self-insure
UK[ˌself ɪnˈʃʊə(r)]US[ˌself ɪnˈʃʊr]
v
To choose to bear a potential financial risk oneself instead of paying an insurance company to cover it.
Morpheme Breakdown
self
insure
self
oneself
insure
to protect against risk
Etymology
The term is a modern compound, formed by directly combining the native English reflexive pronoun 'self' with the verb 'insure'. 'Self' has Proto-Germanic origins, related to the concept of identity and sameness. 'Insure' traces back to the Latin securus, meaning "free from care," which itself derives from se- (without) and cura (care). The concept of insurance developed from this idea of providing security and freedom from financial worry. Therefore, 'self-insure' logically constructs the meaning of providing that security for oneself, bypassing a commercial third party, by bearing the risk and potential cost directly.
Analysis
Structure: self (oneself) + insure (to protect against risk)
self: From Old English self, seolf, sylf, meaning "one's own person." It is a pronoun used reflexively or for emphasis, indicating the subject of the action.
insure: From Latin securus (secure, safe) via Anglo-French enseurer and later Middle English ensuren. The prefix in- (into, toward) combined with securus evolved to mean "to make safe, to guarantee." In this compound, it functions as the core verb meaning to arrange for financial protection against loss.
Examples
Large corporations with significant cash reserves often choose to self-insure against certain types of liability.
Instead of buying a warranty, he decided to self-insure by setting aside money each month for potential repairs.
The state allows businesses to self-insure for workers' compensation if they can demonstrate financial ability.