Definition: Set of codes indicating the type of insurance policy. Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of potential financial loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a potential loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium and duty of care. A policy holder is an individual or an organization enters into a contract with an underwriter which stipulates that, in exchange for payment of a sum of money (a premium), one or more covered parties (insureds) is guaranteed compensation for losses resulting from certain perils under specified conditions. The underwriter analyzes the risk of loss, makes a decision as to whether the risk is insurable, and prices the premium accordingly. A policy provides benefits that indemnify or cover the cost of a loss incurred by a covered party, and may include coverage for services required to remediate a loss. An insurance policy contains pertinent facts about the policy holder, the insurance coverage, the covered parties, and the insurer. A policy may include exemptions and provisions specifying the extent to which the indemnification clause cannot be enforced for intentional tortious conduct of a covered party, e.g., whether the covered parties are jointly or severably insured.

Discussion: In contrast to programs, an insurance policy has one or more policy holders, who own the policy. The policy holder may be the covered party, a relative of the covered party, a partnership, or a corporation, e.g., an employer. A subscriber of a self-insured health insurance policy is a policy holder. A subscriber of an employer sponsored health insurance policy is holds a certificate of coverage, but is not a policy holder; the policy holder is the employer. See CoveredRoleType.

Insurance policy for injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Will also typically covered non-named parties to the policy, such as pedestrians and passengers.

Definition: An automobile insurance policy under which the insurance company will cover the cost of damages to an automobile owned by the named insured that are caused by accident or intentionally by another party.

Definition: An automobile insurance policy under which the insurance company will indemnify a loss for which another motorist is liable if that motorist is unable to pay because he or she is uninsured. Coverage under the policy applies to bodily injury damages only. Injuries to the covered party caused by a hit-and-run driver are also covered.

Definition: Set of codes indicating the type of health insurance policy that covers health services provided to covered parties. A health insurance policy is a written contract for insurance between the insurance company and the policyholder, and contains pertinent facts about the policy owner (the policy holder), the health insurance coverage, the insured subscribers and dependents, and the insurer. Health insurance is typically administered in accordance with a plan, which specifies (1) the type of health services and health conditions that will be covered under what circumstances (e.g., exclusion of a pre-existing condition, service must be deemed medically necessary; service must not be experimental; service must provided in accordance with a protocol; drug must be on a formulary; service must be prior authorized; or be a referral from a primary care provider); (2) the type and affiliation of providers (e.g., only allopathic physicians, only in network, only providers employed by an HMO); (3) financial participations required of covered parties (e.g., co-pays, coinsurance, deductibles, out-of-pocket); and (4) the manner in which services will be paid (e.g., under indemnity or fee-for-service health plans, the covered party typically pays out-of-pocket and then file a claim for reimbursement, while health plans that have contractual relationships with providers, i.e., network providers, typically do not allow the providers to bill the covered party for the cost of the service until after filing a claim with the payer and receiving reimbursement).

Definition: A health insurance policy that that covers benefits for dental services.

Definition: A health insurance policy that covers benefits for healthcare services provided for named conditions under the policy, e.g., cancer, diabetes, or HIV-AIDS.

Definition: A health insurance policy that covers benefits for prescription drugs, pharmaceuticals, and supplies.

Private insurance policy that provides coverage in addition to other policies (e.g. in addition to a Public Healthcare insurance policy).

Definition: A health insurance policy that covers healthcare benefits by protecting covered parties from medical expenses arising from health conditions, sickness, or accidental injury as well as preventive care. Health insurance policies explicitly exclude coverage for losses insured under a disability policy, workers' compensation program, liability insurance (including automobile insurance); or for medical expenses, coverage for on-site medical clinics or for limited dental or vision benefits when these are provided under a separate policy.

Discussion: Health insurance policies are offered by health insurance plans that typically reimburse providers for covered services on a fee-for-service basis, that is, a fee that is the allowable amount that a provider may charge. This is in contrast to managed care plans, which typically prepay providers a per-member/per-month amount or capitation as reimbursement for all covered services rendered. Health insurance plans include indemnity and healthcare services plans.

