Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes > 215 ILCS 5 - Illinois Insurance Code
Acquiring corporation: as used in this Article , means any stock insurance corporation incorporated under this Code or under prior laws of this State relating to the incorporation of domestic insurance corporations; any stock corporation incorporated under the "Business Corporation Act of 1983" or under prior laws of this State authorizing the establishment of business corporations; and any foreign or alien stock corporation qualified to do business in Illinois and registered by the corporation department; and any foreign or alien stock insurance company authorized to do business in Illinois. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/156.1
Adjusted RBC Report: means an RBC Report that has been adjusted by the Director in accordance with subsection (f) of Section 35A-10. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35A-5
Administrator: means any person, partnership or corporation, other than an insurer or health maintenance organization holding a certificate of authority under the "Health Maintenance Organization Act" as now or hereafter amended, that arranges, contracts with, or administers contracts with a provider whereby beneficiaries are provided an incentive to use the services of such provider. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/370g
Adverse underwriting decision: means : (1) any of the following actions with respect to
insurance transactions involving insurance coverage which is individually underwritten:
(a) a declination of insurance coverage, (b) a termination of insurance coverage, (c) failure of an agent to apply for insurance
coverage with a specific insurance institution which the agent represents and which is requested by an applicant,
(d) in the case of a property or casualty
insurance coverage:
(i) placement by an insurance institution or
agent of a risk with a residual market mechanism, an unauthorized insurer or an insurance institution which specializes in substandard risks, or
(ii) the charging of a higher rate on the
basis of information which differs from that which the applicant or policyholder furnished, or
Advisory Organization: means every person, other than an insurance company who as its primary functions (i) compiles insurance statistics, or (ii) prepares insurance policies, bond forms, and underwriting rules, and (iii) furnishes that which it compiles and prepares to insurance companies who are its only members and subscribers. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123A-2
affiliate: as used in this Article means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/187
Affiliated company: includes a parent entity that controls a captive insurance company and: (1) is an affiliate of another entity if the entity
directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the other entity. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
Agent: means an individual, firm, partnership, association or corporation who is involved in the solicitation, negotiation or binding of coverages for or on applications or policies of insurance, covering property or risks located in this State. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Aggregator site: means a website that provides access to information regarding insurance products from more than one insurer, including product and insurer information, for use in comparison shopping. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Allegation: something that someone says happened.
Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
Annual percentage rate: The cost of credit at a yearly rate. It is calculated in a standard way, taking the average compound interest rate over the term of the loan so borrowers can compare loans. Lenders are required by law to disclose a card account's APR. Source: FDIC
Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
Applicant: means any person who seeks to contract for insurance coverage other than a person seeking group insurance that is not individually underwritten. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Appraisal: A determination of property value.
Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
Assets: means all assets or property, whether real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, and any right or interest therein, including all rights under contracts and other agreements. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35B-10
Association: means any entity meeting the requirements set forth in either of the following paragraphs (1), (2) or (3): (1) any organized association of individuals, legal
representatives, corporations (whether for profit or not for profit), partnerships, trusts, associations, units of government or other organizations, or any combination of the foregoing, that has been in continuous existence for at least one year, the member organizations of which collectively:
(a) own, control, or hold with power to vote
(directly or indirectly) all of the outstanding voting securities of an association captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer; or
(b) have complete voting control (directly or
indirectly) over an association captive insurance company organized as a mutual insurer;
(2) any organized association of individuals, legal
representatives, corporations (whether for profit or not for profit), partnerships, trusts, associations, units of government or other organizations, or any combination of the foregoing:
(a) whose member organizations are engaged in
businesses or activities similar or related with respect to the liability of which such members are exposed by virtue of any related, similar, or common business, trade, product, services, premises, or operations; and
(b) whose member organizations: (i) directly or indirectly own or control,
and hold with power to vote, at least 80% of all of the outstanding voting securities of an association captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer; or
(ii) directly or indirectly have at least 80%
of the voting control over an association captive insurance company organized as a mutual insurer; or
(3) any risk retention group, as defined in
subsection (11) of Section 123B-2, domiciled in this State and organized under this Article; however, beginning 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1995, a risk retention group shall no longer qualify as an association under this Article. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Association captive insurance company: means any company that insures risks of (i) the member organizations of an association, and (ii) their affiliated companies. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
Banking association: means any Illinois corporation, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, which functions as a professional or trade association of dues-paying member commercial banks. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1102
Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
Beneficiary: means an individual entitled to reimbursement for expenses of or the discount of provider fees for health care services under a program where the beneficiary has an incentive to utilize the services of a provider which has entered into an agreement or arrangement with an administrator. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/370g
Bequest: Property gifted by will.
