Accident Terms and Definitions

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

Scrapped
Vehicles that have been dismantled and/or crushed and should not return to the road.

Witness
Person who testifies under oath before a court, regarding what he/she has seen, heard or otherwise observed.

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

Policy
Written contract of insurance.

Misdemeanor
Criminal offenses less than felonies; generally those punishable by fine or imprisonment of less than 90 days in a local facility. A gross misdemeanor is a criminal offense for which an adult could be sent to jail for up to one year, pay a fine up to $5,000 or both.

Cancellation
The termination of an insurance policy before its normal expiration date.

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.

Airbag Deployment
Occurs when the driver, passenger or side airbag has been used or deployed during a crash or other incident.

Comparative Negligence
The percentage of fault shared by each driver in an accident in which both contribute to causing the collision.