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insure
[in-shoor, -shur]
verb (used with object)
to guarantee against loss or harm.
Synonyms: warrantto secure indemnity to or on, in case of loss, damage, or death.
to issue or procure an insurance policy on or for.
- Synonyms: assure
verb (used without object)
to issue or procure an insurance policy.
insure
/ ɪnˈʃʊə, -ˈʃɔː /
verb
(often foll by against) to guarantee or protect (against risk, loss, etc)
we insured against disappointment by making an early reservation
(often foll by against) to issue (a person) with an insurance policy or take out an insurance policy (on)
his house was heavily insured against fire
after all his car accidents the company refuses to insure him again
Other Word Forms
- overinsure verb (used with object)
- preinsure verb (used with object)
- insurability noun
- insurable adjective
Word History and Origins
Example Sentences
Some of those homes—analysts say it is hard to know how many—are too flood-prone for insuring them to be profitable.
American shipyards get that business thanks to a 1920 law called the Jones Act, which mandates that ships moving goods between U.S. ports must be American-built, -owned, -insured and -operated.
These vessels aren’t insured by companies from Western countries or their allies, which are forbidden from covering vessels that ship Russian oil products above price caps set by the sanctions.
When the family first moved into the RV, Cordon put most of their possessions into a storage unit, which they also insured.
And most insured patients will have lower out-of-pocket costs by getting the drugs through their insurance rather than the direct-purchasing service.
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When To Use
Insure typically means to guarantee against loss or harm or, more specifically, to cover with insurance. Ensure most commonly means to guarantee or make certain, as in Working hard ensures success. Assure usually means to tell someone something with confidence or to cause someone to know something with certainty—it often means the same thing as reassure.It’s no wonder there’s confusion between the three words—all three are verbs that are based on the Latin root sēcūrus, meaning safe. Making things even more confusing is the fact that ensure and insure can be used interchangeably in most senses. Still, insure is much more commonly used in the context of insurance, like car insurance, health insurance, and homeowner’s insurance. These kinds of insurance insure you—they give you coverage that provides you with compensation in certain cases and situations.Ensure is typically used in a more general way in the context of actions that are done to make sure that something happens or is the case, as in We need to ensure that the meeting starts on time.Assure is always used in the context of communication, especially in situations in which someone is trying to make someone else feel better about something. It’s used in the phrase rest assured.Here’s a quick cheat sheet to remember the most common uses of each word:insure = cover with insuranceensure = make sureassure = reassureHere’s an example of insure, ensure, and assure used correctly in a sentence.Example: She assured me that the company has ensured that every employee has the opportunity to be insured.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between insure, ensure, and assure.
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