Terms Used In New York Laws > Insurance > Article 26 - Unfair Claim Settlement Practices; Other Misconduct; Discrimination

• 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.
• 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.
• Applicant: means any person obligated to pay real property taxes on the property for which an exemption from or abatement or deferral of real property tax payments is sought, or in the case of exempt property, the record owner or lessee thereof. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Applicant: means any person or corporation obligated to pay real property taxes on the property for which an exemption is sought, or in the case of exempt property, the record owner thereof, provided, however, that such property is not commercial property located in an area designated as excluded pursuant to section four hundred eighty-nine-ccc of this title;
  
  2. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAA
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Approved plans: means plans submitted to and approved by the department of buildings in connection with the applicant's building permit, including any amendments to such plans approved by such department before final inspection of the work for which such permit was issued. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Benefit period: means the period of time when a recipient is eligible to receive benefits pursuant to this title, including in the case of a recipient of a certificate of eligibility for commercial construction work in a deferral area, the period of time tax payments are to be deferred, the interim period when no tax payments are to be deferred and no deferred tax payments are required to be made, and the period of time when the deferred tax payments are to be made. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Board: means the industrial and commercial incentive board;
  
  3. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAA
• Commercial: means any non-residential property used primarily for the buying, selling or otherwise providing of goods or services, provided that the use of such property has not been designated as a restricted commercial use pursuant to section four hundred eighty-nine-ccc of this title;
  
  4. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAA
• Commercial construction work: means the construction of a new building or structure, or portion thereof, or the modernization, rehabilitation, expansion, or other improvement of an existing building or structure, or portion thereof, for use as commercial property. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Commercial property: means nonresidential property (a) on which will exist after completion of commercial construction work, a building or structure used for the buying, selling or otherwise providing of goods or services including hotel services, or for other lawful business, commercial or manufacturing activities; and (b) (i) where, except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph and paragraph (c) of this subdivision, not more than fifteen per centum of the total net square footage of any building or structure on such property was used for manufacturing activities at any one or more times during the twenty-four months immediately preceding the date of application for a certificate of eligibility or (ii) where not more than fifteen per centum of the total net square footage of any building or structure on such property was used for manufacturing activities at any one or more times during the sixty months immediately preceding the date of application for a certificate of eligibility if such property is located, in whole or in part, in the area in the borough of Manhattan lying south of the center line of 96th Street; and (c) in the commercial revitalization area, and with respect to an application for a certificate of eligibility filed on or after July first, two thousand, "commercial property" means nonresidential property on which will exist after completion of commercial construction work, a building or structure used for the buying, selling or otherwise providing of goods or services including hotel services, or for other lawful business, commercial or manufacturing activities. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Commercial revitalization area: means any area of a city having a population of one million or more, provided that in the city of New York a commercial revitalization area shall mean any district that is zoned C4, C5, C6, M1, M2, or M3 in accordance with the zoning resolution of such city in any area of such city except the area lying south of the center line of 96th Street in the borough of Manhattan. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Commission: means the temporary commercial incentive area boundary commission. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Construction: means the building of new industrial or commercial structures on vacant or predominantly vacant land, or the modernization, rehabilitation or expansion or other improvement of an existing commercial structure where such modernization, rehabilitation, expansion or other improvement is not physically or functionally integrated with the existing structure or results in additional usable square footage fifty per centum greater than the square footage of the existing structure;
  
  5. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAA
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• 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.
• Deferral area: means an area in which deferral of payment of real property taxes in accordance with subdivision four of section four hundred eighty-nine-bbbb of this title shall be available to a recipient who has performed commercial construction work. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• equalization increase or decrease: means an increase or decrease in the assessed value of property which is not attributable to construction work, fire, demolition, destruction or other change in the physical characteristics of the property (excluding gradual physical deterioration or obsolescence), or to a change in the description or boundaries of the property. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• 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.
• Excluded area: means each area specified in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subdivision five of section four hundred eighty-nine-cccc of this title. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• exemption base: shall mean , with respect to property that is the subject of a certificate of eligibility with an effective date of June thirtieth, nineteen hundred ninety-two or before: (i) for the first, second and third taxable years following the effective date of a certificate of eligibility, the assessed value of improvements made since the effective date of such certificate which are attributable exclusively to commercial or industrial construction work described in approved plans; and (ii) for all other years, the assessed value of such improvements which have been made before the fourth taxable status date following the effective date of such certificate. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
• 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.
• Industrial: means property used primarily for the manufacturing or assembling of goods or the processing of raw materials;
  
