Income Taxes:
Incurred income taxes (including income taxes on capital gains) reported in each annual statement for that year.
Insurance Adjuster:
An individual who investigates losses and determines the amount of the loss and the insurance company's liability. Independent insurance adjusters are hired by insurance companies on an "as needed" basis and may work for several insurance companies at the same time. Independent adjusters charge insurance companies both by the hour and by miles traveled. Public adjusters work for the insured in the settlement of claims and receive a percentage of the claim as their fee. A.M. Best's Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys and Adjusters lists independent adjusters only.
Insurance Attorneys:
An attorney who practices the law as it relates to insurance matters. Attorneys may be solo practitioners or work as part of a law firm. Insurance companies who retain attorneys to defend them against law suits may hire staff attorneys to work for them in-house or they may retain attorneys on an as-needed basis, A.M. Best's Directory of Recommended Attorneys and Adjusters lists insurance defense attorneys who concentrate their practice in insurance defense such as coverage issues, bad faith, malpractice, products liability, and workers' compensation.
Investment Income:
Investment income refers to dividends and interest derived from any stocks or bonds owned by an insurance company. It also includes any profit made from the sale of any stocks or bonds but does not include the value of any stocks or bonds that the company currently owns.
Investments in Affiliates:
Bonds, stocks, collateral loans, short-term investments in affiliated and real estate properties occupied by the company.
Leverage, or Capitalization:
Measures the exposure of a company's surplus to various operating and financial practices. A highly leveraged, or poorly capitalized, company can show a high return on surplus, but may be exposed to a high risk of instability.
Liability:
Broadly, any legally enforceable obligation. The term is most commonly used in a pecuniary sense.
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