Life insurance

The reduction, decrease, or disappearance of value of the person or property insured in a policy is known as what?

Loss

When would a misrepresentation on an insurance application be considered fraud?

When it is intentional and material

Who owns stock companies?

Stockholders

A state-issued document empowering an insurance company to become an admitted insurer is called what?

Certificate of Authority

What is the term for the causes of loss insured against in an insurance policy?

Peril

If an applicant does not receive his or her insurance policy, who would be held responsible?

The agent

Insurance is used to transfer what to the insurance company?

Financial responsibility for loss

An insurance company is domiciled in California and transacts insurance in Nevada. What is this insurer's classification in Nevada?

Foreign

When does an insurance policy go into effect?

When the policy is delivered and the premium is paid

According to the Law of Agency, a principal is represented

Agent or producer

Insurers are classified according to their domicile. What are the three types of insurers?

Domestic, foreign, and alien

What law is the foundation of the statistical prediction of loss upon which rates for insurance are calculated

Law of large numbers

A person who does not lock the doors to his or her house shows an indifferent attitude. This person presents what type of hazard?

Morale

What is the name of the process that insurance companies use to determine whether or not an applicant is insurable?

Underwriting

In order to transact insurance within a given state, an alien insurer must first obtain what?

Certificate of Authority

For the purpose of insurance, what is risk?

Uncertainty of loss

What do individuals use to transfer their risk of loss to a larger group?

Insurance

What type of insurer is formed under the laws of another country?

Alien

What type of risk is insurable?

Pure

The type of insurance company organized to return any surplus money to its policyholders is known as what?

Mutual company

What are the most common penalties for violations of insurance statutes?

A cease and desist order, a fine, and license suspension or revocation

An applicant conceals relevant health information on the application. The applicant presents what type of hazard?

Moral

What two elements are necessary for a life insurance contract to have a legal purpose?

Insurable interest and consent

Insurance is a contract that protects the insured from what?

Loss

The insurer organized to return a profit to the stockholders is what type of insurer?

Stock company

What is the best way to handle incomplete insurance applications?

Return the application to the applicant for completion

What type of report provides information about the applicant's hobbies, habits and financial status?

Inspection report

When agents act within the scope of their contract, their actions will be assumed to be the acts of whom?

Insurer

In forming an insurance contract, when does an acceptance usually occur?

When the insurer approves a prepaid application

Wagering on a sporting event is known as what type of risk?

Speculative

What type of insurer is a voluntarily formed organization that provides insurance benefits for members of an affiliated lodge or religious organization with a representative form of government?

Fraternal insurer

What are the strategies used by underwriters to prevent adverse selection?

Restriction of coverage, refusal to accept a risk, and accepting a risk at a higher rate

If an insurer needs to obtain information about the applicant from investigators, what is the insurer required to do?

Provide the applicant a Disclosure Authorization Notice

An insurance company that is formed under the laws of another state is known as what type of insurer?

Foreign

What are the three types of agent authority?

Express, implied and apparent

What law protects consumers from the circulation of inaccurate or obsolete information?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act

A situation in which a person can only experience a loss and no gain presents what type of risk?

Pure risk

What are the three types of hazards?

Physical, moral and morale

Whom does an insurance agent represent?

Insurance company

When a change needs to be made on the application for insurance, which is the best method for correcting the information?

Complete a new application or ask the applicant to initial the correction on the original application

In the agent/insurer relationship, who is considered the principal?

Insurer

An insurance policy paid a nontaxable dividend to the insured one year, and nothing the next. From what type of insurer did the insured purchase the policy?

Mutual

When risks with higher probability of loss are seeking insurance more often than other risks, this is knows as what?

Adverse selection

What document is required for an insurance company to transact insurance?

Certificate of authority

during partial withdrawl from a universal policy, which portion If any will be taxed ?

intrest earned on withdrawl policy

If an insured terminates membership in group life insurance, to what type of insurance can the insured convert to

Whole life

An individual has just borrowed $10,000 on a 5-year note from his bank. The note is due in installments. What type of life insurance policy would be best suited to this situation?

Decreasing term

In a joint life policy, when is the death benefit paid?

Upon the first death

When would a 20-pay whole life policy endow?

When the insured reaches age 100

What elements of an adjustable life policy can be changed by the policyowners?

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Whole life policies provide protection until the insured reaches what age?

Age 100

What type of life insurance policy provides permanent protection?

Whole life

A whole life policy that requires that the policyowner only pays premiums for a specified number of years is known as what kind of policy?

Limited-pay whole life

What type of premium is charged on a straight life policy?

A level premium for the life of the insured

In what type of life insurance policies can the policyowner skip premium payments without the policy lapsing?

Universal life

When does an adjustable life policy accumulate cash value?

