10 Insurance

Resources

ENGLISH SKILLS TUTORIALS LANGUAGE SUPPORT FOR MODULE B

https://issuu.com/adrian.ciupe.elt

LEARNERS DICTIONARIES GENERAL ENGLISH

Oxford: http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/
Longman: http://www.ldoceonline.com/
Macmillan: http://www.macmillandictionary.com/
Cambridge: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
Collins/Cobuild: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-cobuild-learners
Merriam-Websters (focus on American English): http://www.learnersdictionary.com/

SPECIALISED DICTIONARIES BUSINESS ENGLISH

Business Dictionary: http://www.businessdictionary.com/
Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/dictionary/
Cambridge: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/business-english/

GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY LESSONS

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/askaboutenglish/

READING AND LISTENING PRACTICE

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/

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A Speaking & Writing
Below you may find a set of questions which you can prepare prior to class
meetings, at your leisure. When answering any of these questions, be ready to
support your opinion with examples of your own.
This module is required for the SPEAKING and WRITING tasks!

1. What is an insurance broker? Would you like to work as one? Why (not)?
2. What is an assessor (in insurance)? Would you like to work as one or not? Why?
3. Mention a few types of insurance and speak in more detail about the one(s) you would find the most
useful for yourself.
4. Describe the benefits of having car insurance.
5. Describe the procedure that allows you to benefit from medical / health insurance when you travel
abroad (as a tourist).
6. Would tou ever take out life insurance? Why (not)?
7. What factors are taken into account by insurers (= companies that sell insurance) when they set a
specific value for the premiums that have to be paid by customers? Explain.
8. Do you know of a case in which someone has made bogus insurance claims? What happened?
9. Name (and explain) a few situations in which goods or people can be considered uninsurable.
10. Describe the procedure of taking out insurance. What would you advise someone who would like to
buy insurance?
11. What type of insurance would you consider the least useful for yourself and why? Explain.
12. Describe some of the services and facilities typically provided by an insurer (= company that sells
insurance).
13. Do you have a favourite insurer? Explain.
14. Should different types of insurance be mandatory for everyone? Explain.
15. Speak about the health insurance system in Romania, comparing it with the situation in another
country.
16. Many people complain about the Romanian health insurance system. Why do you think they do that?
17. If you were to go on a safari, would you take out insurance? If so, what type(s)? Explain.
18. Does working in insurance require special skills? Explain.
19. How would you convince someone to buy a certain type of insurance? Explain.
20. Would you buy medical insurance for your pet(s)? Explain why (not).
21. Can selling insurance be considered `big business`? Explain.
22. Imagine a situation in which a driver has caused an accident (no fatalities involved). What should s/he
do in order to benefit from his / her insurance?

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B Reading & Language
The following (guided) practice tests simulate the question formats in your final
test and may be used in the construction of the final test versions. Further
explanations will be available in class. The tests not covered in class are part
of your self-study use the learners dictionaries suggested (see page 1).
This module is required for the FINAL TEST!

DIRECTIONS FOR ALL PRACTICE TESTS

If you see ONLY a blank space, on your ANSWER SHEET you must write EITHER a preposition / an
adverbial particle, OR one of the words given at the beginning of each set of
questions, in its correct form (some words DO NOT have to be changed). If you see a blank space
followed by four options, on your ANSWER SHEET you must write the one correct option. If you see
a blank space followed by a WORD IN CAPITAL LETTERS, you must use that word to form a word
that fits the blank, by adding prefixes and / or suffixes; on your ANSWER SHEET, write the word you
have formed.

Making use of the RESOURCES listed on the cover page of this unit can greatly
assist you in solving these exercises correctly.

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PRACTICE TEST 01
ban, claim, what

After the damage caused by the fire, she was able to rebuild her house 01 ____ the insurance.

Any changes in your situation may 02 ____ VALID your insurance policy.

03 ____ them, they hatched a plot to claim insurance money.

Can you claim 04 ____ your insurance for damage to others?

Can you claim the repairs 05 ____ your insurance?

06 ____ CANCEL under some circumstances is adequately covered by your insurance policy.

Does he have insurance 07 ____ the house yet?

Her car insurance covers her 08 ____ business use.

Ive worked in the insurance business all my life, so I know whats 09 ____.

Insurance for some sports can be 10 ____ PROHIBIT expensive.

People who make bogus insurance 11 ____ will be dealt with severely.

