Insurance
Lesson plan overview
This Business English lesson introduces students to the world of insurance and risk management, helping them develop the language and confidence to discuss financial protection, everyday risks, and types of insurance policies. Through a mix of speaking, vocabulary, listening, and discussion activities, students will learn vocabulary and collocations related to insurance, explore coverage options, and watch a video. Other lessons you might like are: “Taxes“, “Buying a home“, “Gambling“, “Phrasal verbs: risk management“, and “Idioms: financial trouble“.
Speaking: The lesson begins with a brainstorming activity, where students identify and discuss risks in different areas of life—such as owning a home or vehicle, traveling, or navigating online security—using useful expressions for discussing risk and its consequences. Then they explore various types of insurance (e.g., health, life, auto, homeowners, pet, cyber, and liability insurance), discussing when each type is used, and what it typically covers, and create dialogues between a customer and an insurance agent to reinforce the language in real-world contexts.
The vocabulary-building section focuses on key terms such as premium, deductible, copay, coverage, policyholder, and pre-existing condition. Then they complete the steps of taking out insurance and filing an insurance claim with the correct verbs to create common collocations.
For listening practice, students watch a video called “Types of Insurance (Health, Life, Property, and Auto)” and complete comprehension activities, such as answering questions about coverage, coinsurance, and ways to lower premiums.
The post-listening discussion encourages students to think critically about insurance ethics, affordability, and the role of government support in financial planning. Topics include whether insurance companies should charge higher premiums for older or sick people and the cultural differences in how societies approach financial safety nets.
For additional speaking practice, printable conversation cards are available.
Who is this lesson suitable for?
This lesson is perfect for upper-intermediate to advanced Business English learners interested in discussing financial planning, risk management, and the insurance industry. It’s particularly valuable for professionals working in finance, banking, insurance sales, and corporate risk assessment, as well as anyone preparing for international travel or relocation.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
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Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
Pre-class activities
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In-class activities
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Additional resources
Each video-based lesson plan includes links to additional resources (videos and articles), which are FREE can be found online (in the pre-class activities page. These links aim to extend the learning experience, enabling students to connect classroom knowledge with real-world applications.
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Teacher’s lesson plan
Student’s worksheet
Student’s interactive PDF
Conversation cards PDF
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