life insurance

American

noun

insurance providing for payment of a sum of money to a named beneficiary upon the death of the policyholder or to the policyholder if still living after reaching a specified age.

life insurance British

noun

another name for life assurance

"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

Etymology

Origin of life insurance

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“There will be almost no impact on the life insurance industry,” Kett wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

Hybrid policies combine life insurance with a long-term care rider or use an annuity structure to provide care benefits.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026

Digital life insurance platform Ethos Technologies is down 46% from its May 7 peak, but technicals suggest a 36% gain to $24 by Q3.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Wall Street’s biggest private asset managers have flocked to life insurance over the past decade, viewing insurers’ huge portfolios as a perfect match for their investment products.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

A few weeks ago, though, I overheard her and Apá talking, and it turns out that Olga had accumulated a few thousand dollars in life insurance while she was working at the doctor’s office.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023