Insurance · Life Insurance Basics

What is 'insurable interest' and why must it exist at the time a life insurance policy is purchased?

Correct answer

A person has insurable interest in another if they would suffer a genuine financial loss from that person's death; insurable interest must exist at the time of APPLICATION for a life policy (not necessarily at death) to prevent policies from being used as wagering instruments

  1. A The insurance company's interest in collecting premiums
  2. B A person has insurable interest in another if they would suffer a genuine financial loss from that person's death; insurable interest must exist at the time of APPLICATION for a life policy (not necessarily at death) to prevent policies from being used as wagering instruments
  3. C The amount of premium that must be paid annually
  4. D A measure of how interested the insured is in keeping the policy active

Why this is the answer

INSURABLE INTEREST is a foundational legal requirement for all insurance contracts — it is what distinguishes life insurance from gambling. WITHOUT INSURABLE INTEREST, an insurance contract would be a wager on another person's death, which is both unethical and illegal. WHO HAS INSURABLE INTEREST IN ANOTHER PERSON'S LIFE: BY RELATIONSHIP: A person has insurable interest in their OWN life (unlimited); spouses in each other; parents in minor children; children in elderly dependent parents; BY FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP: Business partners in each other (key person insurance); employers in key employees (key person); creditors in debtors (up to the amount of the debt); parties to a contract in each other (buy-sell agreements); RULE FOR LIFE INSURANCE: Insurable interest must exist at the TIME OF APPLICATION AND POLICY ISSUE; it does NOT need to exist at the time of the insured's death; this is why a divorced spouse can still collect on a policy where insurable interest existed at issuance (as long as they remain the designated beneficiary); WHO DOES NOT HAVE INSURABLE INTEREST: Distant acquaintances; strangers; creditors for amounts exceeding the debt; INVESTOR-OWNED LIFE INSURANCE (IOLI/STOLI): Life settlements and stranger-owned policies involve complex insurable interest questions; these are regulated (and often prohibited) in many states; CONSENT: Even with insurable interest, the INSURED must consent to the policy being taken out on their life; consent protects individuals from being insured against their will and creates conflict of interest problems.
Source: Life Insurance License Exam, Insurable Interest

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