Insurance, DEN-WIN

Insurance is one thing we all pay for but hope we never use. Learn about all types of insurance—medical, life, home, auto, and more—how they work, and which types you need.
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Insurance Encyclopedia Articles By Title

Dental insurance: Is it worth buying?
Dental insurance is one of the most common workplace benefits, and perhaps one of the least understood. Cleanings......
Disability insurance types: How to figure out what you need
An injury or illness can upend your life in an instant. If it keeps you from working, your bills, rent, and everyday......
Do I need life insurance? From simple protection to complex financial tools
Deciding whether you need life insurance is one of those milestones that signals you’ve stumbled into adulthood.......
Health insurance marketplace: How Obamacare coverage works
If you don’t get health insurance through a job, there’s a good chance you’re shopping on the health insurance......
HO-1 to HO-8: Comparing home insurance policy types
If you’ve ever shopped for home insurance, you were probably offered a few choices. But did you know there are......
How disability insurance helps to bridge the income gap when you can’t work
When a serious illness or injury keeps you from working, disability insurance can help replace part of your income.......
How safe is your insurance company?
Buying a whole life policy or annuity isn’t just about comparing premiums and benefits. It’s also about ensuring......
How short-term disability can help you weather an injury or illness
If you can’t work, you aren’t bringing in the income you need to pay your bills and buy groceries. For many workers,......
Insurance terminology: Premium, deductible, co-pay, coinsurance, and more
Which do you find more confusing: reading your insurance policy or trying to decipher the jargon in an auto insurance......
Is pet insurance really worth it? Let your pet be the judge
What exactly is pet insurance, and do you really need it? That’s a quandary put to many a pet owner who loves their......
Is travel insurance worth it?
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Money Matters, a newsletter from Britannica Money, on April 5, 2026.......
I’ve got a trip coming up. Do I need travel insurance?
Taking out travel insurance is akin to a doomsday scenario: You’re hoping for the best but planning for the worst.......
Long-term disability insurance explained: Coverage, costs, and eligibility
Losing the ability to work due to an illness or injury can be financially devastating, especially if your income......
PPOs, HMOs, HSAs, and more: An intro to medical insurance types
Trying to get health insurance can feel daunting—especially when all the terms surrounding insurance are an alphabet......
Running the life insurance numbers: Determining your coverage
Determining how much life insurance to purchase can be tricky. You need to figure out how much coverage you need,......
Should you sell your life insurance policy? Understanding life settlements
You probably bought life insurance because it fit your goals at the time—providing peace of mind for your family,......
Take cover: Why insurance is necessary and which types you really need
If you crash your car, get sick, see a tree crush your garage, or worst of all, if you lose someone in your immediate......
Term life vs. whole life insurance: Which is better for me?
If you’re looking to purchase life insurance, you may be wondering whether to get a term insurance policy—which......
Umbrella insurance: An all-weather financial tool to protect your assets
If you’re concerned that your current auto or homeowner’s policy doesn’t have a high enough liability limit to......
Understanding cash-value life insurance: Pros, cons, and tax benefits
Cash-value life insurance offers a twist on traditional life insurance: It accumulates value over time that you......
Understanding different types of life insurance policies
Life insurance comes in two basic forms: Term life insurance and permanent life insurance. Term insurance is similar......
Universal life insurance combines coverage with savings—but not without trade-offs
It might sound like the best of all worlds: A life insurance policy that lets you adjust how much you pay each......
Vision insurance: Is it worth the cost?
Vision insurance is one of those benefits people check without thinking—right up there with dental insurance. It’s......
What does homeowner’s insurance cover, and how much do you need?
Buying your first home? Congratulations! You’ll need homeowner’s insurance. Insurance helps to protect you from......
What if you can no longer work? Understanding short-term and long-term disability
When you start a new job, your employer might offer several different types of insurance. You definitely need health......
What is an EOB? Understanding the explanation of benefits statement from your medical insurance
You went to the doctor for a sinus headache and they kindly sent the bill to your insurance company. Later, you......
What is insurance and how does it work?
What a year you had! You broke your leg right before your beach vacation (which you had to cancel), your sore tooth......
What is insurance underwriting?
When you apply for a life insurance policy, you’re asked to share a lot of personal details about your health,......
What is life insurance and how does it work?
Life insurance is an important—but often misunderstood, and sometimes overlooked—component of a financial plan.......
What you need to know about annuity surrender charges
A deferred annuity offers a way to save for the future while building cash value over time. Premiums paid into......
Wind, hail, floods, and more: How to insure your home against natural disasters
Over the past two decades, weather-related natural disasters and ensuing insurance claims have risen significantly.......