Did You Assure, Ensure, or Insure It?!

Um, what?! Although these three words sound pretty similar, they are not interchangeable – while their definitions are similar, each verb has a unique use and purpose. So, let’s look at their definitions first.

Assure (verb): to make certain or remove doubts; to confidently tell someone something.

Ensure (verb): to secure or guarantee; to make something certain to happen.

Insure (verb): to guarantee against loss or harm; to issue an insurance policy.

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😵 Clear as mud? Told you the definitions were pretty darn similar! There’s a lot of certainty and guaranteeing associated with these three commonly confused words that tend to leave us very uncertain.

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One word has a pretty clear distinction (and its misuse happens to be a personal pet 🤬 peeve!): Insure. Typically a financial term, to insure relates to buying insurance, to protecting yourself from loss or financial risk.

            I assure my clients that I’ll produce quality work.

            I ensure that I produce quality work for clients.

            I do NOT insure that I produce quality work, since I’m not issuing insurance policies.

(Note: Warranties aren’t the same thing, so even if your business offers a warranty, you’re still not insuring anything!)

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When it comes to the use of assure v. ensure, a general rule to keep in mind is assure pertains to people, while ensure relates to actions or events.

BUT John doesn’t insure his dinner – though hopefully, he insures his home, especially if his domestic skills resemble mine whatsoever! 😆

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And then we can put them all together:

           A good service advisor will assure the customer that, because their vehicle is insured,

           the shop can ensure the repair will be completed within one week.

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Tell me what you thought about this blog! Was it helpful? What are some grammar conundrums you contend with?