Glossary

A federally funded program established in 1968 to make flood insurance available at a reasonable cost for properties located in participating communities. NFIP flood insurance is available only for direct damage to buildings and contents; there is no time element coverage.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is responsible for reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA sets and enforces safety performance standards for motor vehicles and equipment and, through grants to state and local governments, enables them to conduct effective local highway safety programs. NHTSA investigates safety defects in motor vehicles; sets and enforces fuel economy standards; helps states and local communities reduce the threat of drunk drivers; promotes the use of safety belts, child safety seats, and airbags; investigates odometer fraud; establishes and enforces vehicle antitheft regulations; and provides consumer information on motor vehicle safety topics. NHTSA conducts research on driver behavior and traffic safety to develop the most efficient and effective means of bringing about safety improvements. A toll-free Auto Safety Hotline, (888) DASH–2–DOT, furnishes consumers with a wide range of auto safety information. Callers also can help identify safety problems in motor vehicles, tires, and automotive equipment such as child safety seats.

National Independent Statistical Service (NISS) is a not-for-profit corporation serving as a statistical agent and advisory organization that collects and compiles data to keep member companies in compliance with state regulatory requirements.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is a federal agency that is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH was created in 1970 as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). The mission of NIOSH is to generate new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer that knowledge into practice for the betterment of workers. To accomplish this mission, NIOSH conducts scientific research, develops guidance and authoritative recommendations, disseminates information, and responds to requests for workplace health hazard evaluations.

The National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) is a federal registry of adverse actions taken against doctors (e.g., payments made on behalf of doctors by professional liability insurers). The NPDB, created by the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986, was intended to restrict the ability of doctors to move their practices from one state to another without disclosing previous unprofessional or incompetent conduct. However, given the potential abuses inherent in this system, only hospitals, boards of medical examiners, state licensing boards, and the individual physicians have unrestricted access to the NPDB. Correspondingly, limitations have been imposed upon access to the NPDB by insurers and plaintiffs attorneys.

The National Priorities List (NPL) is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) list of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term remedial action under Superfund. The EPA is required to update the NPL at least once a year. A site must be on the NPL to receive money from the Trust Fund for remedial action.

The National Response Center (NRC) is the federal operations center that receives notifications of all releases of oil and hazardous substances into the environment. Open 24 hours a day, it is operated by the US Coast Guard, which evaluates all reports and notifies the appropriate agency.

The National Response Team (NRT) includes representatives of 13 federal agencies that, as a team, coordinate federal responses to nationally significant incidents of pollution (an oil spill, a major chemical release, or a Superfund response action) and provide advice and technical assistance to the responding agency(ies) before and during a response action.

The National Safety Council (NSC) is a nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating the leading causes of death. NSC focuses on workplace safety and roadway safety along with addressing impairment (from drugs and alcohol). It provides safety training and sponsors various initiatives to address safety in American society.

The Nationwide Marine Definition specifies the types of property that may be insured on inland marine and ocean marine insurance forms. Qualifying property must generally be movable, be in transit, or bear some other relationship to transportation or communication. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted the Nationwide Marine Insurance Definition in 1953 and revised it in 1976. This definition is normally used to classify marine insurance rather than as a definition of underwriting powers. Although the definition does not differentiate between ocean marine and inland marine, its primary focus is on inland marine classifications.