单选题
Insurance companies provide a service to the community by protecting it against expected and unexpected disasters. Before an insurance company will agree to (1) anything, it collects accurate figures about the (2) . It knows, for example, that the risk of a man being killed in a plane accident is less than the risk he (3) in crossing a busy road. This (4) it to quote low figures for travel insurance. Sometimes the risk may be high, as in motorracing or mountaineering. Then the company (5) a much higher price. (6) too many climbers have accidents, the price rises still further. If the majority of climbers fall off mountains, the company will (7) to insure them. An ordinary householder may wish to protect his home against fire or his (8) against burglary. A shop keeper may wish to insure against (9) . In (10) cases, the company will check its statistics and quote a premium. If it is (11) , it may refuse to quote. If it insures a shop and then receives a suspicious (12) , it will (13) the claim as a means of protecting itself against false claims. It is not unknown for a businessman in debt to burn down his own premises so that he can claim much money from his insurance company. He can be sure that the fire will be investigated most carefully. Insurance companies also (14) insurance against shipwreck or disaster in the air. Planes and ships are very expensive, so a large (15) is charged, but a (16) is given to companies with an accident-free record. Every week insurance companies receive premium (17) from customers. These payments can form a very large total (18) millions of dollars. The company does not leave the money in the bank. It (19) in property, shares, farms and even antique paintings and stamps. Its aim is to obtain the best possible return on its investment. This is not so greedy as it may seem, since this is one way by which it can deep its premiums down and continue to make a profit (20) being of service to the community.