Terms Used In Michigan Laws > Chapter 500 > Act 218 of 1956 > Chapter 77

• Account: means either of the 2 accounts created under section 7706. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• 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.
• 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.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Association: means the Michigan life and health insurance guaranty association created under section 7706. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• authorized: when used in the context of assessments means a resolution or motion passed by the association's board of directors that directs that an assessment be called immediately or in the future from member insurers for a specific amount. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• 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}
• Benefit plan: means a specific employee, union, or association of natural persons benefit plan. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• called: when used in the context of assessments means that a notice has been issued by the association to member insurers requiring that an authorized assessment be paid within the time frame set forth within the notice. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• Commissioner: means the director. See Michigan Laws 500.102
• 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.
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Covered policy: means a policy, contract, or certificate under a group policy or contract, or portion of a group policy or contract, for which coverage is provided under section 7704. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Director: means , unless the context clearly implies a different meaning, the director of the department. See Michigan Laws 500.102
• 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}
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Health insurance: means disability insurance as described in section 606. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• Health maintenance organization: means that term as defined in section 3501. See Michigan Laws 500.106
• Impaired insurer: means a member insurer considered by the director to be potentially unable to fulfill the insurer's contractual obligations or that is placed under an order of rehabilitation or conservation by a court of competent jurisdiction. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• in writing: shall be construed to include printing, engraving, and lithographing; except that if the written signature of a person is required by law, the signature shall be the proper handwriting of the person or, if the person is unable to write, the person's proper mark, which may be, unless otherwise expressly prohibited by law, a clear and classifiable fingerprint of the person made with ink or another substance. See Michigan Laws 8.3q
• Insolvent insurer: means a member insurer that becomes insolvent and is placed under an order of liquidation by a court of competent jurisdiction with a finding of insolvency. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• Insurer: means an individual, corporation, association, partnership, reciprocal exchange, inter-insurer, Lloyds organization, fraternal benefit society, or other legal entity, engaged or attempting to engage in the business of making insurance or surety contracts. See Michigan Laws 500.106
• 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}
• Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Member insurer: means a person authorized to transact a kind of insurance or annuity business in this state for which coverage is provided under section 7704 and includes an insurer whose certificate of authority in this state may have been suspended, revoked, not renewed, or voluntarily withdrawn. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• month: means a calendar month; the word "year" a calendar year; and the word "year" alone shall be equivalent to the words "year of our Lord". See Michigan Laws 8.3j
• 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.
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, or voluntary organization. See Michigan Laws 500.7705
• person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, as well as to individuals. See Michigan Laws 8.3l
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plan sponsor: means the following: