Section 031-890-3 - DefinitionsThe following words and phrases, when used in this Rule, shall have the following meanings:
A. "Beneficiary" means any individual legally entitled to proceeds or benefits under a policy of insurance.B. "Bureau" means the Bureau of Insurance.C. "Consumer Complaint" means a written communication from an insurance consumer primarily expressing a grievance that results in the need for the Bureau to conduct further investigation or to communicate in writing with a regulated entity for a response or resolution to the complaint.D. "Consumer Complaint Ratio" means the ratio of the number of consumer complaints to the direct written premiums for a line of insurance or combined lines of insurance.E. "Consumer Complaint Index" means the ratio of an insurer's consumer complaint share to its market share for a line of insurance or combined lines of insurance.F. "Consumer Complaint Share" means the percentage of consumer complaints received by the Bureau against an insurer for any given line of insurance, compared to the total consumer complaints received by the Bureau for that line of insurance.G. "Direct Written Premium" means consideration paid, or to be paid, to the insurer for the issuance and delivery or renewal of any binder, policy of insurance or certificate of insurance or annuity written.H. "Consumer" means: 1. A policyholder, certificateholder, or beneficiary under an insurance policy or annuity contract; or2. An applicant for insurance.I. "Insurer" means any company, association, organization, partnership, syndicate, business trust, corporation or legal entity engaged as an indemnitor or surety, holding a certificate of authority issued by the Superintendent, including a nonprofit service organization or health maintenance organization. For purposes of this Rule, a group of affiliated companies under common management and control may be considered a single "insurer."J. "Lines of Insurance" means the classifications or subclassifications of kinds of insurance which are required to be reported annually on the Annual Statement, or on supplementary report forms required by the Superintendent pursuant to Section 6.K. "Market Share" means an insurer's direct written premiums for a line of insurance, expressed as a percentage of the total direct written premiums in the State of Maine for that line of insurance.L. "Reporting Period" means one or more calendar years. The number of years used will be determined based on a sufficient volume of consumer complaints to produce statistically valid ratios and indices.02-031 C.M.R. ch. 890, § 3