Largest dollar amount that an insurance company will pay for an insured’s claims in a lifetime and/or the greatest dollar amount paid for all illnesses and injuries for each insured as long as the certificate is in effect. Also called total certificate membership benefit maximum and lifetime maximum .

Medicare Part A coverage that means a reserve of 60 days of inpatient hospital care available over an individual’s lifetime that the individual may use after he or she has used the maximum 90 days allowed in a single benefit period. For each lifetime reserve day, Medicare pays all covered costs except for a daily coinsurance ($534 in 2009). Also referred to as lifetime reserve or reserve days .