  6. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAA
• Industrial construction work: means the construction of a new building or structure or the modernization, rehabilitation, expansion or improvement of an existing building or structure for use as industrial property. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Industrial property: means nonresidential property on which will exist after completion of industrial construction work a building or structure wherein at least seventy-five per centum of the total net square footage is used or immediately available and held out for use for manufacturing activities involving the assembly of goods or the fabrication or processing of raw materials. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Initial assessed value: means the lesser of (a) the taxable assessed value of real property appearing on the books of the annual record of the assessed valuation of real property on the effective date of a recipient's certificate of eligibility or (b) the assessed value to which such assessment is thereafter reduced pursuant to application to the tax commission or court order. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• 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.
• 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.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Minimum required expenditure: means expenditure for commercial, renovation or industrial construction work in an amount equal to twenty per centum of the initial assessed value; provided, however, that with respect to a recipient who filed an application on or after July first, nineteen hundred ninety-five for a certificate of eligibility for industrial construction work or for commercial construction work in a special exemption area or a regular exemption area, minimum required expenditure means expenditure for such work in an amount equal to ten per centum of the initial assessed value; provided, however, that with respect to a recipient who filed an application on or after July first, nineteen hundred ninety-five for a certificate of eligibility for industrial construction work and for the purpose of receiving an abatement of real property taxes in accordance with paragraph (c) of subdivision one of section four hundred eighty-nine-bbbb of this title, minimum required expenditure means expenditure for such work in an amount equal to twenty-five per centum of the initial assessed value; and provided further that if the department of finance, after consultation with the deputy mayor for finance and economic development, determines that a greater expenditure is required to encourage significant industrial and commercial development it may establish by rule a higher percentage of initial assessed value, not to exceed fifty per centum thereof, as the minimum required expenditure. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Mixed-use property: means property on which exists, or will exist upon completion of construction work, a building or structure used for both residential and nonresidential purposes. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• New construction exemption areas: means the areas specified in subdivision six of section four hundred eighty-nine-cccc of this title in which an exemption from real property taxes in accordance with subdivision five-a of section four hundred eighty-nine-bbbb of this title shall be available to a recipient who constructs a new building or structure that meets the requirements set forth in subdivision nine of section four hundred eighty-nine-dddd of this title. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• 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: means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, agency, trust, estate, foreign or domestic government or subdivision thereof, or other entity. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Predominantly vacant land: means land, including land under water, on which not more than fifteen percent of the lot area contains enclosed, permanent improvements; in addition, such land may include existing foundations. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAA
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Railroad company: means a corporation , joint stock company, association, partnership, individual or other person operating a railroad system both within and without the State of New York as a common carrier by rail, including but not limited to a street, surface, underground or elevated railroad and any corporation created under or in compliance with the rail passenger service act of nineteen hundred seventy or the regional rail reorganization act of nineteen hundred seventy-three as those acts were amended to April first, nineteen hundred seventy-six, whether as owner, lessee, mortgagee, trustee, receiver or assignee of railroad real property. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-BB
• Railroad real property: means the land, real estate and real property (as defined in subdivision twelve of section one hundred two of this chapter) of a railroad company, which is used by such railroad company for transportation purposes and which is subject to real property taxation except as provided in this title, and includes (a) such property leased to such railroad company, (b) such property used for transportation purposes by such railroad company under a trackage right or other operating agreement, title to which is in other than a railroad company as defined in subdivision two of this section and subdivision two of section four hundred eighty-nine-b of this chapter, (c) such property used or occupied by such railroad company, title to which is in the state or in any municipal corporation thereof under any of the grade crossing elimination acts, and (d) the tangible property of such railroad company situated in, upon, under or above any street, highway, public place or public waters; but does not include the value of any franchise, right or permission to construct, maintain or operate, in, under, above, on or through, streets, highways or public places. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-BB
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• Recipient: means an applicant to whom a certificate of eligibility has been issued pursuant to this title, or the successor in interest of such applicant, provided that where a person who has entered into a lease or purchase agreement with the owner or lessee of exempt property has been a co-applicant, such person or the successor in interest of such person shall be the recipient. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Reconstruction: means the modernization, rehabilitation, expansion or other improvement of an existing commercial or industrial structure where the total proposed project cost is in an amount equal to at least twenty percentum of the assessed value of the property at the time an application for a certificate of eligibility pursuant to this title is made, and where such modernization, rehabilitation, expansion or other improvement is physically and functionally integrated with the existing structure and does not create additional usable square footage greater than fifty per centum of the usable square footage of the existing structure except in a case where the existing structure has been substantially destroyed by fire or other casualty;
  
  8. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAA
• Regular exemption area: means an area in which a regular exemption from taxes in accordance with subdivision three of section four hundred eighty-nine-bbbb of this title shall be available to a recipient who performs commercial construction work. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Renovation construction work: means the modernization, rehabilitation, expansion or improvement of an existing building or structure, or portion thereof, for use as commercial property in a renovation exemption area where such modernization, rehabilitation, expansion or improvement is physically and functionally integrated with the existing building or structure, or portion thereof, does not increase the bulk of the existing building or structure by more than thirty per centum and does not increase the height of the existing building or structure by more than thirty per centum. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Renovation exemption area: means the area specified in paragraph (d) of subdivision five of section four hundred eighty-nine-cccc of this title in which a renovation exemption from taxes in accordance with subdivision five of section four hundred eighty-nine-bbbb of this title shall be available to a recipient who performs renovation construction work. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Residential construction work: means any construction, modernization, rehabilitation, expansion or improvement of dwelling units other than dwelling units in a hotel. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Residential property: means property, other than property used for hotel purposes, on which exists or will exist, upon completion of construction work, a building or structure used for residential purposes. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• Restricted activity: means any entertainment activity which the department of finance has identified in regulations promulgated pursuant to a local law enacted pursuant to this title as an activity which, in the public interest, should not be encouraged through the benefits of this title. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA
• 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.
• Special exemption area: means an area in which the commission has determined that a special exemption from real property taxes in accordance with subdivision two of section four hundred eighty-nine-bbbb of this title shall be available to a recipient who performs commercial construction work and, in addition, means the area specified in paragraph (d) of subdivision four of section four hundred eighty-nine-cccc of this title. See N.Y. Real Property Tax Law 489-AAAA