资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Insurance \In*sur"ance\, n. [From {Insure}.]
1. The act of insuring, or assuring, against loss or damage
by a contingent event; a contract whereby, for a
stipulated consideration, called premium, one party
undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss
by certain specified risks. Cf. {Assurance}, n., 6.
Note: The person who undertakes to pay in case of loss is
termed the insurer; the danger against which he
undertakes, the risk; the person protected, the
insured; the sum which he pays for the protection, the
premium; and the contract itself, when reduced to form,
the policy. --Johnson's Cyc.
2. The premium paid for insuring property or life.
3. The sum for which life or property is insured.
4. A guaranty, security, or pledge; assurance. [Obs.]
The most acceptable insurance of the divine
protection. --Mickle.
{Accident insurance}, insurance against pecuniary loss by
reason of accident to the person.
{Endowment insurance} or {assurance}, a combination of life
insurance and investment such that if the person upon
whose life a risk is taken dies before a certain specified
time the insurance becomes due at once, and if he
survives, it becomes due at the time specified.
{Fire insurance}. See under {Fire}.
{Insurance broker}, a broker or agent who effects insurance.
{Insurance company}, a company or corporation whose business
it is to insure against loss, damage, or death.
{Insurance policy}, a certificate of insurance; the document
containing the contract made by an insurance company with
a person whose property or life is insured.
{Life insurance}. See under {Life}.
资料来源 : WordNet®
insurance company
n : a financial institution that sells insurance [syn: {insurance
firm}, {insurer}, {insurance underwriter}, {underwriter}]