Glossary

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance is a nonprofit professional association headquartered in Westlake Village, California, that was formed in 1998 to promote the importance of planning for long-term care (LTC) needs. The association was established to (1) create heightened awareness among consumers for the need and benefits of owning individual and employer-sponsored LTC insurance; (2) provide support and the most relevant information to agents, brokers, financial professionals, and insurers involved in the LTC insurance marketplace; (3) serve as a forum for members to meet, exchange information, and support efforts to improve the marketplace for LTC products; (4) make available sales-related training and savings on LTC insurance-related products and services and develop generic consumer information that augments company-sponsored programs; and (5) support certification programs for producers that are of high quality and affordable to the largest number of professionals.

The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) is an organization that collects statistical data, promulgates rating information, develops standard policy forms, and files information with state regulators on behalf of insurance companies that purchase its services. It is one of two multiline advisory rating organizations, the other being the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), that operate nationwide.

The American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) is a national trade association formed in 1976 and headquartered in Washington, DC. Its membership consists of 290 legal reserve life insurer and fraternal benefit societies located throughout the United States. ACLI advocates in federal, state, and international forums. Its members represent more than 90 percent of the assets and premiums of the US life insurance and annuity industry. In addition to life insurance, annuities, and other workplace and individual retirement plans, ACLI members offer long-term care (LTC) insurance, disability income insurance, and reinsurance.

One of the predecessor organizations of "The Institutes," the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (AICPU) was an independent nonprofit organization providing the CPCU professional designation to people engaged in the property-casualty (P&C) insurance industry.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is an organization for design professionals that publishes standard construction contract documents defining the rights and responsibilities of contracting parties, including indemnification and insurance requirements.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) is the US association that sponsors and governs the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.

American Insurance Association (AIA) is a leading property-casualty (P&C) insurance trade organization that represents approximately 300 insurers. AIA was established in 1964 when the National Board of Fire Underwriters (NBFU) and the Association of Casualty and Surety Companies (ACSC) merged and changed its name.

The American Medical Association (AMA) is a nonprofit professional association founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The AMA represents medical doctors and medical students in the United States. The mission of the AMA is "to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health." The AMA is organized into various groups: Membership, Publishing & Business Services, Core Operations, Administration and Operations, and Affiliated Organizations. The AMA publishes the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), ​ which has the largest circulation of any weekly medical journal in the world. The AMA publishes a list of Physician Specialty Codes, which are the standard method for identifying physician and practice specialties in the United States.

The American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) is a nonprofit professional organization formed in 1980 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, that supports healthcare risk managers and has 5,400 members and 50 affiliated local chapters that represent a variety of healthcare-related entities with clinical, legal, and financial interests.

The American Society for Testing and Materials, now known as ASTM International , is an organization that develops and publishes international standards for a range of materials, products, systems, and services including those used in construction, manufacturing, and transportation. Reportedly the world's largest developer of technical standards, ASTM International publishes the Annual Book of ASTM Standards .