She was 12 ____ for three months for driving with no insurance.

Shes had to dig 13 ____ her savings to pay for her car insurance.

Some risks may be excepted 14 ____ the terms of your insurance contract.

Why not shop around to get the best deal 15 ____ your insurance?

FOLLOW-UP
1. Whats the difference in usage between damage (uncountable) and damages (countable, always
plural)?
2. What is the meaning of the phrasal verb shop around in question 15?

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PRACTICE TEST 02
core, cover, exclude, hedge, settle

His insurance provides 01 ____ a free medical every year.

Insurers conditions are 02 ____ (= protected) with different exclusions.

It is 03 ____ ADVISE to insure all artefacts 04 ____ theft and damage.

Make certain that you keep this copy with your insurance policy for future 05 ____ REFER.

Selling insurance is their 06 ____ business.

The average cost, 07 ____ insurance, is about 500 per annum.

The insurance company claims that she failed to provide the relevant 08 ____ DOCUMENT.

The insurance company refused to 09 ____ the claim.

The insurance company requires several estimates for repairs 10 ____ my car.

The insurance covers anyone injured in the course of their 11 ____ EMPLOY.

This insurance covers all 12 ____ EXPEND incurred during your time in hospital.

We can arrange 13 ____ travelling / travel / traveller / traveler insurance for you.

We should increase our insurance 14 ____.

We want insurance policies that are 15 ____ ADAPT to changing circumstances.

FOLLOW-UP
1. Explain the usage of the following: insure / insurance, ensure, assure / assurance,
reassure / reassurance. Do you notice anything missing in this set of words?
2. What is the difference between expense and expanse? What is the corresponding verb for each?

Adrian.Ciupe.ELT
PRACTICE TEST 03
book, extra, print

As a condition of the mortgage, you will have to 01 ____ apply / make / take / set out building
and contents insurance.
Employees have paid out thousands of pounds 02 ____ health insurance over the years.

Just make them pay 03 ____ the damage, or failing that, claim 04 ____ the insurance.

Theres hardly any foolproof way for you to insure 05 ____ ill health while you are abroad.

They can offer a generous 06 ____ PACK including private medical insurance.

They were waiting for the insurance company to pay 07 ____.

This type of insurance covers injury 08 ____ third parties.

We provide free insurance 09 ____ loss or damage up to 4,500.

Weve insured the statue 10 ____ over half a million pounds.

When taking 11 ____ insurance, youd better read the small 12 ____ as well.

With this type of insurance, Im buying 13 ____ peace / quiet / relaxation / fearlessness
of mind.
You have to pay 14 ____ for insurance.

You will get travel insurance at the time of 15 ____.

FOLLOW-UP
1. What is the difference in usage between pay something and pay for something?
2. What is the difference between injury and wound?
3. What is the meaning of the collocation small print?

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PRACTICE TEST 04
assure, benefit, claim

A large percentage of lone parents 01 ____ benefit receive income support.

Child 02 ____ is money provided by the government to parents until their children come of age.

03 ____ ABLE benefit is provided to people who are unable to work because they cannot use part
of their body.
How long have you been receiving 04 ____ EMPLOY benefit / (American English) compensation?

Items of jewellery can be insured 05 ____ an all-risks policy.

No such policy is of any effect until the certificate is delivered to the 06 ____.

Our company specializes in selling life 07 ____ SURE products.

Our 08 ____ MONTH repayments are adjusted once a year.

Permanent total disablement benefit can be 09 ____ PAY from the date of the claimant's
disablement.
Sickness benefit and 10 ____ VALID benefit were merged to form 11 ____ CAPACITY benefit.

12 ____ SICK benefit is money paid by the government to people who are too ill to work.

The number of people 13 ____ of work and receiving benefit is increasing.

This policy provides protection 14 ____ all risks.

To be able to 15 ____ maternity benefit, you will need to have worked for at least two years.

FOLLOW-UP
1. How could you translate into Romanian the expression you need in question 1? How about the one in
question 2?
2. What is the difference between policy and politics?
3. Do you know any expressions with sick related to being absent from work?

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PRACTICE TEST 05
broker, cover, indemnify, peril, policy, premium

As a 01 ____ CLAIM you can ask for payment from the insurance company.

Can you claim 02 ____ your household insurance if your car gets stolen?

Contact an insurance 03 ____ who can sell you an insurance 04 ____.

