Practice Exam 5 - Life Insurance

An individual license is considered terminated on the death of the license holder. This means that if the person who holds the license passes away, the license is no longer valid or active. This is a common practice in many industries to ensure that licenses are only held by individuals who are alive and able to fulfill the responsibilities and requirements associated with the license.

If a policy is returned to the insurer within 10 days of delivery, the entire premium is returned to the applicant. This means that the applicant will receive a full refund of the amount they paid for the policy.

The law of large numbers is a mathematical principle that states that as the number of individual but similar exposure units (such as insurance policies) increases, the easier it becomes to predict losses. This is because with a larger sample size, the results become more stable and predictable. Therefore, the law of large numbers is the correct answer to this question.

The beneficiary is the party who has rights in a life insurance policy only after the death of the insured. The beneficiary is the person or entity designated by the policy owner to receive the death benefit when the insured passes away. They are entitled to receive the proceeds of the policy and can use it for various purposes, such as paying off debts, covering funeral expenses, or providing financial support to dependents. The beneficiary has no rights or access to the policy while the insured is still alive.

Concealment refers to the act of intentionally withholding or failing to disclose important information that one party to an insurance contract knows and should communicate to the other party. This can include not sharing relevant facts or details about a risk or potential claim. By concealing information, the party may gain an unfair advantage or mislead the other party, which goes against the principle of utmost good faith in insurance contracts.

Incontestability is the policy provision that prevents an insurer from voiding a policy for misstatements after two years. This means that once the policy has been in force for two years, the insurer cannot cancel or void the policy based on any misrepresentations made by the insured. This provision is designed to protect the insured and provide them with certainty and stability in their insurance coverage. It allows the insured to have peace of mind knowing that their policy cannot be retroactively canceled or voided based on any misstatements made in the past.

The Insurance Commissioner has the right to suspend or revoke the license of the agent if they lack authority from an insurer named on a binder for coverage. This means that the agent is not authorized to sell insurance on behalf of the insurer, which is a violation of licensing regulations. By suspending or revoking the agent's license, the Insurance Commissioner is taking appropriate action to ensure that only authorized individuals are selling insurance and protecting consumers from potential fraud or misconduct.

Replacement refers to any transaction that involves purchasing a life insurance policy and terminating an existing policy. It is the process of replacing an old policy with a new one. This can occur when a policyholder wants to switch to a different insurance company or when they want to upgrade their coverage. The replacement process typically involves a thorough evaluation of the new policy to ensure that it meets the policyholder's needs and objectives.

If an agent's license is inactive, it means that the agent is not authorized to transact any insurance business for which a license is required. This implies that the agent cannot legally sell insurance or perform any activities related to insurance that require a license.

A domestic insurer is an insurance company that is organized and licensed under the laws of a specific state. In this case, since the insurer is organized under the laws of the State of California, it is considered a domestic insurer.

A contingent beneficiary should be named in a life insurance policy to determine who will receive the policy benefits if the primary beneficiary is deceased. This ensures that the policy benefits are distributed according to the insured's wishes and avoids any confusion or disputes regarding the distribution of the proceeds. By naming a contingent beneficiary, the insured can have peace of mind knowing that their loved ones will be taken care of even if the primary beneficiary is unable to receive the benefits.

The correct answer is "Employer" because in a group insurance contract, the employer is typically the one who purchases the policy and is responsible for providing coverage to their employees. The employer acts as the main policy owner and is responsible for managing the policy, making premium payments, and making decisions regarding coverage and benefits for the employee members. The employer also has the authority to make changes to the policy and terminate coverage if necessary.

When a corporation is dissolved, the license associated with it is terminated. This means that the corporation no longer has the legal authority or permission to operate under that license. The dissolution of the corporation effectively ends its ability to conduct business under that license.

The beneficiary should choose the fixed amount option. This option allows them to receive a fixed amount of $2,000 per month until both the principal and interest are exhausted. This ensures a consistent and predictable income stream for the beneficiary over a period of time.

The correct answer is "A person licensed to advise clients about life and disability insurance for a fee." A Life and Disability Analyst is someone who has the necessary license to provide advice to clients regarding life and disability insurance. They are specifically trained in this area and are authorized to charge fees for their services.

According to the Code, all insurers must maintain a department to investigate possible fraudulent claims from insureds. This means that insurance companies are required to have a specific department dedicated to examining and verifying claims made by policyholders to ensure that they are not fraudulent. This is important to prevent any misuse or abuse of the insurance system and to protect the interests of both the insurer and other policyholders.

A mutual insurer is an insurance company that is owned by its policyholders. Policyholders are considered members of the company and have the right to vote on important decisions, such as the selection of board members. In a mutual insurer, any profits that are generated are typically distributed back to the policyholders in the form of dividends or reduced premiums. This ownership structure ensures that the company operates in the best interest of its policyholders rather than shareholders.

The question states that Tony Brown has a CLU certification. However, none of the given options include the term "CLU" in the agency's name. Therefore, none of these options would be automatically approved for his agency's use.

