Definition of "Tontine"

Marty Welsh real estate agent

Written by

Marty Welshelite badge icon

The Bob Lucido Team, LLC of Keller Williams Integrity

Early life insurance that provided benefits only to survivors who lived to the end of a certain period of time. In the mid-17th century, Lorenzo Tonti, an Italian, devised a scheme to raise money for the French government of Louis XIV. It involved a state lottery in which the oldest survivor would collect the pot. One woman, age 96, hit the jackpot shortly before her death. Tontine policies were introduced in the U.S. in the 1860s, but condemned in the Armstrong investigation in 1905 in New York State and subsequently outlawed everywhere 45 years later.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Probability of one's living to a specific age according to a particular mortality table. Life expectancy is the beginning point in calculating the pure cost of life insurance and annuities ...

Irrevocable living trust (rights to make any changes are forfeited by the grantor permanently) in which the grantor forfeits control of all assets placed in the trust. However, the grantor ...

Society dedicated to the advancement of professional standards of risk management. Its membership is composed of risk and insurance managers of business organizations, public organizations, ...

Provision for coverage for buildings and personal property within the simplified commercial lines portfolio policy (sclp). The buildings and personal property coverage may be classified in ...

Coverage in the event of a marine loss. Marine loss is damage or destruction of a ship's hull and the ship's cargo (freight) as the result of the occurrence of an insured peril. Perils ...

Savings accounts that have tax advantages combined with health insurance plans for the benefit of the employee. Both the employee and the employer are permitted to contribute to the MSA. ...

Top state regulator of the insurance business who is either elected to office or appointed by a state to safeguard the interests of policyowners. ...

Value or cost of the actual net protection, in life insurance, in any year (face amount less reserve) according to the yearly renewal term rate used by an insurance company. ...

Type of policy with premiums that are fully paid up within a stated period. For example, a 20-payment life insurance policy has 20 annual premium payments, with no further premiums to be ...

Popular Insurance Questions