When the premiums paid are more than the cost of the policy

When would a 20-pay whole life policy endow?

When insurer reaches age 100

What are the characteristics of the group that underwriters will consider before issuing a group life policy?

Group's purpose, size, financial strength and turnover

What does "level" refer to in level term insurance?

Face amount

What is the major difference between the most common types of whole life policies: Straight Life, Limited Payment and Single Premium?

Premium payment mode

What life policy rider allows the company to forgo collecting the premium if the insured becomes disabled?

Waiver of premium

When would a misrepresentation be considered material?

When it may alter the underwriting decision

What are the three nonforfeiture options in life insurance policies?

Cash surrender, reduced paid-up, and extended term

An insurer has discovered a representation on a life insurance policy application regarding the insured's age. The insured is 10 years older than he stated on the application. What will the insurer do regarding the death benefit?

Pay a reduced death benefit

What happens to the proceeds of a life insurance policy if there is no named beneficiary?

The proceeds are paid to the insured's estate.

What is the name for a life insurance policy rider that provides coverage on the insured's family members?

Other-insured rider

Which of the two types of policy assignments requires transfer of all ownership rights in the policy to a third party?

Absolute assignment

What term is used to describe methods of payment of the death benefit to the beneficiary upon the insured's death?

Settlement options

Which nonforfeiture option is automatically selected by the company if not chosen by the policyowner?

Extended term

What type of beneficiary is next in line after the primary beneficiary?

Contingent beneficiary

What life insurance policy provision states that both the policy and a copy of the application form the contract between the policyowner and the insurer?

Entire contract

Which nonforfeiture option provides coverage for the longest period of time?

Reduced-paid up

What is the disadvantage of selecting the life income settlement option?

If the beneficiary dies shortly after the payments begin, the balance of the principal will be forfeited.

What provision allows the policyowner to reactivate a lapsed life insurance policy within a specified period of time with proof of insurability?

Reinstatement

Who does the common disaster clause protect?

The contingent beneficiary

Who controls changes in premium payments, face values, and loans in a life insurance policy?

Policy owner

If a settlement option is not chosen by the policyowner or the beneficiary, what option will be used by the insurer?

Lump sum payment

What is consideration on the part of the insurer?

A promise to pay policy benefits

What settlement options are available in life insurance policies?

Lump-sum/cash, fixed period, fixed amount, life income, interest only

What dividend option can increase the death benefit of the existing life policy?

Paid-up addition

To meet the requirement of the entire contract policy provision, an insurance policy must contain what?

A copy of the original insurance application

With the interest only settlement option, what happens to the policy's death benefit?

Policy proceeds are retained by the insurance company; only the interest is paid to the beneficiary

What is the purpose of a free-look period?

To allow the insured to return the policy with a full refund

When can an insurance company use suicide as a defense against paying a death claim?

When a suicide is committed within a specified period of time after the policy is purchased (usually 2 years)

What type of beneficiary can be changed at any point by the policyowner?

Revocable

What required provision protects against unintentional policy lapse?

Grace period

In the fixed-period settlement option, how will the number of installments for the death benefit proceeds determine the amount of the installments?

The longer the period selected, the smaller each installment will be

What are the most common exclusions in life insurance policies?

War and military service, hazardous occupation, and aviation

What beneficiary designation has first claim to the death proceeds of a life insurance policy?

Primary beneficiary

What is the purpose of the Automatic Premium Loan provision?

To prevent the unintentional lapse of a policy because of nonpayment of the premium

What provision in a life insurance policy extends coverage beyond the premium due date?

Grace period

What are representations on life insurance applications?

Statements made by the applicant that are true to the best of the applicant's knowledge

What is the advantage of reinstating a life insurance policy as opposed to applying for a new one?

Policy premium in a reinstated policy will be set according to the insured's original age.

Which dividend option is automatically selected by the company if not chosen by the policyowner?

Paid up additions

What are the dividend options in life insurance policies?

Cash, reduced premium, accumulation at interest, paid-up additions, paid-up option, one-year term, and acceleration of endowment

With the reduction of premium dividend option, how is the dividend used?

The dividend is applied to the next year's premium (it reduces the next year's premium)

An insured purchased a life policy, and then committed suicide 5 years later. Will the company pay the death benefit to the beneficiary?

Yes, since the suicide was committed long after the restricting period

What type of assignment is used to secure the payment of a debt with an existing life insurance policy?

Collateral assignment

Who has the right to the cash value of a life insurance policy?

Policy owner

Statements on the application made by an applicant for a life insurance policy are known as what?

Representations

An applicant for life insurance misstated her age on the policy application. How will this affect the death benefit?

The death benefit will be adjusted to the amount that the insured could obtain for her correct age.

What is the purpose of settlement options in life insurance policies?