Driving too fast can be considered a morale risk because it indicates a lack of responsibility and disregard for safety. It can lead to accidents, injuries, and even fatalities. This behavior not only puts the insured at risk but also poses a threat to other drivers and pedestrians on the road. Therefore, driving too fast can negatively impact the morale of the insured and increase the likelihood of insurance claims.

The policyholder has the right to change life insurance policy beneficiaries. As the person who owns the policy, they have the authority to make changes to it, including selecting or changing the beneficiaries. The policyholder can decide who will receive the death benefit payout upon their passing, and they have the flexibility to update this information as needed throughout the policy term.

A binder is a temporary agreement that provides immediate coverage until a formal insurance policy is issued. In the case of life insurance, a binder cannot be issued because life insurance policies require extensive underwriting and evaluation of the applicant's health and risk factors. Unlike other classes of insurance like marine, auto, and fire insurance, life insurance involves a longer process and cannot be quickly bound without proper assessment. Therefore, a binder cannot be issued for life insurance according to the CA Insurance Code.

If an individual fails to send the documents after receiving a Notice of Seizure from the Commissioner, the penalty is 1 year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Guaranteed insurability gives individuals the right to purchase additional life insurance regardless of their insurability. This means that even if their health or other factors change, they can still buy more coverage without having to go through medical underwriting or proving their insurability again. This option provides flexibility and ensures that individuals can increase their coverage as their needs change over time.

After the death of a natural person who holds a valid insurance license, the license always terminates. This means that the license is no longer valid and cannot be transferred to another person or remain inactive until the expiration date. The license must be cancelled by returning it to the Commissioner.

Per capita is the correct answer because it means that the beneficiaries will receive equal shares of the death benefit divided among the surviving members of the class. This means that each individual in the class will receive an equal portion of the benefit, regardless of their relationship to the deceased.

The spendthrift clause is the correct answer because it is a clause that protects the proceeds of a life insurance policy from being attached by creditors after the death of the insured. This clause ensures that the beneficiary of the policy receives the full amount without it being used to pay off any outstanding debts or claims. It provides a safeguard for the beneficiary's financial security and prevents creditors from accessing the funds.

Life insurance can be used for various personal purposes, such as helping to fund a person's retirement, creating emergency funds to avoid liquidating assets, and the creation of an immediate estate. However, funding a buy/sell agreement is not typically considered a common personal use of life insurance. Buy/sell agreements are commonly used in business settings to facilitate the transfer of ownership in the event of a partner's death or departure. Therefore, it is not one of the common personal uses of life insurance.

The common insurance policy provisions are the entire contract, grace period, and reinstatement. The entire contract provision states that the written policy and any attached endorsements constitute the entire agreement between the insured and the insurer. The grace period provision allows the insured a specified period of time after the premium due date to pay the premium without the policy lapsing. The reinstatement provision allows the insured to reinstate a lapsed policy by paying any outstanding premiums and providing evidence of insurability.

The social security (OASDHI) program provides a minimum floor of income and is meant to supplement a retiree's own personal program. This means that the program is designed to ensure that retirees have a basic level of income to support themselves, but it is not intended to be the sole source of income for retirees.

The taxable amount each year in the first 10 years of payment is $2,000. This can be calculated by dividing the total amount received over 20 years ($100,000) by the number of years the payments will be received (20), resulting in an annual payment of $5,000. Since the person will receive $4,000 per year, the difference of $1,000 is not taxable. Therefore, the taxable amount each year is $5,000 - $1,000 = $2,000.

When the insured and beneficiary die simultaneously in a car accident and the order of their deaths cannot be determined, the general rule is that the insured's estate will receive the life insurance proceeds. This is because the insured is the policyholder and the beneficiary's right to the proceeds is contingent upon the insured's death. Since it is impossible to determine who died first, the insured's estate is considered the rightful recipient of the proceeds.

The term policy is the one where the policyholder pays premiums for a specified period of time, and if they stop paying, the coverage stops. In this case, the policy has a face amount of $100,000, the premium paid increases every five years, and after ten years, the policyholder stops paying premiums and coverage stops. This indicates that it is a term policy. Additionally, the fact that the policy has no cash value further supports this conclusion.

A group life insurance policy is not considered ordinary life insurance because it is typically provided by an employer or organization to a group of individuals. It is a type of insurance coverage that offers a death benefit to the beneficiaries of the insured individuals within the group. Unlike ordinary life insurance policies that are purchased individually and can be customized based on the policyholder's needs, group life insurance policies are generally standardized and offer limited coverage options. Therefore, it is not classified as ordinary life insurance.

When an insurer accepts an application from an agent who is not specifically appointed by that insurer and issues a policy form to the applicant, the insurer must forward a Notice of appointment to the Insurance Commissioner within 14 days of receiving the application. This is necessary to inform the Insurance Commissioner about the appointment of the agent and to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

The insured purchased a variable annuity. In a variable annuity, the value of the annuity is determined by the number of accumulation units multiplied by the value of the separate account. This means that the value of the annuity can fluctuate based on the performance of the investments in the separate account.

