You may come across some technical terms when you read through your policy document(s). To help you understand what these terms mean, we’ve put together a mini glossary that you may find useful:

• Accident: An incident that leaves you unable to work for a period of time.
• Active employment: Going about your normal job and doing those activities that are part of your regular employment.
• Benefit: See monthly benefit.
• Caring/Carer: You’ll be described as being in a caring position or as a carer if you are looking after someone in your immediate family. This will need to be on a full-time basis and will prevent you from being employed.
• Carer’s Allowance: An allowance that is paid by the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) to individuals who are formally acknowledged as providing care services to another person. This benefit is taxable.
• Chronic condition: This is the term used to describe a serious type of medical condition, illness or injury that has specific long term effects. This kind of condition will go on for an indefinite period and may be controlled by medication/treatment but may not be curable. Some chronic conditions may have recurring symptoms. If you have this kind of condition you will have either have had treatment at some point in the past or will have treatment/check ups on an ongoing basis.
• Disability: This term describes any illness, medical condition or accident that happens after your policy’s start date. The illness, medical condition or accident must be verified by a doctor. It prevents you from working.
• Doctor: Any doctor involved in any claim you may make must be registered with the UK’s GMC (General Medical Council). They cannot be you, your partner/spouse or anyone related to you.
• Employment/employed: Any paid employment that you do that is permanent and that takes up a minimum of 16 hours a week. This includes self employment
• Gross monthly income: If you work for a company then you work this out by taking your gross monthly taxable earnings on average for a period of 12 months before the start date of your policy. If there has been an increase in your monthly benefit agreement then the 12 months will be based on that as a start date. If you are self employed then your average monthly income will be based on the submitted self assessment tax return for the tax year that preceded the start date of your policy. Again, if there has been an increase in your monthly benefit agreement then that date will be used instead of the policy start date. Those who have not been employed/self employed for a period of 12 months from the policy start date/new monthly benefit date should base their gross monthly income on the number of months actually worked.
• Immediate Family: This term covers your spouse or partner (either civil or live-in), any children you may have and your parents.
• Insurer, Us, We, Our: Any of these terms refers to Great Lakes Reinsurance (UK) PLC.
• Monthly Benefit: Your scheduled benefit amount. This will be either £1,500 or up to 50% of your gross monthly income (whichever is lower).
• Normal pregnancy: Symptoms or conditions (either one or more) that are common in pregnancy and that don’t endanger the mother/baby.
• Start date: The date your policy starts (as outlined in your schedule) and the time of commencement (i.e. 00.01 am).
• Temporary work: Employment that is not permanent and that may only last for an indefinite time. If you get contract work through an employment agency then this will be classified as temporary work.
• Unemployment/unemployed: To be classified as unemployed you must be out of work but actively looking for/available to start work. You will also be registered with Jobcentre Plus as unemployed if you live in Great Britain. If you live in Northern Ireland then you must be registered with the relevant government agency there.
• Waiting period: The time that you must wait (30 days) before you will become entitled to benefit payments. This applies to those that are unemployed, carers and those claiming under disability.
• Work: See employment/employed.
• You, insured person, your: The person named for benefits on the policy schedule.