Early leaver

Occupational pensions scheme member who leaves before normal retirement age without getting an immediate retirement benefit but may qualify for a deferred pension. Alternatively his accrued benefits could be transferred to a new scheme or used to purchase a buy out policy (also called a Section 32 policy). See PRESERVED BENEFITS.

Early retirement

Occurs when an individual retires before the normal retirement date of the occupational pension scheme. Scheme rules and the IR usually allow immediate pensions from age 50. When early retirement is voluntary, the accrued pension rights are scaled down. Members below age 50 are early leavers unless granted a pension through incapacity.

Early retirement age

Age stated in a pension plan that is before the normal retirement age but allows the plan participant to receive pension benefit. However, benefits received early are reduced from the amount that would have been received at normal retirement age.

Early termination insurance

A derivative of guaranteed asset protection, it covers the monetary shortfall that may arise when a car purchase finance agreement is terminated due to death or a change in the debtor’s employment status through resignation, unemployment or pregnancy, or due to the vehicle being written off or stolen.

Early warning system

A system of measuring insurers’ financial stability set up by insurance industry regulators. An example is the Insurance Regulatory Information System (IRIS), which uses financial ratios to identify insurers in need of regulatory attention.