Source : 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}.

Source : WordNet®

insurance company
     n : a financial institution that sells insurance [syn: {insurance
         firm}, {insurer}, {insurance underwriter}, {underwriter}]