social insurance

American  

noun

1. any of various forms of insurance in which a government is an insurer, especially such insurance that provides assistance to disabled or unemployed workers and to aged persons.

---

social insurance British  

noun

1. government insurance providing coverage for the unemployed, the injured, the old, etc: usually financed by contributions from employers and employees, as well as general government revenue See also social security national insurance social assistance

---

Etymology

Origin of social insurance

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

social insurance

The most commonly cited scapegoats are the social insurance programs Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed social insurance as a new approach to economic security.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

He doesn't know exactly why but visa experts say immigration officials have become more rigorous, demanding more documentation including tax receipts and social insurance premiums.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

The platforms also started offering some social insurance programs for delivery workers this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025

Should old age and sickness insurance be made a feature of the social insurance program of your state?

From Problems in American Democracy by Thames Ross Williamson

Related Words

• social security