ensure vs insure

Do these two words mean exactly the same?

You might have heard the saying "Only in America!" Well it seems to apply here. For me the words are completely different in meaning. Don't take my word for it thought. To see what I'm writing about check the dictionary.

http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=25832&dict=CALD
http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=41243&dict=CALD
http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=41244&dict=CALD

Technically American dictionaries often list them as spelling variants for all meanings. Often in (at least American) usage, tho, "ensure" is used for the sense "making certain especially by taking necessary measures and precautions" (as defined by webster) and "insure" is used in terms of insurance (like car or home insurance). However, as the dictionaries indicate, "insure" is considered standard for both meanings--I've seen "insure" used in both contexts. Of course, all this just has to do with spelling rules...as far as I'm aware everyone pronounces them the same.

yes Kirk is right...other things that annoy me are also "affect" and "effect", and "inquiry" and "enquiry". I think I've got affect and effect figured out but not inquiry and enquiry

jim, where are you from? and Frances according to my dictionary "enquiry"
and "inquiry" are the same, what's to figure out?

Rich, I checked out the meanings after writing that post - duh! At least I now know!!!

Enquire is the commoner British English spelling. Inquire is generally used in American English. Some British users dintinguish between enquire (ask) and inquire (into) (investigate), but there are no strong grounds for making this distinction


Source: Oxford Dictionary

Rich,

I'm from Australia.

UK:

Ensure: make certain in the way Kirk defined so well

Insure: to make financial provision against risks, again as Kirk
defined.

Here they are hardly, if ever, used to mean the same thing.

"I will ensure that I insure my property adequately".

It seems there is no clear distinction between "enquire" and "inquire" here in the UK....you can use either according to my dictionaries. But as Roberto says, the former is the most usual.

Certainly all the signs you see in offices etc. seem to say "Enquiries" when referring to where you go for information. I have never seen "Inquiries" used as far as I can recall.

I think "inquiries" is used in sentences such as "The Police are continuing with their inquiries".

It all seems a bit nebulous really.