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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

moratorium

English answer:

suspension of activity

Added to glossary by Lisa Rosengard
Dec 14, 2022 17:43
1 yr ago
37 viewers *
English term

moratorium

English Medical Insurance legal matters
It's a word which I've encountered twice so far. The first time I saw the word was in an internet campaign from Brazil, approximately 10 years ago, in connection with pharmaceutical products. The purpose of the campaign was to form a petition with a request to place untrustworthy products under prohibitive legislation. From then on, the objective was to insist on written descriptions of the ingredients and contents within those pharmaceutical products. The expectation was to reduce unnecessary and harmful drug trials and experimentation.

More recently, I encountered the word 'moratorium' in the process of underwriting for insurance policy documents. I understand that it places a line over a person's medical history, particularly if there is an existing issue or complaint. The ruling decides that existing conditions, complaints or issues are not addressed before the end of a two year time period.

My question is if the reasons for the imposition of a moratorium need to be explained. Also, in the case of a legal issue involving a professional decision, is a moratorium possibly a temporary measure or solution?
Responses
4 +4 suspension of activity
References
moratorium (Blacks Law Dictionary)

Discussion

Lisa Rosengard (asker) Dec 16, 2022:
I don't expect to use the word myself. It was for the purposes of reading or listening. I asked the question to find out if anyone knew if explanations are required. Now I assume that only in a particularly unusual and concerning situation an explanation could be required. However, it's always concerning if such a thing as a moratorium should be considered as a way forward. I accept that an explanation is simply a form of reason for the purposes of clarity and understanding, which don't change a decision or the meaning of the word. On the other hand it could be used to make a delay on a debt payment with a time scale agreed by a lender. It was useful to learn that the time scales placed by a moratorium can vary.
AllegroTrans Dec 15, 2022:
Whether it needs explanation Depends entirely on how and where you are using the word. You haven't told us.
Daryo Dec 15, 2022:
to answer the question as asked My question is if the reasons for the imposition of a moratorium need to be explained

The term can stand on its own, no need whatsoever for any additional explanation.

Giving or not a rationale for the moratorium could be a good thing to make the whole text clearer, but it won't change in the slightest the meaning of the term. Even without going into the why, how, what, when, who etc it's still a moratorium and nothing else.

It's not like "sanction" that can have two diametrically opposed meanings, for example.
philgoddard Dec 14, 2022:
Ah, thanks Much clearer now.
Lisa Rosengard (asker) Dec 14, 2022:
It's a question about the interpretation of the use of the word instead of translation to another language. Yvonne's answer is helpful with the examples given in the definitions provided, with her interpretation that the reasons don't need to be explained more than the explanation of the word term, with the possible variations of time scales placed with a suspension of a particular activity.
philgoddard Dec 14, 2022:
And I don't understand it.
Mark Robertson Dec 14, 2022:
This is not a translation question.

Responses

+4
5 mins
Selected

suspension of activity

it can refer to a temporay stop to all types of activity and no, the word should not need to be explained

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/morator...

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/moratori...

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/moratorium



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Note added at 18 hrs (2022-12-15 11:51:19 GMT)
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as in the examples from the dictionary links, the word "moratorium" cam be used in a wide range of contexts and means pretty much the same thing in all: a suspension of activities in that domain. So there has been a moratorium on cod fishing off Newfoundland for many years, still in place, https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/cod-moratorium-how-ne...
on hunting whales,
on using nuclear power (in several places, including here in Ireland since 1999, and no sigh of it being lifted. So moratoriums CAN indeed last for years.

However, in your insurance example, it basically means that someone who takes out a NEW policy will not have any payout on a claim for existing conditions (at the time they took out the policy). Usually for a 2-year period. In some cases, if someone already had a heart attack or cancer, they may never be covered under the policy for those conditions



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Note added at 6 days (2022-12-20 22:14:30 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped
Peer comment(s):
agree writeaway : ah yes, dictionaries....
23 mins
Yep! Thank you
agree Daryo
7 hrs
Thanks:-)
agree Charlesp : I agree
17 hrs
Thanks:-)
agree AllegroTrans : Yes, with the proviso that this is usually a potponement where there is a future essential obligation or deadline of some kind
17 hrs
it depends on the actual context of course. See added note
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks for your helpful comment, definitions and the reference to fishing as an example. "

Reference comments

1 hr
Reference:

moratorium (Blacks Law Dictionary)

1. An authorised postponement, usu. a lengthy one, in the deadline for the payment of a debt, or performing an obligation.
2. The period of this delay.
3. The suspension of a specific activity.
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree Daryo : simply?
7 hrs
agree Anastasia Kalantzi
11 hrs
Something went wrong...
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