Blanket travel insurance: means a policy of travel insurance issued to any eligible group providing coverage for specific classes of persons defined in the policy with coverage provided to all members of the eligible group without a separate charge to individual members of the eligible group. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Capital: means the capital stock component of statutory surplus, as defined in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual, version effective January 1, 2001, and subsequent revisions. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35B-10
Captive insurance company: means any pure captive insurance company, association captive insurance company or industrial insured captive insurance company organized under the provisions of this Article. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
Civil forfeiture: The loss of ownership of property used to conduct illegal activity.
Commercial Building: means any building, other than a residence, permanently affixed to realty located in Illinois, including basements, footings, foundations, septic systems and underground pipes directly servicing the building, but does not include sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, living units, land, trees, plants, crops or agricultural field drainage tile. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/802.1
Commodity contract: means : (1) a contract for the purchase or sale of a
commodity for future delivery on, or subject to the rules of, a board of trade or contract market under the federal Commodity Exchange Act or a board of trade outside the United States;
(2) an agreement that is subject to regulation
under Section 19 of the federal Commodity Exchange Act and that is commonly known to the commodities trade as a margin account, margin contract, leverage account, or leverage contract;
(3) an agreement or transaction that is subject
to regulation under Section 4c(b) of the federal Commodity Exchange Act and that is commonly known to the commodities trade as a commodity option;
(4) any combination of the agreements or
transactions referred to in this paragraph (a); or
Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
Community Reinvestment Act: The Act is intended to encourage depository institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they operate, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. It was enacted by the Congress in 1977. Source: OCC
company: as used in this Article includes all of the corporations, associations, societies, orders, firms, companies, partnerships, and individuals specified in subsections (1), (4), and (5) of this Section and agents, managing general agents, brokers, premium finance companies, insurance holding companies, and all other non-risk bearing entities or persons engaged in any aspect of the business of insurance on behalf of an insurer against which a receivership proceeding has been or is being filed under this Article, including, but not limited to, entities or persons that provide management, administrative, accounting, data processing, marketing, underwriting, claims handling, or any other similar services to that insurer, whether or not those entities are licensed to engage in the business of insurance in Illinois, if the entity or person is an affiliate of that insurer. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/187
Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
Completed operations liability: means liability arising out of the installation, maintenance, or repair of any product at a site which is not owned or controlled by: (a) any person who performs that work; or (b) any person who hires an independent contractor to
perform that work; but shall include liability for activities which are completed or abandoned before the date of the occurrence giving rise to the liability. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123B-2
Consumer report: means any written, oral or other communication of information bearing on a natural person's credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics or mode of living which is used or expected to be used in connection with an insurance transaction. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Consumer reporting agency: means any person who: (1) regularly engages, in whole or in part, in the
practice of assembling or preparing consumer reports for a monetary fee,
(2) obtains information primarily from sources other
Contingency reserve fund: means a separate fund maintained for payment of claims in excess of the pool retention fund amount. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1102
Contingent beneficiary: Receiver of property or benefits if the first named beneficiary fails to receive any or all of the property or benefits in question before his (her) death.
Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
Control: means the power to direct, or cause the direction of, the management and policies of an entity, other than the power that results from an official position with or corporate office held in the entity. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Controlled unaffiliated business: means an entity: (1) that is not an affiliate; (2) that has an existing contractual relationship
with an affiliate under which the affiliate bears a potential financial loss; and
Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
Corrective Order: means an order issued by the Director in accordance with Article XII 1/2 specifying corrective actions that the Director determines are required. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35A-5
Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
court: shall mean the court before which the conservation, rehabilitation, or liquidation proceeding of the company is pending, or the judge presiding in such proceedings. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/187
Court reporter: A person who makes a word-for-word record of what is said in court and produces a transcript of the proceedings upon request.
