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

Display of percentage of earned premiums as a function of the time in days for term property insurance policies originally written for one year or longer. These tables are used to compute ...

Right to sell a given security at a stipulated price until a future expiration date. For example, assume the "None-Do-Well" company's stock has a market value of $20. Investor A sells ...

Same as term Limitations: exceptions and limitations of coverage; that is, the maximum amount of insurance coverage available under a policy. ...

Requiring assets and liabilities of an insurance company to go up or down together on a proportional basis. The duration of the asset and liability should be approximately the same. For ...

Same as term Contingent Business Income Coverage Form: coverage for loss in the net earnings of a business if a supplier business, subcontractor, key customer, or manufacturer doing ...

Complete coverage for hospital and physician charges subject to deductibles and coinsurance. This coverage combines basic medical expense policy and major medical policy. ...

Extra life insurance benefit found in the family income policy, family income rider, family MAINTENANCE POLICY, and FAMILY POLICY payable to the BENEFICIARY should the insured die within a ...

Ruling that, under current tax law, an insurance company that has incurred a net income loss in a given year may charge that loss against its taxable income in a subsequent year. This ...

Same as term Employee Benefit Insurance Plan: provision by an employer for the economic and social welfare of employees. Generally include: pension plans for retirement; group life ...

Popular Insurance Questions