Insurance policy that provides for an allotment of funds replenished on a periodic (e.g. annual) basis. The use of the funds under this policy is at the discretion of the covered party.

Definition: An insurance policy that covers benefits for long-term care services people need when they no longer can care for themselves. This may be due to an accident, disability, prolonged illness or the simple process of aging. Long-term care services assist with activities of daily living including:

• Help at home with day-to-day activities, such as cooking, cleaning, bathing and dressing
• Care in the community, such as in an adult day care facility
• Supervised care provided in an assisted living facility
• Skilled care provided in a nursing home

Definition: Government mandated program providing coverage, disability income, and vocational rehabilitation for injuries sustained in the work place or in the course of employment. Employers may either self-fund the program, purchase commercial coverage, or pay a premium to a government entity that administers the program. Employees may be required to pay premiums toward the cost of coverage as well.

Managed care policies specifically exclude coverage for losses insured under a disability policy, workers' compensation program, liability insurance (including automobile insurance); or for medical expenses, coverage for on-site medical clinics or for limited dental or vision benefits when these are provided under a separate policy.

Discussion: Managed care policies are offered by managed care plans that contract with selected providers or health care organizations to provide comprehensive health care at a discount to covered parties and coordinate the financing and delivery of health care. Managed care uses medical protocols and procedures agreed on by the medical profession to be cost effective, also known as medical practice guidelines. Providers are typically reimbursed for covered services by a capitated amount on a per member per month basis that may reflect difference in the health status and level of services anticipated to be needed by the member.

Definition: A policy for a health plan that has features of both an HMO and a FFS plan. Like an HMO, a POS plan encourages the use its HMO network to maintain discounted fees with participating providers, but recognizes that sometimes covered parties want to choose their own provider. The POS plan allows a covered party to use providers who are not part of the HMO network (non-participating providers). However, there is a greater cost associated with choosing these non-network providers. A covered party will usually pay deductibles and coinsurances that are substantially higher than the payments when he or she uses a plan provider. Use of non-participating providers often requires the covered party to pay the provider directly and then to file a claim for reimbursement, like in an FFS plan.

Definition: A policy for a health plan that provides coverage for health care only through contracted or employed physicians and hospitals located in particular geographic or service areas. HMOs emphasize prevention and early detection of illness. Eligibility to enroll in an HMO is determined by where a covered party lives or works.

Definition: A network-based, managed care plan that allows a covered party to choose any health care provider. However, if care is received from a "preferred" (participating in-network) provider, there are generally higher benefit coverage and lower deductibles.

Definition: A health insurance policy that covers benefits for mental health services and prescriptions.

Definition: A health insurance policy that covers benefits for substance use services.

Definition: Set of codes for a policy that provides coverage for health care expenses arising from vision services.

A health insurance policy that covers benefits for vision care services, prescriptions, and products.

Definition: An insurance policy that provides a regular payment to compensate for income lost due to the covered party's inability to work because of illness or injury.

Definition: An insurance policy under a benefit plan run by an employer or employee organization for the purpose of providing benefits other than pension-related to employees and their families. Typically provides health-related benefits, benefits for disability, disease or unemployment, or day care and scholarship benefits, among others. An employer sponsored health policy includes coverage of health care expenses arising from sickness or accidental injury, coverage for on-site medical clinics or for dental or vision benefits, which are typically provided under a separate policy. Coverage excludes health care expenses covered by accident or disability, workers' compensation, liability or automobile insurance.

Definition: An insurance policy that covers qualified benefits under a Flexible Benefit plan such as group medical insurance, long and short term disability income insurance, group term life insurance for employees only up to $50,000 face amount, specified disease coverage such as a cancer policy, dental and/or vision insurance, hospital indemnity insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, a medical expense reimbursement plan and a dependent care reimbursement plan.

Discussion: See UnderwriterRoleTypeCode flexible benefit plan which is defined as a benefit plan that allows employees to choose from several life, health, disability, dental, and other insurance plans according to their individual needs. Also known as cafeteria plans. Authorized under Section 125 of the Revenue Act of 1978.

Definition: A policy under which the insurer agrees to pay a sum of money upon the occurrence of the covered partys death. In return, the policyholder agrees to pay a stipulated amount called a premium at regular intervals. Life insurance indemnifies the beneficiary for the loss of the insurable interest that a beneficiary has in the life of a covered party. For persons related by blood, a substantial interest established through love and affection, and for all other persons, a lawful and substantial economic interest in having the life of the insured continue. An insurable interest is required when purchasing life insurance on another person. Specific exclusions are often written into the contract to limit the liability of the insurer; for example claims resulting from suicide or relating to war, riot and civil commotion.

*Discussion:*A life insurance policy may be used by the covered party as a source of health care coverage in the case of a viatical settlement, which is the sale of a life insurance policy by the policy owner, before the policy matures. Such a sale, at a price discounted from the face amount of the policy but usually in excess of the premiums paid or current cash surrender value, provides the seller an immediate cash settlement. Generally, viatical settlements involve insured individuals with a life expectancy of less than two years. In countries without state-subsidized healthcare and high healthcare costs (e.g. United States), this is a practical way to pay extremely high health insurance premiums that severely ill people face. Some people are also familiar with life settlements, which are similar transactions but involve insureds with longer life expectancies (two to fifteen years).

Definition: A policy that, after an initial premium or premiums, pays out a sum at pre-determined intervals.

For example, a policy holder may pay $10,000, and in return receive $150 each month until he dies; or $1,000 for each of 14 years or death benefits if he dies before the full term of the annuity has elapsed.

Definition: Life insurance under which the benefit is payable only if the insured dies during a specified period. If an insured dies during that period, the beneficiary receives the death payments. If the insured survives, the policy ends and the beneficiary receives nothing.

Definition: Life insurance under which the benefit is payable upon the insuredaTMs death or diagnosis of a terminal illness. If an insured dies during that period, the beneficiary receives the death payments. If the insured survives, the policy ends and the beneficiary receives nothing

Definition: A type of insurance that covers damage to or loss of the policyholderaTMs property by providing payments for damages to property damage or the injury or death of living subjects. The terms "casualty" and "liability" insurance are often used interchangeably. Both cover the policyholder's legal liability for damages caused to other persons and/or their property.

Definition: An agreement between two or more insurance companies by which the risk of loss is proportioned. Thus the risk of loss is spread and a disproportionately large loss under a single policy does not fall on one insurance company. Acceptance by an insurer, called a reinsurer, of all or part of the risk of loss of another insurance company.

Discussion: Reinsurance is a means by which an insurance company can protect itself against the risk of losses with other insurance companies. Individuals and corporations obtain insurance policies to provide protection for various risks (hurricanes, earthquakes, lawsuits, collisions, sickness and death, etc.). Reinsurers, in turn, provide insurance to insurance companies.

For example, an HMO may purchase a reinsurance policy to protect itself from losing too much money from one insured's particularly expensive health care costs. An insurance company issuing an automobile liability policy, with a limit of $100,000 per accident may reinsure its liability in excess of $10,000. A fire insurance company which issues a large policy generally reinsures a portion of the risk with one or several other companies. Also called risk control insurance or stop-loss insurance.

Definition:

1. A risk or part of a risk for which there is no normal insurance market available.
2. Insurance written by unauthorized insurance companies. Surplus lines insurance is insurance placed with unauthorized insurance companies through licensed surplus lines agents or brokers.

Definition: A form of insurance protection that provides additional liability coverage after the limits of your underlying policy are reached. An umbrella liability policy also protects you (the insured) in many situations not covered by the usual liability policies.