Coverage grant: means the document describing specific coverages and terms of coverage which are provided by a risk retention trust created under this Article. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1102
Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
Decedent: A deceased person.
Declination of insurance coverage: means a denial, in whole or in part, by an insurance institution or agent of requested insurance coverage. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
division: means the act by operation of law by which a domestic stock company divides into 2 or more resulting companies in accordance with a plan of division and this Article; "Dividing company" means a domestic stock company that approves a plan of division pursuant to Section 35B-20; "Domestic stock company" means a domestic stock company transacting or being organized to transact any of the kinds of insurance business enumerated in Section 4. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35B-10
Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
electrical equipment: as used in this Division 37 means conductors and other equipment installed for the utilization of electricity for light, heat, or power. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-37-1
Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) Source: OCC
Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. Source: OCC
Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: A government corporation that insures the deposits of all national and state banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System. Source: OCC
Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. Source: OCC
Fixed Rate: Having a "fixed" rate means that the APR doesn't change based on fluctuations of some external rate (such as the "Prime Rate"). In other words, a fixed rate is a rate that is not a variable rate. A fixed APR can change over time, in several circumstances:
You are late making a payment or commit some other default, triggering an increase to a penalty rate
The bank changes the terms of your account and you do not reject the change.
The rate expires (if the rate was fixed for only a certain period of time).
Forbearance: A means of handling a delinquent loan. A
Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
Foreign judgment: means any judgment or order relating to fraudulent claims practices, false and deceptive advertising, unfair methods of transacting business, or payment of taxes, of a court located in a "reciprocal state" including a court of the United States located therein, against any insurer incorporated or authorized to do business in this State. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/121-13
Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. Source: OCC
Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
Fulfillment materials: means documentation sent to the purchaser of a travel protection plan confirming the purchase and providing the travel protection plan's coverage and assistance details. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance.
governmental reciprocal: shall mean a reciprocal in which all subscribers are governmental entities, including, but not limited to, federal, State, territorial, commonwealth, and local governments and agencies, subdivisions, departments, joint ventures, partnerships, and consortia of these governments. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/61
Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. Source: Federal Reserve
Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. Source: OCC
Hazardous financial condition: means that, based on its present or reasonably anticipated financial condition, a risk retention group, although not yet financially impaired or insolvent, is unlikely to be able: (a) to meet obligations to policyholders with respect
to known claims and reasonably anticipated claims; or
(b) to pay other obligations in the normal course of
Health care services: means health care services or products rendered or sold by a provider within the scope of the provider's license or legal authorization. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/370g
Health organization: means an entity operating under a certificate of authority issued pursuant to the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Dental Service Plan Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, or the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, unless the entity is otherwise defined as a "life, health, or life and health insurer" pursuant to this Act. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35A-5
Heretofore: means any time previous to the day on which the statute takes effect; and the word "hereafter" at any time after such day. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.17
Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
Individual: means any natural person who: (1) in the case of property or casualty insurance, is
a past, present or proposed named insured or certificateholder;
(2) in the case of life, health or disability
insurance, is a past, present or proposed principal insured or certificateholder;
(3) is a past, present or proposed policyowner; (4) is a past or present applicant; (5) is a past or present claimant; or (6) derived, derives or is proposed to derive
Industrial insured: means an insured which (together with its affiliates) at the time of its initial procurement of insurance from an industrial insured captive insurance company: (1) has available to it advice with respect to the
purchase of insurance through the use of the services of a full-time employee acting as an insurance manager or buyer or the services of a regularly and continuously retained qualified insurance consultant; and
(2) pays aggregate annual premiums in excess of
$100,000 for insurance on all risks except for life, accident and health; and
