Insurance: A written promise from an insurance company to put the insured back into the same or a similar financial position as before the loss occurred.
Insurance broker: Someone who will compare the price of insurance with a few different insurance companies and get the best price for the consumer.
Premium: The price paid for insurance. The insured pays the insurance company annually (yearly) or monthly.
Premium = basic premium + loadings - reductions
Compensation: Money paid to the insured by the insurance company in the event of a loss occurring.
Loading: Amount added by the insurance company to the premium because there is a greater risk of the loss occurring. For example, a bungee jumper seeking health insurance.
Proposal form: Application form filled out by the person seeking insurance (the insured). They must fill out the form truthfully (utmost good faith). Filling out this form and doing so truthfully allows the insurance company to give a realistic assessment of the risk and calculate the premium.
Actuary: The person who calculates the premium. Based on the probability of the loss occurring.
No claims bonus: A discount offered by insurance company to the insured as a reward for not having claimed on their policy.
Principles of insurance: 1. Indemnity 2. Utmost good faith 3. Insurable interest 4. Subrogation 5. Contribution
Assurance: Insurance is a possibility and assurance is a certainty, i.e. the event is going to happen.
Under-insured: This is when the individual has insured the item for less than its worth.
Assessor: Calculates compensation on behalf of the insurance company.