Definition of "Primacy"

Ann Dempsey real estate agent

Written by

Ann Dempseyelite badge icon

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodnett Cooper Real Estate

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

Partial payment of medical service expenses required in group health insurance, in addition to the membership fee. For example, for each visit of a physician a member may be required to pay ...

Standard for insurance regulation in New York State and a model for insurance regulation elsewhere. For example, the standard fire policy was first adopted in New York State. Similarly, ...

Intense combustion resulting in a flame or glow. In order for the fire peril to be covered under property insurance, the fire must be a hostile fire, not a friendly fire. ...

Minimum standard of financial health for an insurance company, where assets exceed liabilities. State laws require insurance regulators to step in when solvency of an insurer is threatened ...

Purchasing bond investments that mature at different time intervals. ...

Accounting procedures that defer the full funding of a life insurance net level premium reserve to accommodate the policy acquisition cost in the early years of a policy. First-year policy ...

Regulation set forth by the national association of insurance commissioners (naic) to govern life insurance sales illustrations. Includes the following major provisions: POLICY OWNER must ...

System of charges to an insured that fluctuates according to the loss experience of that insured. This is a form of experience rating. ...

Contractual agreement between two parties in which they agree to exchange a stream of interest payments on either a fixed rate for a floating rate or a floating rate for a fixed rate. The ...

Popular Insurance Questions