(3) either (i) has at least 25 full-time employees,
Industrial insured captive insurance company: means any company that insures risks of industrial insureds that are members of the industrial insured group, and their affiliated companies. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Industrial insured group: means any group of industrial insureds that collectively: (1) directly or indirectly (including ownership or
control through a company which is wholly owned by such group of industrial insureds) own or control, and hold with power to vote, all of the outstanding voting securities of an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer; or
(2) directly or indirectly (including control through
a company which is wholly owned by such group of industrial insureds) have complete voting control over an industrial insured captive insurance company organized as a mutual insurer; provided, however, that no member organization may (i) own, control, or hold with power to vote in excess of 25% of the voting securities of an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer, or (ii) have more than 25% of the voting control of an industrial insured captive insurance company organized as a mutual insurer. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
Institutional source: means any person or governmental entity that provides information about an individual to an agent, insurance institution or insurance-support organization, other than: (1) an agent, (2) the individual who is the subject of the
information, or
(3) a natural person acting in a personal capacity
Insurance: means primary insurance, excess insurance, reinsurance, surplus lines insurance, and any other arrangement for shifting and distributing risk which is determined to be insurance under the laws of Illinois. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123B-2
Insurance institution: means any corporation, association, partnership, reciprocal exchange, inter-insurer, Lloyd's insurer, fraternal benefit society or other person engaged in the business of insurance, health maintenance organizations as defined in § 2 of the Health Maintenance Organization Act, voluntary health services plans as defined in § 2 of the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and dental service plans as defined in § 4 of the Dental Service Plan Act. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Insurance transaction: means any transaction involving insurance primarily for personal, family or household needs rather than business or professional needs which entails: (1) the determination of an individual's eligibility
Insurance-support organization: means : (1) any person who regularly engages, in whole or in
part, in the practice of assembling or collecting information about natural persons for the primary purpose of providing the information to an insurance institution or agent for insurance transactions, including:
(a) the furnishing of consumer reports or
investigative consumer reports to an insurance institution or agent for use in connection with an insurance transaction, or
(b) the collection of personal information from
insurance institutions, agents or other insurance-support organizations for the purpose of detecting or preventing fraud, material misrepresentation or material nondisclosure in connection with insurance underwriting or insurance claim activity. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
insured: as used in this article , shall not be construed as preventing a person other than the insured with a proper insurable interest from making application for and owning a policy covering the insured or from being entitled under such a policy to any indemnities, benefits and rights provided therein. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/357.28
Insured: means an individual entitled to reimbursement for expenses of health care services under a policy or subscriber contract issued or administered by an insurer. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/370g
Insurer: means an insurance company or a health service corporation authorized in this State to issue policies or subscriber contracts which reimburse for expenses of health care services. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/370g
insurer: as used in this Article includes all corporations, associations, partnerships and individuals, engaged as principals in the business of insurance and also includes interinsurance exchanges and mutual benefit societies. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/121-3
Insurers: means insurance companies and reciprocals licensed and authorized to write Class 3 policies of insurance, as defined in this Code, within Illinois. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/802.1
Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. Source: OCC
Intergovernmental cooperative: means an intergovernmental cooperative organized pursuant to Article VII, Section 10 of the Illinois Constitution and Section 6 of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/802.1
Interrogatories: Written questions asked by one party of an opposing party, who must answer them in writing under oath; a discovery device in a lawsuit.
Investigative consumer report: means a consumer report or portion thereof in which information about a natural person's character, general reputation, personal characteristics or mode of living is obtained through personal interviews with the person's neighbors, friends, associates, acquaintances or others who may have knowledge concerning such items of information. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants.
Judgement: The official decision of a court finally determining the respective rights and claims of the parties to a suit.
Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
Legacy: A gift of property made by will.
Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
Liability: means a liability or obligation of any kind, character, or description, whether known or unknown, absolute or contingent, accrued or unaccrued, disputed or undisputed, liquidated or unliquidated, secured or unsecured, joint or several, due or to become due, determined, determinable, or otherwise. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35B-10
Liability: means : (a) legal liability for damages (including costs of
defense, legal costs and fees, and other claims expenses) because of injuries to other persons, damage to their property, or other damage or loss to such other persons resulting from or arising out of:
(i) any business (whether for profit or not for
profit), trade, product, services (including professional services), premises, or operations; or
(ii) any activity of any state or local
government, or any agency or political subdivision thereof; but
(b) does not include personal risk liability and an
Licensed service company: means an entity licensed under § 464a of the Illinois Insurance Code to perform claims adjusting, loss control and data processing. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1102
Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
Limited lines travel insurance producer: means one of the following: (1) a licensed managing general agent or
Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
Living Unit: shall mean that physical portion designated for separate ownership or occupancy for residential purposes, of a building or group of buildings, permanently affixed to realty located in Illinois, having elements which are owned or used in common, including a condominium unit, a cooperative unit or any other similar unit. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/802.1
Medical professional: means any person licensed or certified to provide health care services to natural persons, including but not limited to, a physician, dentist, nurse, optometrist, chiropractor, naprapath, pharmacist, physical or occupational therapist, psychiatric social worker, speech therapist, clinical dietitian or clinical psychologist. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Medical-care institution: means any facility or institution that is licensed to provide health care services to natural persons, including but not limited to: hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home-health agencies, medical clinics, rehabilitation agencies and public-health agencies and health-maintenance organizations. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Medical-record information: means personal information which: (1) relates to an individual's physical or mental
condition, medical history or medical treatment, and
Member: means an insurance company who participates in or is entitled to participate in the management of an advisory organization. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123A-2
Member organization: means any individual, legal representative, corporation (whether for profit or not for profit), partnership, association, unit of government, trust or other organization that belongs to an association or an industrial insured group. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Mine Subsidence: means lateral or vertical ground movement caused by a failure initiated at the mine level, of man-made underground mines, including, but not limited to coal mines, clay mines, limestone mines, and fluorspar mines that directly damages residences or commercial buildings. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/802.1
Month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" a calendar year unless otherwise expressed; and the word "year" alone, is equivalent to the expression "year of our Lord. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.10
Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
Mortgage loan: A loan made by a lender to a borrower for the financing of real property. Source: OCC
Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
Municipalities: has the meaning established in Section 1 of Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.27
National Bank: A bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department. A national bank can be recognized because it must have "national" or "national association" in its name. Source: OCC
Negative trend: means , with respect to a life, health, or life and health insurer or a fraternal benefit society, a negative trend over a period of time, as determined in accordance with the trend test calculation included in the Life or Fraternal RBC Instructions. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35A-5
Netting agreement: as used in this Article , means (a) a contract or agreement (including terms and conditions incorporated by reference therein), including a master agreement (which master agreement, together with all schedules, confirmations, definitions, and addenda thereto and transactions under any thereof, shall be treated as one netting agreement), that documents one or more transactions between the parties to the agreement for or involving one or more qualified financial contracts and that provides for the netting, liquidation, setoff, termination, acceleration, or close out under or in connection with one or more qualified financial contracts or present or future payment or delivery obligations or payment or delivery entitlements thereunder (including liquidation or close-out values relating to such obligations or entitlements) among the parties to the netting agreement; (b) any master agreement or bridge agreement for one or more master agreements described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (8); or (c) any security agreement or arrangement or other credit enhancement or guarantee or reimbursement obligation related to any contract or agreement described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection (8); provided that any contract or agreement described in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this subsection (8) relating to agreements or transactions that are not qualified financial contracts shall be deemed to be a netting agreement only with respect to those agreements or transactions that are qualified financial contracts. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/187
New company: means a domestic stock company that is created by a division occurring on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35B-10
Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
Nonprofit organizations: means organizations described in paragraph (3) of subsection (c), and exempt from taxation under subsection (a), of Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123D-5
Nonprofit risk organization: means a nonprofit company organized to do business solely with nonprofit organizations as a qualified charitable risk pool under subsection (n) of Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code that is organized in accordance with this Article. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123D-5
Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
oath: shall be deemed to include an affirmation, and the word "sworn" shall be construed to include the word "affirmed. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.12
Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
Offering and disseminating: means the following: (1) Providing information to a prospective or
current policyholder on behalf of a limited lines travel insurance entity, including brochures, buyer guides, descriptions of coverage, and price. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
Parent: means a corporation, partnership, individual or other legal entity that directly or indirectly owns, controls, or holds with power to vote more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of a company. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Person: shall mean any individual, partnership, association, corporation, society, order, firm, company, aggregation of individuals, reciprocal exchange, inter-insurer, Lloyds insurer, fraternal benefit society, and any other legal entity to which any article of this Code is applicable, or which is subject to examination, visitation or supervision by the Director under any provision of this Code or under any law of this State, or which is engaged or engaging in or proposing or attempting to engage in or is representing that it is doing an insurance or surety business in this State, or which is in process of organization for the purpose of doing such business, including agents, brokers, adjusters and solicitors. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/422
Person under legal disability: means a person 18 years or older who (a) because of mental deterioration or physical incapacity is not fully able to manage his or her person or estate, or (b) is a person with mental illness or is a person with developmental disabilities and who because of his or her mental illness or developmental disability is not fully able to manage his or her person or estate, or (c) because of gambling, idleness, debauchery or excessive use of intoxicants or drugs, so spends or wastes his or her estate as to expose himself or herself or his or her family to want or suffering. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.06
Personal information: includes an individual's name and address and "medical-record information" but does not include "privileged information". See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Personal property: All property that is not real property.
