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

Call on a prospective insurance buyer without a prior appointment. Many salespeople find this exercise the most threatening in their career development. Some observers attribute the ...

Individual or other entity who owns an insurance policy. Synonymous with policyowner. ...

Same as term Calendar Year Experience: paid loss experience for the period of time from January 1 to December 31 of a specified year (not necessarily the current year). ...

To transfer a risk from an insurance company to a reinsurance company. ...

Salesperson who markets and services insurance policies in the state in which he or she is domiciled. ...

Individual who has a contractual agreement with a policyowner. The agent of record has a legal right to commissions from the insurance policy. ...

Trade group of independent claims adjusters who settle claims for insurance companies on a fee basis. Some insurers use their own staff adjusters to settle a claim. Others use an ...

Phrase describing a form of joint tenancy ownership where property passes to the survivors when one party dies. ...

Rule that provides four requirements for monitoring the independent agent distribution system: The insurance company must be involved in the training of the independent agent. The ...

Popular Insurance Questions