Definition of "Threshold level"

Minimum degree of injury or loss for which an injured party can sue, even though covered by no fault automobile insurance. Traditionally, an accident victim had to prove the other driver was at fault in order to collect damages from that driver's insurance company. Today, more than 20 states have some type of automobile no-fault law designed to eliminate long and costly legal action, and to assure quick payment for medical and hospital costs, loss of income, and other unavoidable costs stemming from automobile accidents. An injured person can collect from his or her insurance company up to the threshold level, or specified limit, no matter who is at fault. For expenses above these limits, the injured person is still allowed to sue. There are three types of thresholds: a specific dollar amount, a specific period of disability, or specified injuries such as loss of a leg.

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

Organization founded in 1993, the thesis of which is to apply quality management principles to insurance functions. To this end, the organization is involved in insurance industry-wide ...

Uneven quality of a product made by the same manufacturer. A manufacturer is responsible for producing products of similar quality, and can be held liable for those that deviate materially ...

Total amount of insurance on an insurer's books at a particular time. ...

Measure of the sensitivity of the insurance company's liability for the resultant higher expense rates than charged for in the premium. ...

Section of a policy specifying: parties to the contract (the insurance company and the person or business to be insured); terms of the policy when it goes into force, and when it ends; ...

Insured, or an applicant for insurance, with lower expectation of incurring a loss than the standard applicant. For example, an applicant for life insurance who does not smoke can usually ...

Addition to boiler and machinery insurance that covers loss to property or equipment caused by an interruption of power by a public utility. Coverage is available either on an hourly or ...

Sum total of the annual effective rate of return earned by an owner of a bond if that bond is held until its maturity date. This effective return includes the current income generated by ...

Amount established by an insurance company, but not required by state law, for any of a number of reasons, such as a reserve for payment of future dividends. A voluntary reserve is likely ...

Popular Insurance Questions