Ultimately, insurance can be divided into four distinct areas. These areas are health insurance, life insurance, vehicle insurance and property insurance. People often look for these insurances because damage is very costly. Moreover, with regards to health, it is so variable that things can come out of nowhere and one traumatic event can haunt you for the rest of your life. Basically, insurance covers damage, replacement and bills associated with the coverage specifics with the person insured paying little money out of pocket.
Insurance has been around since society began. The earliest form of insurance was the old protection rackets that organized crime families still use even today. Criminals or rulers of a country would ?guarantee? that a business or home would not be damaged or destroyed by criminal activities for a weekly cut of said earnings of the business. This form of blackmail and extortion quickly led to merchants and shopkeepers living in their businesses. So that when the criminals came they would be greeted by sword and spear. These actions, taken by these early businessmen, led to the old saying, ?The greatest protection comes by the sword.?
About 2-3 millennia ago, the first contract was formed that displayed what we know now as property insurance. If any carrier or transporter was attempting to carry goods from one point to another, they would guarantee the property, or cargo. They guaranteed it from the shipper and receivers side. This made transporters more confident in their deliveries and they took more chances which increased the trading and transporting of goods. They often etched these contracts in stone or papyrus after they decided verbal agreements did not hold up well in most cases.
As human society became more modern, many traders would hire retired soldiers, i.e. mercenaries, to help shepherd their goods from place to place. These men could in some ways be called the first security guards of human society. But it was hazardous and difficult work, but for the soldiers of fortune of that time it was some of the best work one could get.
The absolute first known insurance company was started in France in the year 1666. This was started after a great fire that destroyed-,200 homes and left France devastated in many ways. With this, they developed a Fire Office that insured homes that were made of brick and wood.
In 1732, located in Charleston, South Carolina, the first insurance company was born in the United States of America. This company provided fire insurance and was aided along by Benjamin Franklin. They started off not insuring building that was partial to fire damage such as warehouses and wooden houses. They also were the first to teach about fire safety and prevention. They would often refer others to learn about certain fire hazards.
Today, the insurance company is a multi-billion dollar asset to the United States alone. People have incorporated insurance into every aspect of their daily lives and it would be hard to think of it not there.
Graham McKenzie is the syndication coordinator a leading South African Insurance information portal, which amongst others specialises in Household Insurance .