Personal risk liability: means liability for damage because of injury to any person, damage to property, or other loss or damage resulting from any personal, familial, or household responsibilities or activities, rather than from responsibilities or activities referred to in paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of this Section; (8) "Plan of operation or a feasibility study" means an analysis which presents the expected activities and results of a risk retention group including, at a minimum: (a) information sufficient to verify that its members
are engaged in businesses or activities similar or related with respect to the liability to which such members are exposed by virtue of any related, similar, or common business, trade, product, services, premises or operations;
(b) for each state in which it intends to operate,
the coverages, deductibles, coverage limits, rates, and rating classification systems for each line of insurance the group intends to offer;
(c) historical and expected loss experience of the
proposed members and national experience of similar exposures to the extent this experience is reasonably available;
(d) pro forma financial statements and projections; (e) appropriate opinions by a qualified, independent
casualty actuary, including a determination of minimum premium or participation levels required to commence operations and to prevent a hazardous financial condition;
(f) identification of management, underwriting and
risk retention group has obtained, or sought to obtain, a charter and license and a description of its status in each such state; and
(g) such other matters as may be prescribed by the
commissioner of the state in which the group is chartered for liability insurance companies authorized by the insurance laws of such state. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123B-2
Petty offense: A federal misdemeanor punishable by six months or less in prison. Source: U.S. Courts
Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
policies: means any contract or contracts of insurance providing the coverage of the Standard Fire Policy and Extended Coverage Endorsement on any residence, living unit or commercial building. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/802.1
Policyholder: means any person who: (1) in the case of individual property or casualty
insurance, is a present named insured;
(2) in the case of individual life, health or
disability insurance, is a present policyowner; or
Pool retention fund: means a separate fund maintained for payment of first dollar claims, up to a specific amount per claim ("specific retention") and up to an aggregate amount for a 12-month period ("aggregate retention"). See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1102
Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
premiums: means the gross amount charged to policyholders for the mine subsidence insurance made available under this Article. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/802.1
Pretext interview: means an interview whereby a person, in an attempt to obtain information about a natural person, performs one or more of the following acts: (1) pretends to be someone he or she is not, (2) pretends to represent a person he or she is not
in fact representing,
(3) misrepresents the true purpose of the interview,
Privileged information: means any individually identifiable information that: (1) relates to a claim for insurance benefits or a civil or criminal proceeding involving an individual, and (2) is collected in connection with or in reasonable anticipation of a claim for insurance benefits or civil or criminal proceeding involving an individual; provided, however, information otherwise meeting the requirements of this subsection shall nevertheless be considered "personal information" under this Article if it is disclosed in violation of Section 1014 of this Article. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
Product liability: means liability for damages because of any personal injury, death, emotional harm, consequential economic damage, or property damage (including damages resulting from the loss of use of property) arising out of the manufacture, design, importation, distribution, packaging, labeling, lease, or sale of a product, but does not include the liability of any person for those damages if the product involved was in the possession of such a person when the incident giving rise to the claim occurred. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123B-2
Property and casualty insurer: means an insurance company that has authority to transact the kinds of insurance in either or both Class 2 or Class 3 of Section 4 or a licensed insurer writing only insurance authorized under clause (c) of Class 1, but does not include monoline mortgage guaranty insurers, financial guaranty insurers, and title insurers. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35A-5
Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
Purchasing group: means any group which: (a) has as one of its purposes the purchase of
liability insurance on a group basis;
(b) purchases such insurance only for its group
members and only to cover their similar or related liability exposure, as described in paragraph (c) of this subsection (10);
(c) is composed of members whose businesses or
activities are similar or related with respect to the liability to which members are exposed by virtue of any related, similar, or common business, trade, product, services, premises, or operations; and
