Terms Used In Montana Code > Title 33 > Chapter 15 - The Insurance Contract

• Anniversary date: means the month and day that rates, rating plans, and rating systems are initially applied to a policy in effect. See Montana Code 33-15-1102
• 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.
• Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
• Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
• 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}
• Cancellation: means the decision by the insurer to terminate an insurance policy prior to the expiration of its term. See Montana Code 33-15-1102
• Classification: means an arrangement of insurance risks into an underwriting or rating group according to a classification system used by an insurer as a basis for tabulating statistical experience and determining premium rates. See Montana Code 33-15-1102
• 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.
• 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.
• Customary: means according to usage. See Montana Code 1-1-206
• 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.
• electronic delivery: means :

  (a)delivery to an electronic mail address at which a party has consented to receive notices or documents; or

  (b)(i) posting on an electronic network or site accessible by the internet through use of a mobile application, computer, mobile device, tablet, or any other electronic device; and

  (ii)sending separate notice of the posting to the electronic mail address at which the party has consented to receive notice of the posting or using any other delivery method to which the party has consented. See Montana Code 33-15-601

• 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.
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
• Insurer: means an insurer authorized to transact property or casualty insurance in this state or an unauthorized insurer transacting surplus lines insurance in this state. See Montana Code 33-15-1102
• 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.
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
• 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.
• Party: means a recipient of a notice or document required as part of an insurance transaction and includes an applicant, insured, policyholder, certificate holder, or annuity contract holder. See Montana Code 33-15-601
• Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• 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}
• Premium: means the contractual consideration charged to an insured for insurance for a specified period of time, regardless of the timing of actual charges. See Montana Code 33-15-1102
• Probate: Proving a will
• Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Montana Code 1-1-202
• Property: means real and personal property. See Montana Code 1-1-205
• Rate: means a monetary amount applied to the units of exposure assigned to a classification and used by an insurer to determine the premium for an insured. See Montana Code 33-15-1102
• Rating plan: means a rule used by an insurer to calculate:

  (a)the premium for an insured; and

  (b)the parameter values used in such calculation after application of classification premium rates to units of exposure. See Montana Code 33-15-1102

• Renewal: means an agreement between an insurer and an insured to extend or continue an existing insurance policy for 90 days or more. See Montana Code 33-15-1102
• 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.
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• 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.
• Several: means two or more. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Usual: means according to usage. See Montana Code 1-1-206
• Writing: includes printing. See Montana Code 1-1-203