Common types of insurance

    Anything that can be given a quantified risk value can potentially be insured. However, not all valued items are subject to exactly the same types of events. Nor do all events result in the same types of loss, damage, or other circumstances. To account for all the differences, insurance companies have created a wide variety of types of insurance.
    The majority of these types of insurance includes a combination of, or at least includes one of these forms of coverage: property coverage, liability coverage, and medical coverage. Property coverage pays for damage or theft of the item. Liability coverage pays for the compensation to others for property damage and bodily injury. Medical coverage pays the cost of treating injuries, rehabilitation, and in some instances, lost wages and burial expenses.


    Here is a list of the most commonly used insurance types, and what coverage each type provides:

  • Accidental death and dismemberment insurance: Is usually provided by lenders and financial institutions and is typically a cross between a life insurance and credit insurance coverage. Basically, if the policy holder or bank account holder is killed due to any type of accident, then the designated beneficiary receives a certain amount of monetary compensation, and any outstanding loan is paid off in full. If the person loses a limb due to an accident, then he or she is monetarily compensated. If unable to work due to the dismemberment, then any outstanding loan is paid off in full.

  • Auto insurance: Is usually issued for six months to a year and typically covers property, medical and liability (risk caused by a car accident.

  • Credit insurance: Is usually issued for the duration of a loan in the form of a payment protection plan and typically repays all or some of the remaining loan balance if the borrower becomes unemployed, disabled, or dies.

  • Health insurance: Is usually issued as an employment benefit, with the employer and employee both paying a part of the monthly premiums. It typically pays for most medical treatments, although some pre-existing conditions may be excluded. Dental and vision care are usually excluded or added in at an extra cost. Various types of health insurance are available to everyone.

  • Home insurance: Is usually issued for a year, and typically includes property coverage, liability coverage, and to some extent, medical coverage. Usually damage or destruction of a home from natural disasters such as wind, flood, and earthquake are not covered in geographical areas where they occur frequently. This type of coverage usually has to be specifically added on to the policy, at an extra cost. Routine home maintenance is also excluded. The contents of the home may or may not be included in the coverage, but can be added on usually or purchased separately for an extra fee. For those who rent their homes, there is a renter’s insurance that covers the content of the home.

  • Life insurance: Is usually issued for the duration of the insured person’s life, as long as the monthly premiums are paid. Life insurance typically pays a specific monetary benefit to the insured person’s designated beneficiary or legal heirs. Typically part of the funds is used for funeral expenses and other final expenses. The rest is used however the beneficiary chooses to use it. The beneficiary is usually given the option of being paid a lump sum cash payment or through an annuity. Annuities provide income over a long period of time, and is treated the same as if they were life insurance policies. Some types of life insurance policies accumulate cash values, which may be borrowed against or attained by surrendering the policy. In most cases, the interest earned from a life insurance policy in non-taxable.

  • Professional liability insurance: Is usually issued on a yearly basis and the name and types of coverage vary from one profession to another. It is basically used to protect a professional worker or business, such as a doctor or architect, or mechanic against potential negligence claims filed by their clients.
    There are countless other types of insurance, as well. Usually the easiest way to find insurance is to classify it within one of the main categories first. The primary categories are home/residential property, commercial property, business, auto, and recreational vehicles.

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