insurance

American  

[in-shoor-uhns, -shur-] / ɪnˈʃʊər əns, -ˈʃɜr- /

noun

• insurances
  plural

1. the act, system, or business of insuring property, life, one's person, etc., against loss or harm arising in specified contingencies, as fire, accident, death, disablement, or the like, in consideration of a payment proportionate to the risk involved.

2. coverage by contract in which one party agrees to indemnify or reimburse another for loss that occurs under the terms of the contract.

3. the contract itself, set forth in a written or printed agreement or policy.

4. the amount for which anything is insured.

5. an insurance premium.

6. any means of guaranteeing against loss or harm.

   Taking vitamin C is viewed as an insurance against catching colds.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a score that increases a team's lead and insures that the lead will be held if the opposing team should score once more.

   The home run gave the team an insurance run, making the score 7-5.

insurance British  

/ ɪnˈʃʊərəns, -ˈʃɔː- /

noun

1. 1. the act, system, or business of providing financial protection for property, life, health, etc, against specified contingencies, such as death, loss, or damage, and involving payment of regular premiums in return for a policy guaranteeing such protection

   2. the state of having such protection

   3. Also called: insurance policy. the policy providing such protection

   4. the pecuniary amount of such protection

   5. the premium payable in return for such protection

   6. ( as modifier )

      insurance agent

      insurance broker

      insurance company

2. a means of protecting or safeguarding against risk or injury

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noninsurance
  noun
• preinsurance
  noun
• proinsurance
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• insurances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of insurance

First recorded in 1545–55; insure + -ance

Explanation

Insurance is a contract where you pay a little money at a time so you can be compensated later, especially in the case of a disaster. Many people consider insurance to be making a kind of bet that bad things will happen: that's a good bet to make, because nobody is lucky forever. Legally, you need car insurance to drive. Without medical insurance, a serious illness could leave you broke. Life insurance is important so your family gets support when you die. House or apartment insurance will help if you have a fire. Insurance agents sell insurance policies, and they always have lots of customers.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

insurance insurances

Tankers have repeatedly been targeted in key Middle East shipping lanes, with operators facing sharply higher insurance premiums.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

At some point you’ll need to pick investments or insurance products.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

These include a £10bn anti-missile defence system, 50,000 new prison places and halving the rate of employer national insurance on earnings for people aged between 21 to 24.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Food is more expensive, but so are labor, utilities, insurance and credit card swipe fees — virtually everything required to keep the doors open.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

It was an insurance policy, typically on a corporate bond, with semiannual premium payments and a fixed term.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

She feels that responsible carriers often get "tarred with the same brush" as unauthorised companies, even though she is paying out for licences, insurances and tip fees.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

It said it would waive payments of "tariffs" and "Iranian insurances" for ships passing during the 60 days.

From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026

Actor James Woods, who lost his home in the Palisades fire, tweeted Tuesday that “one of the major insurances companies canceled all the policies in our neighborhood about four months ago.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2025

The act only covers health insurance, excluding long-term, disability, life, and other insurances.

From Science Daily ● May 2, 2024

"Suetonius conjectures," Mr Montefiore writes on the first page of the book, "that the Emperor Claudius was the original projector of insurances on ships and merchandise."

From Diaries of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, Volume I Comprising Their Life and Work as Recorded in Their Diaries From 1812 to 1883 by Louis Loewe

Related Words

• allowance
• coverage
• guarantee