A life insurance policy owner has paid $1,200 in premiums in six months for a...

An insurance contract is aleatory because the values exchanged by the parties may be unequal and depend on an uncertain event. Choice A is correct. In this example, the policyowner paid only $1,200 in premiums before death, while the insurer paid a $250,000 death benefit. The insurer’s obligation was much greater than the premium amount received because the insured event occurred early in the policy period. If death had not occurred for many years, the total premiums paid could have been much closer to or greater than the eventual benefit value. That uncertainty is the defining aleatory feature. A personal contract is based on the insured’s individual characteristics and insurable interest. A unilateral contract means only the insurer makes a legally enforceable promise to perform after the applicant accepts the contract and pays premium. A conditional contract requires stated conditions, such as premium payment and proof of loss, to be met before performance is due. None of those terms focuses on the unequal exchange demonstrated here. Study Guide References/Topics: Policy Provisions, Clauses, and Riders; Insurance Contract Characteristics; Aleatory Contracts.

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