Definition of "Surrender cost index"

Method of comparing the costs of a set of cash value life insurance policies that takes into account the time value of money. The true costs of alternative cash value policies with the same death benefit depend on a number of factors amount and timing of premiums paid, amount and timing of dividends (in the case of participating policies), time period involved, and the CASH surrender value. In evaluating a particular group of policies, a surrender cost index can be calculated using interest adjusted cost comparison. The index ranks the policies for the same period of time, say the first 20 years of the policy life, by cost per $1000 of face amount, showing the cheapest through the most expensive. In effect, the index illustrates the relative cost of acquiring a dollar's worth of each policy's cash surrender value after 20 years. Contrast with the net payments index, a ranking of policy costs using the traditional net cost method of comparison that ignores the time value of money and thus gives a less accurate picture of relative policy costs.

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

Nonparticipating life insurance under which the first few annual premiums are smaller than would be the case under a traditional nonparticipating policy. While the maximum amount of these ...

Contracts of reinsurance in which expected income from investments is a major component of the UNDERWRITING process. Also, the ultimate liability of the reinsurer is limited. The reinsurer ...

Surcharge, in retrospective rating of property and liability insurance, added to the basic premium rate charged to reflect fixed cost of adjusting or settling losses. ...

Homeowners policy to cover the owner of a townhouse. ...

Organization of trial attorneys who specialize in the representation of defendants who become subject to tort actions. Generally, these tort actions involve bodily injury or personal injury ...

Combination of coverages from property and liability policies. ...

Coverage for shippers of certain radioactive materials, such as medical or commercial isotopes, for direct loss or damage by radioactive contamination; does not cover transport of ...

Theory, named after the British economist John Maynard Keynes, that deals with current consumption at the expense of saving. This theory has important implications for life insurance ...

Title of a published set of rules, adhered to by member companies of major property and liability associations, that stipulate how losses should be adjusted when the same loss is covered by ...

Popular Insurance Questions