Re: insurance vs. insurances

In our last episode, <gbt8kd$oku$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, the lovely and
talented KS broadcast on alt.usage.english:

Let's say that a number of insurers offer construction insurance. Can I use
the plural form 'insurances' (meaning the individual construction insurance
products each insurer offers) when referring to them collectively?

This would be unheard of and unnatural in English. The insurance product is
a 'policy,' and several of them are 'policies,' when you mean specific
contracts. If you do not mean specific contracts, then "types of
insurance," or even "insurance products" is necessary.

In other words, would it be grammatical to write "all of those insurances
are offered on a case by case basis" or should I write "all of that
insurance is offered..." instead?

Policies usually are offered on a case-by-case basis, so perhaps you mean
'types of insurance.'

Thank you ,

Kamil


--
Lars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/> usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it
right, or doing it better." --John Updike
.

Quantcast