Catastrophe Deductible

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A percentage or dollar amount that a homeowner must pay before the insurance policy kicks in when a major natural disaster occurs. These large deductibles limit an insurer’s potential losses in such cases, allowing it to insure more property. A property insurer may not be able to buy reinsurance to protect its own bottom line … Read more

Treaty Reinsurance

A standing agreement between insurers and reinsurers. Under a treaty each party automatically accepts specific percentages of the insurer’s business. A general reinsurance agreement which is obligatory between the Ceding Company and the reinsurer containing the contractual terms applying to the reinsurance of some class or classes of business, in contrast to a reinsurance agreement covering an … Read more

Travel Insurance

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Insurance to cover problems associated with traveling, generally including trip cancellation due to illness, lost luggage and other incidents.

Total Loss

cars

The condition of an automobile or other property when damage is so extensive that repair costs would exceed the value of the vehicle or property.

Title Insurance

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Insurance that indemnifies the owner of real estate in the event that his or her clear ownership of property is challenged by the discovery of faults in the title.

Surplus Lines

Property/Casualty Insurance coverage that isn’t available from insurers licensed in the state, called admitted companies, and must be purchased from a non-admitted carrier. Examples include risks of an unusual nature that require greater flexibility in policy terms and conditions than exist in standard forms or where the highest rates allowed by state regulators are considered inadequate … Read more

Stacking

Cars

Practice that increases the money available to pay auto liability claims. In states where this practice is permitted by law, courts may allow policyholders who have several cars insured under a single policy, or multiple vehicles insured under different policies, to add up the limit of liability available for each vehicle.

Soft Market

An environment where insurance is plentiful and sold at a lower cost, also known as a buyers’ market. See Property/Casualty Insurance cycle