Insurance acronyms deciphered! When involved in a motor vehicle accident, the most important thing on your mind is healing and getting better from your injuries. The last thing on your mind is trying to decipher all the insurance lingo and acronyms that get thrown at you. Sometimes your claims adjuster is good at explaining the acronyms and the insurance claims process but…. sometimes they are not…as such, I am here to decipher the acronyms for you!
Some examples are:
MIG – Minor Injury Guideline – you suffer from soft tissue injuries with no pre-existing medical conditions, no fractures or concussion – or known as Whiplash – your doctor or OT, Occupational Therapist will provide you with the diagnosis also known as WADI or WADII or WADIII = whiplash associated disorder
Non-MIG – non Minor Injury Guideline – if your injuries fall outside the MIG you are considered to suffer from non-MIG injuries – a fracture and/or concussion will remove you from MIG
IRB – Income Replacement Benefit – if you were working/employed prior to the motor vehicle accident (MVA) (at least 26 weeks prior to the mva) you are eligible to receive an income benefit
NEB – Non Earner Benefit – if you are retired or unemployed at the time of the accident
CG – Caregiving – you are the primary care giver of some one who is dependent on you at the time of the mva
HH – Housekeeping and Home Maintenance Benefits – only if you have been deemed to suffer from a catastrophic impairment are you eligible to receive HH benefits
AC – Attendant Care Benefits – if you require attendant care assistance or an aide or personal support worker, as a result of your injuries, you are able to claim for ACB – have a Form 1 completed by the OT
MR – Medical and/or Rehabilitation Benefits
CAT – Catastrophic Impairment – if your injuries are non-MIG and you meet the catastrophic criteria you can apply for catastrophic impairment benefits via an OCF-19
OT – an occupational therapist
PSW – personal support worker
SW – social worker
PT – physiotherapist
MT – massage therapist
RSW – rehab support worker
CM – Case Manager
The insurance forms are noted as OCF forms or Ontario Claim Forms and numbers associated with each form…stay tuned for my next blog ‘OCF-Whaaaaat? Forms!