Terms Used In Florida Statutes > Chapter 632 - Fraternal Benefit Societies

• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Affiliate: means any entity which exercises control over or is controlled by, the service warranty association or insurer, directly or indirectly, through:
  (a) Equity ownership of voting securities;
  (b) Common managerial control; or
  (c) Collusive participation by the management of the service warranty association or insurer or the affiliate. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• association: means any person, other than an authorized insurer, issuing service warranties. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Benefit contract: means the agreement for provision of benefits authorized by…. See Florida Statutes 632.604
• Benefit member: means an adult member who is designated by the laws or rules of the society to be a benefit member under a benefit contract. See Florida Statutes 632.604
• Certificate: means the document issued as written evidence of the benefit contract. See Florida Statutes 632.604
• Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Consumer product: means tangible property primarily used for personal, family, or household purposes. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. ^{Source: Federal Reserve}
• Gross income: means the total amount of revenue received in connection with business-related activity. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Gross written premiums: means the total amount of premiums, paid or to be paid by the consumer for the entire period of the service warranty inclusive of commissions, for which the association is obligated under service warranties issued. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Home warranty association: means any corporation or any other organization, other than an authorized insurer, issuing home warranties. See Florida Statutes 634.301
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Insurance code: means the Florida Insurance Code. See Florida Statutes 634.301
• Insurance code: means the Florida Insurance Code as defined in…. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Insurer: means any property or casualty insurer duly authorized to transact such business in this state. See Florida Statutes 634.301
• Insurer: means any property or casualty insurer duly authorized to transact such business in this state. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Laws: shall mean the society's articles of incorporation, constitution and bylaws, however designated. See Florida Statutes 632.604
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Listing period: means the period of time residential property is listed for sale with a licensed real estate broker, beginning on the date the residence is first listed for sale and ending on either the date the sale of the residence is closed, the date the residence is taken off the market, or the date the listing contract with the real estate broker expires. See Florida Statutes 634.301
• Lodge: shall mean subordinate member units of the society, known as camps, courts, councils, branches, or by any other designation. See Florida Statutes 632.604
• Manufacturer: means any entity or its affiliate which:
  (a) Derives a majority of its revenues from products manufactured, built, assembled, constructed, or produced under a product name wholly controlled by the applicant or an affiliate thereof;
  (b) Issues service warranties only for consumer products manufactured, built, assembled, constructed, or produced under a product name wholly controlled by the applicant or an affiliate thereof;
  (c) Is listed and traded on a recognized stock exchange, is listed in NASDAQ (National Association of Security Dealers Automated Quotation system) and publicly traded in the over-the-counter securities markets, is required to file either of Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, or Form 20-G with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, or whose American Depository Receipts are listed on a recognized stock exchange and publicly traded;
  (d) Has and maintains at all times, a minimum net worth of at least $100 million as evidenced by certified financial statements prepared by an independent certified public accountant in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; and
  (e) Is authorized to do business in this state. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Net assets: means total statutory assets in excess of liabilities, except that assets pledged to secure debts not reflected on the books of the service warranty association shall not be included in net assets. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: includes an individual, company, corporation, association, insurer, agent, and any other legal entity. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
• Person: includes an individual, company, corporation, association, insurer, agent, and every other legal entity. See Florida Statutes 634.301
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
• Premium: means the total amount paid by the consumer, including any charges designated as assessments or fees for membership, policy, survey, inspection, finance, service, or other charges by the association. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Premium: means the total consideration received, or to be received, by an insurer or home warranty association for or related to the issuance and delivery of any binder or warranty, including any charges designated as assessments or fees for policies, surveys, inspections, or service or any other charges. See Florida Statutes 634.301
• Premiums: means premiums, rates, dues, or other required contributions, by whatever name known, which are payable under the certificate. See Florida Statutes 632.604
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
• Rules: shall mean all rules, regulations, or resolutions adopted by the supreme governing body or board of directors which are intended to have general application to the members of the society. See Florida Statutes 632.604
• Sales representative: means any person with whom an insurer or home inspection or warranty association has a contract and who is utilized by such insurer or association for the purpose of selling or issuing home warranties. See Florida Statutes 634.301
• Sales representative: means any person, retail store, corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship utilized by an insurer or service warranty association for the purpose of selling or issuing service warranties. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Service warranty: means any warranty, guaranty, extended warranty or extended guaranty, maintenance service contract equal to or greater than 1 year in length or which does not meet the exemption in paragraph (a), ¹contract agreement, or other written promise for a specific duration to perform the repair, replacement, or maintenance of a consumer product, or for indemnification for repair, replacement, or maintenance, for operational or structural failure due to a defect in materials or workmanship, normal wear and tear, power surge, or accidental damage from handling in return for the payment of a segregated charge by the consumer; however:
  (a) Maintenance service contracts written for less than 1 year which do not contain provisions for indemnification and which do not provide a discount to the consumer for any combination of parts and labor in excess of 20 percent during the effective period of such contract, motor vehicle service agreements, transactions exempt under…. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• Society: shall mean fraternal benefit society, unless otherwise indicated. See Florida Statutes 632.604
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Warrantor: means any person engaged in the sale of service warranties and deriving not more than 50 percent of its gross income from the sale of service warranties. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• warranty: means any contract or agreement whereby a person undertakes to indemnify the warranty holder against the cost of repair or replacement, or actually furnishes repair or replacement, of any structural component or appliance of a home, necessitated by wear and tear or an inherent defect of any such structural component or appliance or necessitated by the failure of an inspection to detect the likelihood of any such loss. See Florida Statutes 634.301
• Warranty seller: means any person engaged in the sale of service warranties and deriving more than 50 percent of its gross income from the sale of service warranties. See Florida Statutes 634.401
• writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01