Insurance – Definition, Principles, Importance, Functions and Types (2024)

Insurance is a very significant part of our lives. It is what guards us, secures us, and even our loved ones from any sort of mishap. There are many sorts of insurances available out there. And you can get many for yourself, as per your need, as well.

Why do we Need Insurance?

Life is uncertain; there are no guarantees or predictions about what will happen in one's life. Similarly, businesses also don't have any guarantee as they face many unexpected losses or damages in the long run. Assets like cars, bikes, etc. also don't have any certainty in their lifetime, they can get stolen or damaged in the long run. One can fight all these risks with an insurance cover.

Insurance Definition

Insurance is generally defined as a contract which is also called a policy. An insurance policy is a contract in which an individual or an organization gets financial protection and compensation for any damages by the insurer of the insurance company. In simpler words, one can answer what is an insurance policy as a form of protection from any unexpected loss or damage. From this paragraph, one can get a clear overview of insurance meaning.

Principles of Insurance

To ensure the proper functioning of the insurance contract, the insurer and the insured have to follow the following principles.

Importance of Insurance

Insurance plays a major role in the insured’s life. Here are a few pointers that will show how:

  • The insured’s family is protected with the help of insurance at the time something unexpected happens. Their family doesn't have to worry about the monetary aspects of the finances in this case.

  • We all know that unexpected events can occur at any time and are a part of life. In case of any injury, illness, or death, finances are the last thing that they need to worry about. This way, their emotional stress is also reduced to an extent.

  • Insurance is a great financial security to an individual's family. An insurance policy gives the family the coverage needed as well as the courage to move on.

  • Insurance is peace of mind for the insured in case of theft or medical emergency. This way they would not have to go and arrange money or go into a panic mode.

  • The funds which are provided by the insurance company are well enough for managing the school fees of the insured children. It also takes care of their standard of living.

Functions of Insurance

The functions of insurance can be listed as follows:

  • They provide certainty to the insured.

  • They ensure the protection of the family.

  • They are risk-sharing policies.

  • They prevent the damages that can come from loss.

  • It provides capital.

  • It’s known for improving efficiency.

  • It helps in boosting the economy.

Types of Insurance

After having gone through the following points, one can get an answer to the question of how many types of insurance are there?

Health Insurance

Health insurance is a contract that is formed between a health insurer and a policyholder. This policyholder is also known as the insured person. In this contract, the health insurer agrees to pay the full medical cost of the insured or just a portion of it.

Car Insurance

Vehicle insurance covers cars, motorcycles, trucks and all the other vehicles running on the road. This insurance is meant for giving protection against any physical damage or bodily injury that the vehicle suffers from recklessness or an accident. All the cost incurred to repair the vehicle is met by the insurance company.

Life Insurance

Life insurance is a contract in which the beneficiary is paid a fixed amount of money by the insurer after the death of the insured. The beneficiary uses this money to clear out the debts of the insured and also to meet his/her financial expenses after the death of the insured. The beneficiary is usually the spouse of the deceased. The beneficiary name is mentioned in the contract.

Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners' insurance protects one's house from the uncertainty of any damages. The insurance covers the house the insured person resides in and other associated structures connected to the house such as the balcony, garage and porch. The insurer will provide the amount incurred to repair any damage in the house or its associated structures.

Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance is also known as liability insurance. It covers the cost that is incurred in excess of other insurance policies. It gives a person extra coverage on another type of insurance policy that he/she is in.

Renters Insurance

Renters insurance is meant for tenants who use it to protect their personal property from any damage or theft. The insurance covers all the assets owned by the tenants. This is done because the landlord doesn’t take any responsibility for the assets of the tenant. Nowadays, landlords are not allowing tenants who don't have renters insurance.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is good for those people who travel a lot. It covers trip cancellations, lost or misplaced luggage, travel accidents and even medical expenses.

Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is meant for meeting all the expenses that are incurred concerning the sickness and accidents of the pet. All the medical expenses of the pet are taken care of by the insurer.

All these insurances are provided by different types of insurance companies.

