies on your taxes, what must the LTC policies include (4)
- Inflation protection
- Nonforfeiture benefits
- ADLs (only pay if member needs helps with 2 or more for at least 90 days)
- Cognitive impairments (coverage begins when needed)
Can a sole proprietor or partnership deduct premiums paid for medical expenses, dental insurance and LTC policies for their selves, their spouses and their dependents?
Yes they can
What are the requirements for a sole proprietor or partnership to be able to deduct medical expenses, dental insurance and LTC policies? (they must meet at least one of the following requirements) (4)
- The person is self-employed and had a net profit for the year
- The person is a partner with net earnings from self-employmnet
- The person used an optional method in figuring net income for the year
- The person received wages in 2013 from an S corporation and that person was a 2% or greater shareholder
How much of their premiums can a sole proprietor and partnership deduct on their taxes
100% up to the amount of their earned income for the year - a tax refund cannot be created under this rule
Are HRA contributions tax deductible for the employee
No, because HRA are funded solely by the employer, the employee cannot claim these contributions in their taxes
Can employers who pay for employee premiums deduct these amounts on their taxes
Yes
When are medical and dental expense benefits taxable (what your insurance plan pays to cover you - ie car accident)
The member will be taxed on anything paid in excess of the actual costs of care (ie. medical costs for a car accident cost $100, the insurance company paid $110, the member would be taxed on that $10)
Are individual (personal) disability policies taxable? (the benefits that you receive - do you have to pay taxes on these)
No these benefits are not taxable
Under a group disability policy, where the employer contributes part of the premium, what is the employee taxed on
The employee is taxed on the benefits received due to the employer’s contribution, for example, the employee pays 40% of their premium and the employer pays 60% of the premium, then the employee gets injured an needs their disability benefits, they will be taxed on the 60% of benefits received
If a person loses their job due to a permanent and full disability, and they are still received group disability income payments, what is the insurer required to do
Withold Social Security payroll taxes for the next 6 months (they take out SS taxes for the disability income that you receive for 6 months after your employment ended)
Define a capital gains tax
If a person who is insured under a a disability buyout (buy-sell) contract and they sell their business back to the company due to the disability then they could be taxed due to the sale of the business if they were to make a profit
Are benefits received by members under accidental death benefit (including dismemberment benefits) ever taxable
No these benefits are never taxable, no matter who pays for the benefits.
Under tax-qualified long term care policies, benefits received under a reimbursement policy, which pay for actual services (ie cover the cost of your therapist) are these benefits tax free
Yes these are tax free
Under tax qualified long term care policies, are benefits from an indemnity policy, which pay a predetermined amount each day ($300) tax free?
Yes these are tax free up to a certain daily allowance, like $330. Anything in excess will be taxed
When the producer is engaging in field underwriting, what are some of his responsibilities (3)
- Interview applicants
- Screen out unacceptable risks
- Complete the application
Define underwriting
Review the application and decide whether or not to issue the policy
What does the health insurance application include (3)
- Background information
- Medical history
- Agent’s report
What is the applicant’s written request to have the insurer issue a policy
Their application, which becomes apart of the policy if approved
If there is a reason to request further information from a physician who has treated the insured, what will they include in the application
They will include an Attending Physician’s Statement (APS) in the medical history section
What is included in the agent’s report (5)
- Agent’s signature
- How long they have known the applicant
- Details about any business arrangement in connection with the insurance that they are applying for
- How premiums will be apid
- Any other significant circumstances
At the time of the application, the applicant must be given a written notice of the insurer’s practices as well as a list of what they might be disclosing, what is included in that list (6)
- The types of people with access to personal information
- The kind of information to be collected
- The kind of information the insurer can receive without prior approval
- Sources of information
- Persons to whom information may be disclosed without approval
- How long the notice is valid
Define a express warranty
The seller’s promise or guarantee that a buyer relies on when they purchase an item
Define an implied warranty
Goods must reasonably conform to an ordinary buyers expectations
Are statements in an insurance application considered representations or warranties
They are considered representations
Are representations in an insurance application considered express warranty or implied warranty
Implied warranty
If there is a misrepresentation in an application, what can the insurer do
They can refuse payment of claims and cancel the policy, as long as the misrepresentation alters what premiums would have been charged
What are 3 things that make up a fraudulent statement
- Knowingly made the statement to cause harm or achieve a gain
- The statement was relied upon by the other party
- The results harm the other party
Define a conditional receipt
Coverage will be effective either the day of the receipt or the day of any required medical exam (whichever one comes later), but only if the application is approved at standard rates
Under a conditional receipt, what if the exam indicated that the insured was a substandard risk and they were injured
Then they would not be covered and the insurer would refund their policy
Define an unconditional receipt “binding receipt”
Coverage will always be effective from the date of the receipt and will continue as long as the application is accepted, if it is rejected, then coverage will be terminated on that date
Define an approval receipt
It will not provide coverage until the applicant is approved
Will coverage be effective if the applicant does not pay their premium, pays with an unsigned check or pays with a check that bounces
It will not be effective until they pay
When is a medical exam required to issue a policy
A medical exam may be required for medical policies when the amount of coverage is above a certain figure or the application indicates medical problems may exist
What does the MIB stand for
Medical Information Bureau
What is the MIB
It is a credit reporting agency, that houses medical information about applicants
Will the MIB state if an applicant has been rejected or denied based on medical information provided
No, the insurer is allowed to see their medical history from the MIB, but they are not allowed to reject a member on these finding solely, they have to do their own investigation (the MIB will not show whether or not a person has been rejected by other insurers)
Can the MIB disclose information to an insured
No, but they disclose information to the insured’s physician
Does a consumer reporting agency reveal their sources
No