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

Since his home insurance fell short of covering the cost, he will have to pay for much of the project out of pocket.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

But now, on top of the construction work, their insurance company was taking legal action against the contractors, and O’Neill was spending even more time to find yet another contractor to fix the new damage.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026

Galicia has been strapped for cash and his home insurance did not cover the loss of his home.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

I sold a lot of my mostly stock portfolio and invested in CDs and some bond funds, as well as cash and long-term-care insurance for myself and my husband, who is 83.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026

From these he produced the first calculations of life expectancy for different age groups, and so the first reliable figures which could provide a basis for pricing life insurance.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

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

There have been reports of coding issues and some hiccups with some insurances not covering the cost of the vaccines, but "hopefully these issues will get ironed out very soon," says Hotez.

From National Geographic ● Oct. 3, 2023

I bore you with all this about lives, because it has been put in my way by a calculation of insurances which Murray has sent me.

From Life of Lord Byron, Vol. 5 With His Letters and Journals by Moore, Thomas

Related Words

• allowance
• coverage
• guarantee