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

Insurance coverage that protects a contractor or other type of business providing a service for expenses incurred in the event a contract is not ratified by a foreign government. For ...

Paid loss experience for the period of time from January 1 to December 31 of a specified year (not necessarily the current year). ...

Operator with no liability insurance. If a non-insured driver hits another car, the victim sometimes has no recourse against the driver. For this reason, many motorists carry uninsured ...

Circumstance under which there is a significant deviation of the actual aggregate losses from the expected aggregate losses. For example, a hurricane is a hazard that is catastrophic in ...

Technique of risk management (better known as retention or self insurance) under which an individual or business firm assumes expected losses that are not catastrophic losses through the ...

Type of disability income policy used to provide funds for the ongoing monthly business expenses (such as employee salaries, utility charges, rent, and equipment payment due) necessary to ...

Individual who sells and services insurance policies in either of two classifications: Independent agent represents at least two insurance companies and (at least in theory) services ...

Viewpoint that an insurer whose liability policy is in force at the time of an accident or injury should pay a claim. See also long-tail liability; manifestation/injury theory. ...

Risk management control procedure that emphasizes safety management. Its purpose is to reduce the frequency and severity of potential losses. Business firms apply this procedure by posting ...

Popular Insurance Questions