An organization will cease to exist as an entity eligible to hold a license if there is a termination of a key employee. This is because a key employee plays a crucial role in the functioning and operations of the organization. Their termination can lead to a disruption in the organization's ability to meet its obligations and maintain compliance with licensing requirements. On the other hand, termination of an association, dissolution of a corporation, or dissolution of a co-partnership may have other legal and financial implications, but they may not necessarily result in the organization losing its eligibility to hold a license.

ERISA stands for the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. This federal act is designed to protect group plan participants by establishing pension equality and imposing strict reporting and disclosure requirements. It ensures that employees receive the benefits they are entitled to and provides guidelines for the administration and management of employee benefit plans. ERISA also sets standards for fiduciaries who manage these plans, aiming to safeguard the interests of plan participants and beneficiaries.

The correct answer is "Theft" because when a person diverts or misappropriates fiduciary funds, they are essentially taking someone else's money without permission or legal right. This act constitutes theft as it involves unlawfully obtaining and using someone else's funds for personal gain. Misrepresentation refers to providing false information, forgery involves creating fake documents or signatures, and fraud encompasses deceptive acts to gain an unfair advantage. While these actions may sometimes be involved in cases of diverting fiduciary funds, the act itself is best described as theft.

The person whose life is the object of a life insurance policy is referred to as the insured. This individual is the one who is covered by the policy and whose death or survival will determine the payment of the insurance benefits. The insured is typically the person whose life is being insured for financial protection in the event of their death.

The Insurance Commissioner may deny an applicant for an insurance license if they do not have a good business reputation, if they are not properly qualified to perform duties, or if they lack integrity. However, the lack of a California business address is not a valid reason for denial.

Directly advising a claimant to obtain the services of an attorney is not considered an unfair claim practice. In some cases, it may be in the best interest of the claimant to seek legal advice to ensure their rights are protected and they receive a fair settlement. However, the other options listed are all examples of unfair claim practices. Failing to acknowledge communications, misrepresenting policy provisions, and delaying the affirmation or denial of coverage are all actions that can harm the claimant and are considered unfair.

The sudden death of an employee is considered a personal loss for an employer. This is because the employer not only loses a valuable member of their team but also experiences the emotional impact of losing someone they may have known and worked closely with. The term "personel loss" likely refers to a misspelling of "personal loss" and does not accurately describe the situation. "Body loss" and "human loss" are not commonly used terms in this context and do not accurately convey the emotional impact experienced by the employer.

The annuity would be worth several hundred thousand more because of the tax deferral of the earnings. In this scenario, the person is in a 31% income tax bracket. By investing in an annuity, the person can defer paying taxes on the earnings until they withdraw the funds, potentially allowing the earnings to grow at a faster rate. On the other hand, the earnings from the CD would be subject to income tax each year, reducing the overall growth potential. Therefore, the annuity would accumulate more value over time due to the advantage of tax deferral.

The correct answer is Financial loss exposure. This is because financial loss exposure is not one of the three major types of loss exposure. The three major types of loss exposure are liability loss exposure, human and personnel loss exposure, and property loss exposure. Financial loss exposure refers to the potential financial losses that a company may face, but it is not considered one of the three major types of loss exposure.

Survivorship life insurance is a type of policy that covers two individuals and pays out the death benefit only upon the death of the second insured person. This means that the policy face amount is not made out based only on the death of the first to die. Instead, it provides coverage for both individuals and pays out when the second insured person passes away. The other statements mentioned in the question are true, such as survivorship life insurance being well-suited for covering estate taxes, having high policy face amounts, and offering lower premiums compared to separate policies.

The correct answer states that the life insurance policy holder gets an automatic increase in the face value of the policy if there is an increase in the cost of living index. This means that as the cost of living increases, the policy holder's coverage also increases. Additionally, there is an additional premium that needs to be paid for this additional coverage. This explanation aligns with the information provided in the question.

The Insurance Commissioner is selected through an election by the people. This means that the citizens of the state have the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidate for the position of Insurance Commissioner. This democratic process allows for the selection of the commissioner to be determined by the will of the people, ensuring that the individual chosen for the position has the support and trust of the public.

According to the CA Insurance Code, a judgment against an applicant who entered a plea of "nolo contendere" is considered to be convicted. This means that even though the applicant did not technically admit guilt, the judgment still indicates a finding of guilt by the court. Therefore, the correct answer is convicted.

The correct answer is committing an act of discrimination whether it be fair or unfair. This is because unfair trade practices refer to deceptive or dishonest practices in business, such as making untrue statements, filing false financial statements, or misrepresenting policy terms. Discrimination, whether fair or unfair, falls under a different category of unethical behavior and is not specifically related to trade practices.

The correct answer is Paid-in capital. In order to remain solvent, the insurer must have enough assets to cover its liabilities and reinsurance for all outstanding risks. Additionally, they must meet minimum requirements equal to $1,000,000 in paid-in capital as required by the California Code. This ensures that the insurer has a strong financial base to support its operations and protect policyholders.