In insurance, 05 ____ EXPECT of life is used in British English and life 06 ____ EXPECT in both
British and American English.
Is it worth getting 07 ____ COMPREHEND insurance for an old car?

On payment of one full year's contribution you will be able to 08 ____ CASH your bond at any time.

Our company has taken out insurance to 09 ____ its directors against 10 ____ LIABLE when
acting on our behalf.
People have to pay an extra 11 ____ to have insurance cover on their personal possessions.

Practically everything is 12 ____ SURE on condition that the premium is adequate.

The 13 ____ LOSE adjuster came to assess the value of loss incurred.

These policies provide 14 ____ for death of the policyholder.

These policies will only cover people whose activities place their lives in imminent 15 ____.

FOLLOW-UP
1. How would you translate into Romanian the expression in question 3?
2. What is the opposite of the derivative for question 12?

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PRACTICE TEST 06
expire, identify, insure, lapse, nominee, peril, recover

A 01 ____ is the person who will get money in the event that the insured person dies.

A 02 ____ PAY is payment made to a person who has made an insurance claim.

Buying a home usually 03 ____ you as a good candidate 04 ____ life insurance.

He let his fire insurance 05 ____ (= end for lack of regular payments) when he could no longer afford
the premiums.
I prefer to buy my policies directly from an insurance 06 ____ CARRY.

Our overseas company insured 07 ____ accidents at sea.

She found out that her policy had 08 ____.

The percentage of 09 ____ JOB people getting 10 ____ EMPLOY insurance payments has gone
down.
This section of the document explains the terms of 11 ____ CANCEL of a holiday where the 12

____ decides to cancel.

Under our policy, firearms are covered for standard 13 ____.

When she tried to 14 ____ her loss, the insurers denied any 15 ____ LIABLE.

FOLLOW-UP
1. Give some more examples of nouns ending in ee (suffix).
2. How would you translate into Romanian the expression in question 6?
3. Give a synonym for the derivative you need in question 9.

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PRACTICE TEST 07
issue, reimburse, shoot, write

Car insurance premiums 01 ____ up by 28%.

Check your certificate of insurance to 02 ____ SURE the details are accurate.

Considerable hardship can be caused by 03 ____ SURE (= not enough insurance).

Even 04 ____ SURE residents should get decent health care.

Her car was a 05 ____ WRITE, so the insurance company refused to pay out.

Her household policy covers her 06 ____ accidentally breaking any electrical equipment.

If you are 07 ____ SURE, the value of the health care for which you are insured is less than you
need.
If your personal effects are stolen, your insurance policy can 08 ____ only $1,000.

Such a certificate of insurance will be 09 ____ to each insured person.

The benefits shown above are for lives assured 10 ____ normal rates.

They had to call in insurance 11 ____ ASSESS after most of the building was damaged in the fire.

They promised to pay her 12 ____ DEPEND double the original sum assured.

We have 13 ____ (= sold) 1 million of insurance this week.

When an insurance company writes 14 ____ a car or other vehicle, it decides that it has been
damaged badly enough not to be worth repairing.
You can now 15 ____ make / do / apply / extend a claim on your insurance policy.

FOLLOW-UP
1. Give a synonymous verbal expression for the derivative you need in question 2.
2. Give the noun equivalent of the verb used in question 8.
3. Whats the difference between dependent and dependant?

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PRACTICE TEST 08
benefit, cover, cover, stand, take

A 01 ____ FLOAT is insurance that pays for items lost or damaged, wherever they are.

After the car crash he received 10,000 02 ____ insurance.

Companies will do everything in their power to 03 ____ themselves against lawsuits.

Death 04 ____ is money that is paid to the family of an insured family member who dies.

Fully 05 ____ COMPREHEND cover is quite expensive these days.

I decided to 06 ____ out cover for accidental damage.

I took out 07 ____ ADD cover for accidental damage.

The insurer will have to 08 ____ set / settle / stretch / snatch (= pay) the claim.

They had to pay out $3 million 09 ____ damage claims.

They 10 ____ to gain lots of money from an insurance payout.

This policy includes cover 11 ____ up to 10,000 against any legal expenses.

This policy includes cover of up to 20,000 against legal 12 ____ EXPEND.

This section of the form must be signed by all 13 ____ CLAIM.

Were 14 ____ placing / putting / attaching / enclosing in an insurance claim for flood
damage.
You will be fully 15 ____ for emergency treatment abroad.

