Definition of "Primacy"

Property, liability, or health coverage that takes precedence when more than one policy covers the same loss. In order to avoid OVER INSURANCE, or paying an insured more than the actual loss, the covering policies accept responsibility for insurance in an established order. For example, if a husband and wife cover each other as dependents in group medical insurance, the injured person's own policy assumes primacy. Therefore if the wife gave birth to a child, her policy would apply to obstetrical and hospital fees up to its limits. Only then would the husband's policy apply, covering the amount that had not been paid by his wife's policy up to the limits of his plan.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Protection against natural disasters that may strike crops. Coverage on all risks basis began in 1948 under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Premiums reflect actual ...

Maximum that an insurance company can underwrite. The limits of coverage that a property and casualty company can underwrite are determined by its retained earnings and invested capital. ...

Endowment period of time, in life insurance, at which the face amount of the policy is payable to the insured. ...

Special type of charitable remainder trust (CRT) under which a designated beneficiary (cannot be a charitable beneficiary) receives an annual fixed income. The grantor of the trust is ...

(coinsurance) plan where a portion of medical expenses are paid by an insured. Some health insurance policies provide that the insured shares expenses with the insurer according to a ...

Presentation of data that excludes the first 5 to 10 years of experience of those who purchase life insurance. A mortality table shows the number of deaths per 1000 of a group of people. ...

Violation of duty in marine insurance, such as acts of the master and crew of a ship that result in damage to the vessel including purposefully running it aground, diverting it from its ...

Factor considered in determining amount of life insurance to purchase in order that funds will be available to pay for a child's education expenses in the event of the premature death of ...

Property loss in which the insured peril is the proximate cause (an unbroken chain of events) of the damage or destruction. Most basic property insurance policies (such as the standard fire ...

Popular Insurance Questions