uninsurable

IPA/ˌʌnɪnˈʃʊərəbl/
KK[ənɪnʃˈʊrəbəl]IPA/ˌʌnɪnˈʃʊrəbl/

uninsurable — adjective

  • uninsurablepositive
  • more uninsurablecomparative
  • most uninsurablesuperlative

1. Too risky for an insurance company to agree to cover.

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

Too risky for an insurance company to agree to cover.

Example

After three floods, the old house became uninsurable for local families.

pattern: become uninsurable after repeated damage

The clinic warned that Raul's rare condition made him uninsurable.

pattern: make + object + uninsurable

Common collocations
  • uninsurable risk
  • uninsurable property
  • uninsurable condition
  • become uninsurable
  • render uninsurable
Synonyms
  • noninsurable

    Technical variant used especially in policy or risk discussions.

  • high-risk

    Broader and less exact; it describes danger level, while 'uninsurable' states that cover will not be offered.

Antonyms
  • insurable

    Direct opposite; an insurer is willing to provide cover.

Grammar Patterns

be + uninsurable

become + uninsurable

make/render + someone or something + uninsurable

uninsurable + noun

Usage Note

Most often used after be, become, make, or render to explain that a person or property is too risky for an insurer to accept.

Common Mistakes

The car was not insurable enough after the crash.
The car was uninsurable after the crash.
Use 'uninsurable' when insurance cannot be obtained at all, not 'not insurable enough.'
He is uninsured because no company will cover him.
He is uninsurable because no company will cover him.
'Uninsured' means he has no policy now; 'uninsurable' means insurers refuse to cover him.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Uninsurable' means an insurer will not agree to cover the person or thing at all. 'Uninsured' only says there is no policy in place now, so an uninsured driver may still be insurable tomorrow. 'High-risk' is broader and can describe danger or expected cost, but it does not always mean the risk has been rejected completely. 'Insurable' is the direct opposite. In real use, 'uninsurable' is strongest and often follows floods, fires, illness, or unsafe building conditions. A beach house may be high-risk for years, but after repeated storm damage it can become uninsurable.

uninsured ↗high-risk ↗insurable ↗uninsurable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • become uninsurable
  • be judged uninsurable
  • render something uninsurable

Etymology

English

Built in English from the negative prefix 'un-' and 'insurable', meaning 'able to be covered by insurance'. The word is used when the risk is considered too great for an insurer to accept.

First known use

1864

1864, in the meaning defined above