FOLLOW-UP
1. How would you translate into Romanian the expression in question 10?
2. What is the difference between expense and expenditure?

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PRACTICE TEST 09
annuity, claim, product, risk

All firms are required to insure 01 ____ accidents 02 ____ the workplace.

An insurance 03 ____ WRITE a person estimates the risks involved in a particular activity, deciding
how much you must pay for insurance.
Based on our policies, we do not insure properties that are liable 04 ____ flooding.

His life was insured 05 ____ $500,000.

Mortgage lenders usually require you to take 06 ____ full insurance cover / 07 ____ COVER.

On average, sales of insurance 08 ____ rose 9% on the previous year.

Our company also insures high- 09 ____ drivers.

Sales of life insurance and 10 ____ have increased.

The insured made a claim 11 ____ the 12 ____ SURE.

The 13 ____ (= the insurance company) refused to pay the full 14 ____.

The villa is insured 15 ____ $7 million.

FOLLOW-UP
1. A synonymous expression for ____ the workplace is ___ work (see question 2).
2. How would you translate into Romanian liable to (to is a preposition here)?
3. What is a mortgage in Romanian?
4. How can you use insured for and insured against?

Adrian.Ciupe.ELT
PRACTICE TEST 10
benefit, join, liability, peril, premium, provide, risk, term

All people living 01 ____ social security / welfare are at risk from inflation.

Because there is so much flooding in the area, houses are 02 ____ SURE.

Changes 03 ____ the social security system can be made only by the Government.

Earthquakes are usually considered a(n) 04 ____ SURE risk.

Insurers will 05 ____ cover for policyholders in areas with a high risk of forest fires.

Make sure that you check the 06 ____ of the policy before you sign.

People 07 ____ the scheme will get life insurance cover.

Please note that health insurance 08 ____ are rising rapidly.

Public 09 ____ refers to a situation in which a company is 10 ____ RESPOND if a member of the
public is harmed by one of its products.
She will receive a payout of $10,000 11 ____ maturity.

The document attached lists the 12 ____ covered by the policy.

The policyholder made a claim 13 ____ thousands of dollars when her luggage was lost.

The premium you pay will be modified if there is a change in your 14 ____ profile.

There have been cuts in social security 15 ____ for all.

FOLLOW-UP
1. What else does welfare mean?
2. An earthquake or flooding for example can be described as acts of God. What do you understand
by this idiom?
3. What is the (specialised) meaning of maturity in question 11?
4. Whats the difference between luggage and baggage? What do they both have in common?

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C Listening & Language
The task sheets and directions will be available in class only. After doing the
listening exercises, you will receive web links to the recordings and the audio
scripts. The audio scripts may be used in the construction of the final test
versions, based on the question formats practised in module B.
This module is required for the FINAL TEST!

DIRECTIONS FOR YOUR SELF-STUDY

Read each audio script and listen at the same time. Repeat the procedure a few times and pay attention
to pronunciation and spelling. To clarify vocabulary problems, make sure that you use the learners
dictionaries suggested on page 1 of this unit. When working with the audio scripts, focus on the following:

1. collocations;
2. fixed expressions containing dependent prepositions;
3. phrasal verbs;
4. idioms;
5. derivatives (word building).

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D Further Reading
Below you may find web links to a few articles that give you more information
about the topic of this course unit. These articles have been carefully selected
so as to be both informative and helpful towards your language development.
This module is for your information ONLY!

DIRECTIONS FOR YOUR SELF-STUDY

Read each article once for more information on the topic of this unit. In order to improve your reading
and language skills (grammar and vocabulary), read each article again and pay attention to the problems
mentioned below (1-5). In doing so, make sure that you use the learners dictionaries suggested on page 1
of this unit. Focus on the following:

1. collocations;
2. fixed expressions containing dependent prepositions;
3. phrasal verbs;
4. idioms;
5. derivatives (word building).

LINKS
http://www.investopedia.com/university/insurance/insurance1.asp
https://www.lloyds.com/lloyds/about-us/what-we-do/what-is-insurance
https://www.internations.org/great-britain-expats/guide/16153-health-insurance/private-health-
insurance-in-the-uk-16159
https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/overview

DISCLAIMER
The author of this course unit is not responsible for the persistence / accuracy of the URLs provided here
and does not guarantee that the content on these websites will remain accurate / appropriate.

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