Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policy

What is policy replacement?

A new policy is issued while an existing policy is terminated or reissued with a reduction in cash value

Who is the field underwriter?

Agent/Producer

What are the four elements of an insurance contract?

Agreement (offer and acceptance), consideration, competent parties, and legal purpose

What is a warranty in an insurance contract?

An absolutely true statement upon which the validity of the insurance contract is based

When must insurable interest exist in a life insurance policy?

At the time of apllication

When must the policy summary for a life insurance policy be delivered to the policyowner?

At the time of policy delivery

When a change needs to be made on the application for instance, which is the best method for correcting the information?

Complete a new application or ask the applicant to initial the correction on the original application

Health contracts are prepared by insurers and must be accepted by the insured on an as is basis. This describes what aspect of a health insurance contract?

Contract of adhesion

At what point does coverage begin when an agent issues a conditional receipt for a life insurance policy?

Either on the date of the application or the date of the medical exam (whichever occurs last)

What two elements are necessary for a life insurance contract to have a legal purpose?

Insurable interest and consent

What do individuals use to transfer their risk of loss to a larger group?

Insurance

What entities make up the Medical Information Bureau?

Insurers

What are the three main instances when insurable interest exists in life insurance?

Insuring your own life, the life of a family member, or the life of a business partner or someone who has a financial obligation to the policy owner

What report is used to assess risk associated with health insurance applicant's lifestyle and character?

Investigative Consumer Report

What type of report provides information about the applicant's hobbies, habits and financial status?

Investigative consumer report

Insurance is a contract that protects the insured from what?

Loss

Health insurance contracts are unilateral. What does that mean?

Only one party makes a legally enforceable promise

What is adverse selection?

People who are more likely to submit insurance claims are seeking insurance more often than preferred risks

How can health insurance policies be delivered to the insured?

Personally delivered by the agent or mailed

What document describes the specific information about a policy?

Policy summary

What risk classification would typically qualify for lower premiums?

Preferred risk

What term describes the fee a person pays an insurance company to receive coverage?

Premium

If an insurer needs to obtain information about the applicant from investigators, what is the insurer required to do?

Provide the applicant a Disclosure Authorization Notice

What is the best way to handle incomplete insurance applications?

Return the application to the applicant for completion

What is the main responsibility of a company's underwriting unit?

Risk selection

If an agent fails to obtain the applicant's signature on the insurance application, what must the insurer do?

Send the application back to the applicant for signature

What are the three types of risk rating classifications in life insurance?

Standard, substandard and preferred

What law protects consumers from the circulation of inaccurate or obsolete information?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act

If an applicant does not receive a copy of the new insurance policy, who would be held responsible?

The agent

Whose responsibility is it to determine that all the question on an insurance applications are answered?

The agent's

What is the purpose of the agent's report during the application process?

The agent's report discusses the agent's personal observations about the proposed insured that may help in the underwriting process

If an applicant for life insurance policy and the potential insured are two different people, what would be the underwriter's main concern?

The existence of insurable interest between the applicant and the insured

Who must have insurable interest in the insured?

The policyowner

What is insurance underwriting?

The process of risk selection and classification

How is the information obtained for an investigative consumer report?

Through interviews with the applicant's associates, friends and neighbors

During which stage in the insurance process do insurers evaluate information that identifies adverse selection risks?

Underwriting

What is the name of the process that insurance companies use to determine whether or not an applicant is insurable?

Underwriting

In health insurance contracts, the insured is not legally bound to any particular action; the insurer is obligated to pay for losses covered by the policy. What contract elements does this describe?

Unilateral

When would a misrepresentation on an insurance application be considered fraud?

When it is intentional and material

When would misinterpretation be considered material?

When it may alter the underwriting decision

In insurance, when is the offer usually made on a contract?

When the insurance application is submitted

In forming an insurance contract, when does an acceptance usually occur?

When the insurer approves a prepaid application

When does an insurance policy go into effect?

When the policy is delivered and the premium is paid