Tip #3: Use ensure and insure properly

Engineers are not alone in committing a common error: the use of ensure versus insure.  The confusion is understandable.  Both words have the same pronunciation, and the spelling is different by only one letter.  Plus the meanings of the two words are closely related.  But a world of difference exists between what the two words communicate.

Ensure means to make sure or certain that X will occur.  Insure means to provide assurance that Y will occur if X does.

Example of proper usage

The cropped image shows an example of correct word selection.  This example describes the duties of traffic engineers, reporting that “they ensure engineering principles are used”.  This usage is correct.

Example of improper usage

Using insure in that example would result in the following:

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They insure engineering principles are used . . . .

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which would mean that traffic engineers are providing an assurance that something will happen (which is not described) if some unknown event occurs to or involves (again, we don’t know) engineering principles.  That makes no sense.

However, the usage seen in the image makes very good sense.  It means that traffic engineers make sure or certain that engineering principles are used.

Rule of thumb

Here is a mnemonic device that I use to distinguish between the two words.

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I need to ensure that I insure my car.

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This device works for me when I remember that insurance is always spelled with an i, so insure must go with car.  Alternatively, I could also remember that e comes before i in the alphabet.  Either way, this sentence communicates the meanings of both ensure and insure in a compact, effective manner.  Feel free to use this device if you find it helpful.  Or if you have another method that works well for you, use that.  Also feel free to share that other method below so that everyone can benefit.