Insurance – Definition, Principles, Importance, Functions and Types (2024)

FAQs

What are the 7 important principles of insurance? ›

In insurance, there are 7 basic principles that should be upheld, ie Insurable interest, Utmost good faith, proximate cause, indemnity, subrogation, contribution and loss of minimization.

What is the meaning principle and importance of insurance? ›

Insurance is defined as a contract, which is called a policy, in which an individual or organisation receives financial protection and reimbursem*nt of damages from the insurer or the insurance company. At a very basic level, it is some form of protection from any possible financial losses.

What is the function of principles of insurance? ›

The basic principle behind any insurance contract is that the insured would prefer to spend small amounts of money on a periodic basis against the possibility of incurring a huge unexpected loss.

What are the 5 principles of insurance explained? ›

In the insurance world there are six basic principles that must be met, ie insurable interest, Utmost good faith, proximate cause, indemnity, subrogation and contribution. The right to insure arising out of a financial relationship, between the insured to the insured and legally recognized.

What are the basic concepts of insurance? ›

Insurance is a commodity which offers protection against various contingencies. Insurance products available for life and non-life are many. In non-life, apart form personal covers such as accident covers and health insurance, there are products covering liabilities under a particular law and or common law.

What is the simple definition of insurance? ›

Insurance is a contract between an individual or business with an insurance company to help provide financial protection and mitigate the risks associated with certain situations or events. There are various types of insurance available, including health, dental and vision, life, auto, and legal insurance.

What is principle and its importance? ›

A principle is a kind of rule, belief, or idea that guides you. You can also say a good, ethical person has a lot of principles. In general, a principle is some kind of basic truth that helps you with your life. "Be fair" is a principle that guides (or should guide) most people and businesses.

What is the principle of insurance best defined as? ›

Principle of indemnity: -A defining characteristic of insurance, providing that a loss payment will replace what is lost, putting the insured back to where it was financially prior to the loss without rewarding or penalizing the insured for its loss.

What is the most important function of insurance? ›

Provide protection : The primary purpose of insurance is to provide protection against future risk, accidents and uncertainty. Insurance cannot check the happending of the risk, but can certainly provide for the losses of risk.

What is the functional definition of insurance? ›

An insurance policy is a contract in which an individual or an organization gets financial protection and compensation for any damages by the insurer of the insurance company. In simpler words, one can answer what is an insurance policy as a form of protection from any unexpected loss or damage.

What is the purpose of principles in a policy? ›

Principles are high-level ideas or rules that guide decisions or behaviours. The principles section provides the agreed framework and directions for how an organization approaches digital preservation in a consistent way.

What are the 7 basic principles of insurance? ›

Seven basic principles should be upheld in insurance: Utmost good faith, insurable interest, proximate cause, indemnity, subrogation, contribution, and loss of minimization.

What are the 5 C's of insurance? ›

That was how I best retained information, so I decided to take that approach for this article, which outlines the “5 Cs of Transformation in Insurance” which are: Communication, Customization, Connection, Cognition and Consensus.

What are the 5 pillars of insurance? ›

There are essentially five different types of insurance - Death or total permanent disability, critical illness protection, disability income protection, accident protection, and lastly medical.

What are the 6 principles of life insurance? ›

In the world of insurance, there are six basic principles or forms of insurance coverage that must be fulfilled, including Utmost Good Faith, Insurable Interest, Indemnity, Proximate cause (proximal cause), Subrogation (transfer of rights or guardianship), and Contribution.

What does subrogate mean? ›

subrogated; subrogating. transitive verb. : to put in the place of another. especially : to substitute (something or someone, such as a second creditor) for another with regard to a legal right or claim.

Why is the principle of indemnity important? ›

Prevention of Moral Hazard: The principle of indemnity helps prevent moral hazard by discouraging the insured from intentionally causing a loss to gain financially. The insured should have a genuine interest in protecting the insured property or person.

What is the meaning of utmost good faith? ›

Utmost good faith is a principle used in insurance contracts that legally obliges all parties to reveal to the others all important information. Insurance contracts are agreements made in the utmost good faith, which implies a standard of honesty greater than that usually required in most ordinary commercial contracts.

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