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

Periodic payments to an annuitant. ...

Observance of an event occurring on a repeated basis that leads one to believe that a certain probability is attached to the occurrence of that event. For example, if there are a red ball ...

State law that stipulates that goodwill as an admitted asset cannot be greater than 10% of adjusted surplus. ...

Prepaid legal insurance coverage plan sold on a group basis. Entitles a group member to a schedule of benefits, at a stipulated premium, for adoptions, probates, divorces, and other legal ...

Clause in a property insurance policy that requires the insurance coverage in that policy to be allocated in the proportion that it bears to the total insurance coverage in force from all ...

Provision in many property insurance policies that allows an insured to pick coverage for selected perils. The choices are explosion; explosion, riot and civil commotion; explosion, riot ...

Dividends paid historically, currently, and projected. ...

Type of pension plan in which the employer (if noncontributory plan) or the employer and employee (if contributory plan) make level annual premium payments to fund the future retirement ...

Trade association of surplus lines agents and insurers. ...

Popular Insurance Questions