Qualified financial contract: means any commodity contract, forward contract, repurchase agreement, securities contract, swap agreement, or any similar agreement that the Director determines by regulation, resolution, or order to be a qualified financial contract for the purposes of this Act. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/187
Qualified independent actuary: means a person that is either: (1) a member in good standing with the Casualty
Actuarial Society; or
(2) a member in good standing with the American
Academy of Actuaries who has been approved as qualified for signing casualty loss reserve opinions by the Casualty Practice Council of the American Academy of Actuaries. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
RBC Instructions: means the RBC Report including risk-based capital instructions adopted by the NAIC as those instructions may be amended by the NAIC from time to time in accordance with the procedures adopted by the NAIC. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35A-5
Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. Source: FDIC
Redlining: The alleged practice of certain lending institutions of not making mortgage, home improvement, and small business loans in certain neighborhoods-usually areas that are deteriorating or considered by the lender to be poor investments. Source: OCC
Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
reorganize: means reorganize, reincorporate, or domesticate as an Illinois insurer; "reorganization" means reorganization, reincorporation, or domestication as an Illinois insurer; "reorganized company" means any company that has availed itself of the provisions of this Article, and the reorganization of which has been effected as in this Article provided; and "similar domestic company" means, in the case of an application for reorganization as a domestic captive insurance company, a domestic captive insurance company organized under Article VIIC. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/180
Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
Residence: means a building used principally for residential purposes up to and including a four family dwelling, permanently affixed to realty located in Illinois, including appurtenant structures, driveways, sidewalks, basements, footings, foundations, septic systems and underground pipes directly servicing the dwelling or building, but does not include living units, land, trees, plants, crops or agricultural field drainage tile. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/802.1
Residual market mechanism: means an association, organization or other entity described in Article XXXIII of this Act, or Section 7-501 of The Illinois Vehicle Code. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
Revised RBC Plan: means an RBC Plan rejected by the Director and revised by the insurer with or without the Director's recommendations. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35A-5
Risk retention group: means any corporation or other limited liability association: (a) whose primary activity consists of assuming and
spreading all, or any portion, of the liability exposure of its group members;
(b) which is organized for the primary purpose of
conducting the activity described under paragraph (a) of this subsection (11);
(c) which: (i) is organized and licensed as a liability
insurance company and authorized to engage in the business of insurance under the laws of any state; or
(ii) before January 1, 1985 was organized or
licensed and authorized to engage in the business of insurance under the laws of Bermuda or the Cayman Islands and, before such date, had certified to the insurance commissioner of at least one state that it satisfied the capitalization requirements of such state, except that any such group shall be considered to be a risk retention group only if it has been engaged in business continuously since such date and only for the purposes of continuing to provide insurance to cover product liability or completed operations liability (as such terms were defined in the Product Liability Risk Retention Act of 1981 before the date of the enactment of the Risk Retention Act of 1986);
(d) which does not exclude any person from membership
in the group solely to provide for members of such a group a competitive advantage over such a person;
(e) which: (i) has as its owners (directly or indirectly)
only persons who comprise the membership of the risk retention group and who are provided insurance by such group; or
(ii) has as its sole owner (directly or
indirectly) an organization which:
(I) has as its members only persons who
comprise the membership of the risk retention group; and
(II) has as its owners only persons who
comprise the membership of the risk retention group and who are provided insurance by such group;
(f) whose members are engaged in businesses or
activities similar or related with respect to the liability of which such members are exposed by virtue of any related, similar, or common business, trade, product, services, premises, or operations;
(g) whose activities do not include the provision of
insurance other than:
(i) liability insurance for assuming and
spreading all or any portion of the liability of its group members; and
(ii) reinsurance with respect to the liability of
any other risk retention group (or any members of such other group) which is engaged in businesses or activities so that such group or member meets the requirement described in paragraph (f) of this subsection (11) for membership in the risk retention group which provides such reinsurance; and
Sequester: To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.
Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
Shareholder: means the person in whose name shares are registered in the records of a corporation or the beneficial owner of shares to the extent of the rights granted by a nominee certificate on file with a corporation. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35B-10
Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
Surplus: means total statutory surplus less capital, calculated in accordance with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual, version effective January 1, 2001, and subsequent revisions. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35B-10
Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
Total adjusted capital: means the sum of (1) an insurer's statutory capital and surplus and (2) any other items that the RBC Instructions may provide. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35A-5
Transfer: includes an assignment, assumption, conveyance, sale, lease, encumbrance, including a mortgage or security interest, gift, or transfer by operation of law. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/35B-10
Travel administrator: means a person who directly or indirectly underwrites, collects charges, collateral, or premiums from, or adjusts or settles claims on residents of this State in connection with travel insurance, except that a person shall not be considered a travel administrator if that person's only actions that would otherwise cause the person to be considered a travel administrator are among the following: (1) a person working for a travel administrator to
the extent that the person's activities are subject to the supervision and control of the travel administrator;
(2) an insurance producer selling insurance or
engaged in administrative and claims-related activities within the scope of the producer's license;
(3) a travel retailer offering and disseminating
travel insurance and registered under the license of a limited lines travel insurance producer in accordance with Section 1635;
(4) an individual adjusting or settling claims in
the normal course of that individual's practice or employment as an attorney-at-law and who does not collect charges or premiums in connection with insurance coverage; or
(5) a business entity that is affiliated with a
licensed insurer while acting as a travel administrator for the direct and assumed insurance business of an affiliated insurer. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Travel assistance services: include , but are not limited to: security advisories; destination information; vaccination and immunization information services; travel reservation services; entertainment; activity and event planning; translation assistance; emergency messaging; international legal and medical referrals; medical case monitoring; coordination of transportation arrangements; emergency cash transfer assistance; medical prescription replacement assistance; passport and travel document replacement assistance; lost luggage assistance; concierge services; and any other service that is furnished in connection with planned travel. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Travel insurance: means insurance coverage for personal risks incident to planned travel, including, but not limited to: (1) the interruption or cancellation of a trip or
event;
(2) the loss of baggage or personal effects; (3) damages to accommodations or rental vehicles; (4) sickness, accident, disability, or death
occurring during travel;
(5) emergency evacuation; (6) repatriation of remains; or (7) any other contractual obligations to indemnify
Travel insurance business entity: means a licensed insurance producer designated by an insurer as set forth in subsection (h) of Section 1635. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Travel protection plans: means plans that provide one or more of the following: travel insurance, travel assistance services, and cancellation fee waivers. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Travel retailer: means a business organization that makes, arranges, or offers travel services and, with respect to travel insurance, is limited to offering and disseminating as defined in this Section, unless otherwise licensed under subsection (b) of Section 1635. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1630
Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. Source: OCC
Unauthorized insurer: means an insurance institution that has not been granted a certificate of authority by the Director to transact the business of insurance in this State. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
under common control with: means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract other than a commercial contract for goods or nonmanagement services, or otherwise, unless the power is the result of an official position with or corporate office held by the person. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/1003
Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. Source: OCC
Unit of government: includes any state, regional or local government, or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any district, authority, public educational institution or school district, public corporation or other unit of government in this State or any similar unit of government in any other state. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 215 ILCS 5/123C-1
Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
Variable Rate: Having a "variable" rate means that the APR changes from time to time based on fluctuations in an external rate, normally the Prime Rate. This external rate is known as the "index." If the index changes, the variable rate normally changes. Also see Fixed Rate.
Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
Veto: The procedure established under the Constitution by which the President/Governor refuses to approve a bill or joint resolution and thus prevents its enactment into law. A regular veto occurs when the President/Governor returns the legislation to the house in which it originated. The President/Governor usually returns a vetoed bill with a message indicating his reasons for rejecting the measure. In Congress, the veto can be overridden only by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House.
Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
