insurance

[ in-shoor-uhns, -shur- ]
See synonyms for insurance on Thesaurus.com
noun
  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.

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

  2. the amount for which anything is insured.

  3. an insurance premium.

  4. any means of guaranteeing against loss or harm: Taking vitamin C is viewed as an insurance against catching colds.

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.

Origin of insurance

1
First recorded in 1545–55; insure + -ance

Other words from insurance

  • non·in·sur·ance, noun
  • pre·in·sur·ance, noun
  • pro·in·sur·ance, adjective

Words that may be confused with insurance

Words Nearby insurance

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use insurance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for insurance

insurance

/ (ɪnˈʃʊərəns, -ˈʃɔː-) /


noun
    • 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

    • the state of having such protection

    • Also called: insurance policy the policy providing such protection

    • the pecuniary amount of such protection

    • the premium payable in return for such protection

    • (as modifier): insurance agent; insurance broker; insurance company

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012