insurance

noun

in·​sur·​ance in-ˈshu̇r-ən(t)s 

-ˈshər-

also

ˈin-ˌshu̇r- 

-ˌshər-

1

a

: coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril

b

: the business of insuring persons or property

c

: the sum for which something is insured

2

: a means of guaranteeing protection or safety

The contract is your insurance against price changes.

Frequent hand washing is good insurance against the common cold.

3

gambling : a side bet that a player in blackjack may place when the dealer's first faceup card is an ace

Note: An insurance bet can be up to half of a player's original bet. It wins at 2 to 1 odds if the dealer's cards add up to 21.

Examples of insurance in a Sentence

insurance against theft or damage

She has a job in insurance.

I work for an insurance company.

Recent Examples on the Web

The singles, which together produced two insurance runs, came off the bats of Dylan Schlotterback, Brady Ballinger, LeBlanc and Cade Baldridge. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026

Cars are expensive, insurance is complicated and supply chains are unpredictable. —Hebron Sher, Fortune, 29 May 2026

But even travel insurance won't end the delay tax. —Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 29 May 2026

Labor interests, in particular, worried that a private Pinnacol would end up raising rates and leaving high-risk industries, such as construction, unable to afford workers’ comp insurance. —Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing insurance

• accident insurance
• health insurance
• homeowner's insurance
• insurance adjuster
• insurance agent
• insurance broker
• insurance policy
• life insurance
• property damage insurance
• self-insurance
• social insurance
• take out insurance on
• term insurance
• title insurance
• unemployment insurance
• whole life insurance
• workmen's compensation insurance

Rhymes for insurance

• assurance
• durance
• reassurance
• reinsurance

Kids Definition

insurance

noun

in·​sur·​ance

in-ˈshu̇r-ən(t)s

1

a

: the business of insuring persons or property

b

: a contract by which someone guarantees for a fee to pay someone else for the value of property if it is lost or damaged (as through theft or fire) or to pay usually a specified amount for injury or death

c

: the amount for which something is insured

2

: a means of guaranteeing protection

take an umbrella as insurance against rain

Legal Definition

insurance

noun

in·​sur·​ance in-ˈshu̇r-əns, ˈin-ˌshu̇r- 

1

: the action, process, or means of insuring or the state of being insured usually against loss or damage by a contingent event (as death, fire, accident, or sickness)

2

a

: the business of insuring persons or property

b

: coverage by contract whereby for an agreed payment one party agrees to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril

c

: the principles and practice of the business of insuring

3

: the sum for which something is insured