“Waiting period”中文译为“等待期”，在保险中又可以称为“elimination period”（排除期/免责期）或“qualifying period”（资格认定期），是指被保险人在其保单生效之前必须等待的时间，被保险人在此期间提出索赔的，无法获得相应的赔偿金。等待期可以是30天到365天不等，但是最常见的是90天。对于大多数保单来说，等待期为90天，保险费率最为优惠。一般来说，等待期越短，保单的成本越高，反之亦然。但是，如果等待期超过90天，虽然成本低，但是，与承担的额外风险相比，可能不会节省太多费用，比如需要保险公司赔偿的情况下却无法获得赔偿。所以，如何选择适合的等待期，需要根据自身的财务状况以及在无法获得保险赔偿的情况下能够负担生活费用的期限进行判断。等待期一般是从合同生效日或复效日算起，只适用于第一个保险年度，对于可续保单来说，续保年度一般不再有等待期。

例句1：

原文：

General rule. A group health plan, and a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage, must not apply any waiting period that exceeds 90 days, in accordance with the rules of this section. If, under the terms of a plan, an individual can elect coverage that would begin on a date that is not later than the end of the 90-day waiting period, this paragraph (a) is considered satisfied. Accordingly, in that case, a plan or issuer will not be considered to have violated this paragraph (a) solely because individuals take, or are permitted to take, additional time (beyond the end of the 90-day waiting period) to elect coverage.

（45 CFR § 147.116(a)）

译文：

一般规则。根据本节规则，团体健康保险计划和提供团体健康保险的健康保险签发方不得采用90天以上的等待期。如果根据某项计划条款个人可以选择在不晚于90天等待期结束当日开始承保，则视为满足本第(a)款的规定。因此，在这种情况下，保险计划和保险签发方不会仅仅因为个人花费额外的时间或被允许花费额外的时间（在90天等待期结束之后）选择承保范围而被视为违反本第(a)款的规定。

例句2：

原文：

No long-term care insurance policy shall:

(1) Be canceled, nonrenewed, or otherwise terminated on the grounds of the age or the deterioration of the mental or physical health of the insured individual or certificate holder;

(2) Contain a provision establishing a new waiting period if existing coverage is converted to or replaced by a new or other form within the same company, except with respect to an increase in benefits voluntarily selected by the insured individual or group policyholder;

(3) Provide coverage for skilled nursing care only or provide significantly more coverage for skilled care in a facility than coverage for lower levels of care;

(4) Use a definition of "preexisting condition" that is more restrictive than the following: "Preexisting condition" means a condition for which medical advice or treatment was recommended by, or received from, a provider of health care services, within six months preceding the effective date of coverage of an insured person.

(5) Exclude coverage for a loss or confinement that is the result of a preexisting condition unless the loss or confinement begins within six months following the effective date of coverage of an insured person.

（Ohio Revised Code, Section 3923.44）

译文：

任何长期护理保单不得：

(1) 因被保险人或保单持有人的年龄或心理或生理健康状况恶化而取消、不再续保或以其他方式终止；

(2) 包含一项规定，即在现有保单转换为同一保险公司内的新保单或其他保单或被同一保险公司内的新保单或其他保单取代的情况下设立新等待期，但被保险人或团体投保人自愿选择增加保险金的除外；

(3) 仅为专业护理投保或者为卫生机构的专业护理进行的投保明显多于低级别护理；

(4) 针对“既往病史”使用比以下规定更具限制性的定义：“既往病史”是指保单生效日前六个月内医疗保健服务方向被保险人提供的医疗建议或治疗。

(5) 不包括为既往病史导致的损失或限制投保，除非所述损失或限制于保单生效日后六个月内产生。