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Absolute Liability.
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Liability for damages even
though fault or negligence cannot be proven.
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Additional insured.
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An assured party
specifically named under an insurance policy.
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Adjuster.
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A person who investigates
and settles losses for an insurance carrier.
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Age Limits.
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Stipulated minimum and
maximum ages below and above which the company will not
accept applications or may not renew policies.
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All-risks Policy.
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Coverage by an insurance
contract that promises to cover all losses except those
losses specifically excluded in the policy.
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Amendment.
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A formal document changing
the provisions of an insurance policy signed jointly by
the insurance company officer and the policy holder or his
authorized representative.
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Amortization.
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Paying an interest-bearing
liability by gradual reduction through a series of
installments, as opposed to one lump-sum payment.
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Liability
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Protection for the insured
against financial loss because of legal liability for
car-related injuries to others or damage to their
property.
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Automobile Physical Damage
Insurance.
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Coverage to pay for damage
to or loss of an insured automobile resulting from
collision, fire, theft, or other perils.
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Certificate of Insurance.
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A statement of coverage
issued to an individual insured under a group insurance
contract, outlining the insurance benefits and principal
provisions applicable to the member.
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Claim.
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A request for payment of a
loss which may come under the terms of an insurance
contract.
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Collision Insurance.
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Protection against loss
resulting from any damage to the policyholder's car caused
by collision with another vehicle or object, or by upset
of the insured car, whether it was the insured's fault or
not.
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Commission.
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The part of an insurance
premium paid by the insurer to an agent or broker for his
services in procuring and servicing the insurance.
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Comprehensive Insurance
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Protection against loss
resulting from damage to the insured auto, other than loss
by collision or upset.
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Compulsory Liability
Insurance.
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Insurance laws in some
states required motorists to carry at least certain
minimum auto coverages. This is called
"compulsory" insurance.
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Deductible.
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An amount which a
policyholder agrees to pay, per claim or per accident,
toward the total amount of an insured loss.
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Depreciation
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A decrease in the value of
property (Automobile) over a period of time due to wear
and tear or obsolescence. Depreciation is used to
determine the actual cash value of property (Automobile)
at time of loss.
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Exclusions
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Specific conditions or
circumstances listed in the policy for which the policy
will not provide benefit payments.
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General Damages
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Damages awarded to an
injured person for intangible loss which cannot be
measured directly by dollars. Popularly known as
"pain and suffering." General damages are
distinguished from special damages which are awarded for
actual economic loss, such as medical costs, loss of
income, etc.
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High-Risk Automobile
Insurer.
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Company that specializes in
insuring motorists who have poor driving records or have
been canceled or refused insurance.
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Indemnification.
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Compensation to the victim
of a loss, in whole or in part, by payment, repair, or
replacement.
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Lapse.
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The termination or
discontinuance of an insurance policy due to non-payment
of a premium.
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Larceny-theft.
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The unlawful taking,
carrying, leading or riding away of another person's
property.
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Liability Insurance.
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(1)Insurance covering the
policyholder's legal liability resulting from injuries to
other persons or damage to their property. (2) Provides
protection for the insured against loss arising out of
legal liability to third parties.
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No-Fault Insurance.
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(1)A type of auto insurance
mechanism whereby the right to sue another party for
damages caused by negligence is limited and, in exchange,
expanded first party benefits are offered. (2)A form of
insurance by which a person's financial losses resulting
from an automobile accident are paid by his or her own
insurer regardless of who was at fault.
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Personal Injury Protection.
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First-party no-fault
coverage in which an insurer pays, within the specified
limits, the wage loss, medical, hospital and funeral
expenses of the insured.
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Premium.
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The sum paid by a
policyholder to keep an insurance policy in force.
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Proof of Loss.
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Documentation presented to
the insurance company by the insured in support of a claim
so that the insurer can determine its liability under the
policy. For automotive insurance itemized estimates must
also be included.
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Property Damage Coverage.
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An agreement by an
insurance carrier to protect an insured against legal
liability for damage by an insured automobile to the
property of another.
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Renewal.
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Continuance of coverage
under a policy beyond its original term by the insurer's
acceptance of the premium for a new policy term.
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Standard Risk.
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A person who, according to
a company's underwriting standards, is entitled to
purchase insurance protection without extra rating or
special restrictions.
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Substandard Risk.
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A risk that cannot meet the
normal requirements of an auto insurance policy.
Protection is provided in consideration of a waiver, a
special policy form, or a higher premium charge.
Substandard risks may include those persons who are rated
because of poor driving habits.
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Underwriter.
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(a) A company that receives
the premiums and accepts responsibility for the
fulfillment of the policy contract; (b) the company
employee who decides whether or not the company should
assume a particular risk; (c) the agent who sells the
policy.
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Uninsured (Underinsured)
Motorist Coverage.
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A form of insurance that
pays the policy holder and passengers in his/her car for
bodily injury caused by the owner or operator of an
uninsured or inadequately insured automobile.
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Verbal Threshold.
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In no-fault auto insurance
states with a verbal threshold, victims are allowed to sue
in tort only if their injuries meet certain verbal
descriptions of the types of injuries that render one
eligible to recover for pain and suffering.
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Waiver.
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An agreement attached to a
policy which exempts from coverage certain disabilities or
injuries that otherwise would be covered by the policy.
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