HMOs refer to the proportion of premiums they pay out for patient care as their "medical-loss ratio"--a chilling choice of words.

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He estimates that the loss ratio--the amount spent on care compared to the premium collected--is around 200%.

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England's win-loss ratio under Johnson is not too clever.

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Title insurance is a steady business you can't mortgage a home without the coverage and the loss-to-premium ratio for title companies is far lower than for property-casualty providers.

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Its ratio of assets (loans and investments) to loss-absorbing equity capital is a fraction over 20 times, down from 50 times in the autumn of 2008, when it was rescued from the brink by taxpayers.

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The Senate bill has some very strong provisions about -- that prevent insurance companies from padding their own pockets and medical loss ratio.

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Concerning really big or controversial claims, the insurer will delay the claim as long as they can (make money on financing), then deny it (improve their loss ratio), then defend it if the claimant sues (in-house legal staff can spend a lot more than most consumers operating on their own).

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