Insurance provides monetary compensation against a predetermined risk. An insurance company offers such protection for a payment (or premium). It is also the amount the insurance company agrees to pay when an unfortunate event occurs. Insurance is a benefit to the society at large by allowing individuals to share the risks faced by many people. An insurance policy is a written agreement between an insurance company and an individual or organization that requires insurance. The insurance policy sets out the terms and conditions and specifies the risks that will be compensated for. Online insurance quote helps you to shop for insurance via the Internet. It offers a quick, safe and convenient method to shop for insurance from the comfort of your home.

History of Insurance

The practice of insuring can be traced back to ancient Babylonia. The merchants paid a sum of money (including interest) only after the goods arrived safely. Mariners from Phoenicia had used a system called as bottomry analogous to Insurance during 1200 B.C. With the growth of trade, the practice of insuring became a necessity.

Importance of Insurance

Risk is an inevitable part of everyday life. Nobody can say beforehand when an undesirable event may occur or how grave the damage may be. Investing in insurance is said to be less risky. This is because an underlying principle is the 'law of large numbers'. The law states that the ability to predict losses improves with larger groups. Insurance is widely available and affordable. It is a significant economic force in industrialized countries.

Types of Insurance

Four broad categories of insurance can be considered, according to what it covers:

• Property and casualty
• Life
• Health and disability
• Old age and unemployment

Insurers refer to insurance purchased by individuals as personal lines coverage and insurance purchased by businesses as commercial coverage. One can purchase all types of coverage via online insurance quotes. However, it is in the interest of the customer to check out multiple competing quotes to find with provider offers best terms and rates as per his unique requirements.

Modern form of insurance was probably shaped during the industrialization of Europe. Friendly societies or guilds assumed the role sharing the costs of risks. As the leading maritime nation, England pioneered the concept of maritime insurance by crystallizing the concepts in a London pub - Llyod's , which has become synonymous with marine insurance.

Marine Insurance

Protects a shipping company against the loss of a ship or its cargo. The first form of marine insurance dates back to 3000 BC when Chinese merchants spread their goods among many vessels to reduce the possibility of damage to their products. Another form was the general average, which existed around 916 BC. The merchant accompanied his cargo to ensure that it was not abandoned, or thrown overboard. The merchant would be compensated for his loss by contributions from other merchants.