insurance

insurance — noun

1. A system in which a person makes regular payments to a company, and the company

1.nounB1
Definition

A system in which a person makes regular payments to a company, and the company pays for the person's expenses when something bad happens, such as damage, injury, or illness.

Example

Hoa took out travel insurance before her trip to Japan.

collocation: take out + insurance

A tree fell on the roof, so the family filed an insurance claim for repairs.

collocation: file an insurance claim

Common collocations
  • health insurance
  • car insurance
  • life insurance
  • travel insurance
  • home insurance
  • insurance policy
  • insurance company
  • insurance premium
  • insurance claim
  • take out insurance
  • file a claim
Synonyms
  • coverage

    focuses on the scope of what is protected; more informal than 'insurance'

  • protection

    broader term that does not require a formal financial agreement

  • indemnity

    formal/legal term meaning compensation for loss; rare in everyday speech

Grammar Patterns

insurance + against + noun/gerund

take out + insurance

have + insurance

Usage Note

Frequently used as an uncountable noun ('I need insurance'). Plural form ('insurances') appears when referring to multiple policies or types of coverage: 'She has several insurances on her properties.'

Common Mistakes

I insured my house with a policy from ABC Company.
I have home insurance with ABC Company.
'insure' is the verb for arranging coverage; 'insurance' is the noun for the agreement itself.

2. An action, habit, or resource that helps prevent or reduce the harm caused by po

2.nounB2
Definition

An action, habit, or resource that helps prevent or reduce the harm caused by possible future problems.

Example

Caleb installed a security system as insurance against break-ins.

figurative: as insurance against [risk]

Keeping an emergency fund is good insurance for unexpected expenses like medical bills.

Synonyms
  • protection

    more direct and general; less metaphorical than 'insurance'

  • safeguard

    emphasizes active prevention; slightly more formal

  • precaution

    focuses on actions taken beforehand rather than a resource held in reserve

Antonyms
  • risk

    the thing that insurance protects against, not the protective measure itself

Grammar Patterns

as + insurance + against + noun/gerund

form of + insurance

Usage Note

Always singular. Almost always followed by 'against' to specify the risk being prevented. 'For' is occasionally used ('insurance for a rainy day') but is less natural.

Common Mistakes

Learning a new skill is an insurance for losing your job.
Learning a new skill is insurance against losing your job.
Use 'against', not 'for', to introduce the unwanted event you are protecting against.

insurance — adjective

Word family

  • insure
    verbB2
  • insured
    adjectiveB2
  • insured
    nounC1
  • insurer
    nounB2
  • underinsured
    adjectiveC1
  • uninsured
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words relate to being safe from harm or loss, but they differ in scope and formality. 'Insurance' is the specific commercial arrangement with a company — you pay premiums and receive compensation for covered losses. 'Coverage' focuses on what risks are included under that arrangement ('My policy has flood coverage'). It is less formal than 'insurance' and often used in casual discussion of policies. 'Protection' is the broadest term, covering everything from legal rights to physical safety, and does not imply a financial agreement ('Wearing a helmet is protection against head injuries'). 'Indemnity' is a formal legal term for compensation paid after a loss, rarely used outside contracts or insurance-industry language. In everyday conversation, say: 'I have good health coverage through my job' (informal check of what is covered) or 'Wearing sunscreen is protection against sunburn' (no insurance required).

coverage ↗protection ↗indemnity ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • health insurance
  • car insurance
  • life insurance
  • travel insurance
  • home insurance

Phrases

  • take out insurance
  • form of insurance
  • insurance policy
  • insurance company
  • insurance premium
  • insurance claim

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchAnglo-FrenchEnglish

Insurance comes from the Old French word 'ensurer,' meaning 'to make sure or secure.' It entered English in the late Middle Ages through Anglo-French legal language, originally used in the context of maritime trade. By the 17th century, as global shipping grew, the modern meaning of a paid arrangement to cover losses became firmly established. The 'making sure' sense and the 'financial protection' sense share the same root idea of removing uncertainty.