IMPORTANCE OF INSURANCE HISTORY

The insurance history explores the emergence and development of insurance industry and the nature of its philosophical, economic, social and legalist predecessors. Moreover, it has been employed both in methods of historical and of insurance science. Insurance science is multidisciplinary (it consists of law, mathematics, insurance economics, etc.). The studying of history of insurance allows for the correct understanding of specific connections through longer periods. This can help avoid repeating the same mistakes. One should note that the entire insurance industry, including the contemporary period, is extremely historically oriented. No single risk-adjusted premium, and consequently, the formation of reserves can be determined without a careful analysis of claims history. Likewise, the customer protection laws arise from “learned historical homework”. The research material is practically unlimited, in chronological and professional terms. Although the classic insurance theory is based on the legacy of ideas of Enlightenment (17th and /or 18th Century), the earliest traces of insurance history go back to 1800 BC (Hamurab’s Code).

Key words: insurance, Hamurab’s Code, risk carriers, gilds, monasteries, interest groups, marine risk insurance, social security, trade-guilds.

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