To determine how the death benefit will be paid to the beneficiary

What does the term 'double indemnity' mean?

The insurer will pay a benefit of twice the face amount

What are policy dividends?

Return of unused premiums

The sole beneficiary of a life insurance policy dies before the insured. If the policyowner does not amend the beneficiary designation, what will happen to the policy's death benefit?

It will be paid to the insured's estate.

Under what nonforfeiture option does the company pay the policy's surrender value and have no further obligations to the policyowner?

Cash surrender

What life insurance policy provision prevents an insurer from disputing or denying a claim due to misstatements on the application after a certain period of time?

Incontestability

What happens to a policy's cash value under an extended term nonforfeiture option?

The cash value is converted to the same face amount as in the whole life policy

When will a contingent beneficiary receive death benefit from a life insurance policy?

When the primary beneficiary dies before the insured

In flexible premium payment annuities, the term 'flexible' refers to what?

Amount of premium

An individual has a contract that will provide him with a certain amount of income for the rest of his life. This is not, however, a life insurance policy. What type of contract does this person have?

Annuity

An annuity purchased with multiple payments that begins income payments after one year from the moment of purchase is known as what type of annuity?

Flexible premium deferred annuity

If there is no named beneficiary for the annuity benefits, to which entity will the benefits be paid?

Annuitant's estate

In an annuity, the accumulated money is converted into a stream of income during which phase?

Annuitization period

How are annuities classified depending on how many lives they cover?

Single life and multiple life annuities

How long is income paid under a pure life annuity?

Only for the life of the annuitant

What are the two types of refund life annuities?

Cash refund and installment refund

If the current interest rate on an annuity is higher than the guaranteed rate, which rate will the annuity owner receive as part of the annuity payment?

Current

What are the two classifications of annuities according to the time when annuity payments begin?

Immediate and deferred

What type of annuity is suitable for someone who wants to select the benefit option that will pay the largest amount only for as long as the annuitant lives?

Straight life

What is the difference between a single premium and a flexible premium payment options in a deferred annuity?

The number of payments that purchase the annuity

What are the two phases of an annuity?

Accumulation and annuitization (or pay-in and pay-out)

If the annuitant dies during the accumulation period, who will receive the annuity benefits?

Beneficiary

What type of license(s) is/are required in order to sell variable annuities?

Life and security

What portion of a nonqualified annuity payment would be taxed?

Interest earned on principal

Upon surrender of a life insurance policy, what portion of the cash value will be taxed?

Only the portion in excess of the premium paid

What type of plan is 401(k)?

Qualified profit-sharing plan

In a direct rollover, how is the money transferred from one retirement plan to a new one?

From trustee to trustee

If a retirement plan is 'qualified,' what does that mean?

The plan has favorable tax treatment.

What is the penalty for excessive contributions to a traditional IRA?

0.06

What are some examples of qualified plans?

IRA, 401(k), HR10 (Keogh), SEP, SIMPLE

For a retirement plan to be qualified, it must be designed for whose benefit?

employees

In qualified plans, are employer contributions taxed as income to the employees?

No, employer contributions are not taxed as income to the employees

Who may contribute to an HR-10 plan?

Self employed individual

Why are dividends in life insurance policies not taxable?

Dividends are not considered income for tax purposes; they are a return of unused premium.

What is the name for an overfunded life insurance policy?

A Modified Endowment Contract (MEC)

Who qualifies for tax-sheltered annuities, or 403(b) plans?

Employees of nonprofit organizations under Section 501(c)(3) and employees of public school systems

If the beneficiary of a life insurance policy receives death benefit payments that consist of principal and interest, which portion, if any, will be taxed?

Interests only

What is the main purpose of the Seven-pay Test?

To determine if a life insurance policy is a Modified Endowment Contract

Is the death benefit of a life insurance policy taxed to the beneficiary if it's received as a lump sum?

No, lump-sum benefits are received tax free.

What are the three types of Social Security benefits?

Retirement, disability and survivors

What is the primary purpose of a 401(k) plan?

Provide retirement income

Who would be considered a third-party owner?

An individual or an entity who is not the insured

What is the general taxation rule for death benefits payable to the beneficiary of a life insurance policy?

Death benefits are generally not subject to income taxes.

What are the consequences of withdrawing funds from a traditional IRA prior to the age of 59 1/2?

10% penalty

In what form of payment must the contributions to a traditional IRA be made?

In cash

SIMPLE plans are available to groups of how many employees?

No more than 100

What are the income tax benefits of a qualified plan?

Employer contributions are tax deductible and are not taxed as income to the employee. The earnings accumulate tax deferred.

According to the taxation rules of life insurance policies, how are cash value increases taxed?

Cash value growth is tax deferred.

When would life insurance policy proceeds be included in the insured's taxable estate?

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