What does indemnified mean?
Indemnified means that someone has been protected from a possible loss or has received compensation for one. The term is especially common in legal, insurance, and financial settings, where it describes an agreement or arrangement that transfers the financial consequences of a loss, expense, or liability to another party. For example, a company may indemnify an employee against legal costs, while an insurer may indemnify a policyholder for covered damage. The word is generally more precise and formal than simply saying “protected” or “paid back.” Its related forms include indemnify, meaning to provide such protection or compensation, and indemnity, meaning the protection, compensation, or legal guarantee itself. The form is normally used as the past tense or past participle of the verb.
verbIndemnified means protected against loss or given compensation for a loss, expense, or liability. It is the past tense and past participle of indemnify.
- Compensated for a loss or expense.
- Protected against financial loss or legal liability.
"The insurer indemnified the homeowners for the damage caused by the storm."
"The company indemnified its employees against any costs arising from the investigation."
"After reviewing the claim, the insurer indemnified the policyholder for the repair expenses."
To be indemnified is to be shielded from the financial consequences of loss, danger, or liability.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indemnified come from?
The word comes from the English verb indemnify, which was borrowed from Latin indemnificare, meaning “to make harmless” or “to protect from loss.” The Latin roots are in- (not) and damnum (harm or loss), with -ficare meaning “to make.” The development into English extended the idea of protection to contractual compensation for loss, and the family later produced indemnity and indemnification.
Related word forms
How indemnified is actually used
The word is formal and especially common in legal, insurance, and financial contexts. It is normally used as the past tense or past participle of indemnify, and is less usual as a standalone adjective.
Easily confused with indemnified
Indemnified describes a person or party that has been protected or compensated, while indemnity names the protection, compensation, or contractual guarantee itself.