Accident Terms and Definitions

Salvage
Property taken over by an insurer to reduce its loss.

Insured
The person(s) entitled to coverage in case of an accident or loss.

Accident
A collision involving an automobile and anything that causes damage to the automobile, including other automobiles, telephone poles, buildings, and trees.

Broker
A person who for payment of a fee procures insurance on your behalf.

Commissioner of Insurance
The title of the head of most state insurance departments. In some states, the Director or Superintendent of Insurance is used instead.

Surcharge
An extra charge applied to the premium by the insurer, usually for at fault accidents or moving violations.

Junk Title
A Junk Title is issued on a vehicle damaged to the extent that the cost of repairing the vehicle for safe operation exceeds its fair market value; or a vehicle that has been declared a total loss by an insurer or other state or jurisdiction.

Claim
Notice to an insurer of a loss that under the terms and conditions of a policy may be covered.

Limited Tort
Offers savings on your premiums. You are still able to recover all out-of-pocket medical and other expenses, however you are not able to recover non-monetary damages or receive payments for pain and suffering unless injuries are defined as serious.

Hearsay
Evidence based on what the witness has heard someone else say, rather than what the witness has personally experienced or observed.