Who is referred to as the "primary insurer"?

The term "primary insurer" refers to the insurance company that provides the first level of coverage for a risk. This insurer is directly responsible for underwriting risks, issuing policies, and handling claims related to those policies. Essentially, the primary insurer is the first point of contact for policyholders when they seek coverage or need to file claims.

In the context of insurance, this entity holds the primary obligation to pay for losses that fall within the scope of the policy it has issued. The primary insurer can be contrasted with other entities involved in the insurance process, such as reinsurers, who may provide additional coverage layers but do not directly interact with policyholders in the same way.

The other options refer to different roles within the insurance ecosystem. For instance, the insurer that handles customer service inquiries is responsible for client communication, but this role does not define the essence of being a primary insurer. Similarly, reinsurers play an important supportive role in sharing risk, but they do not provide primary coverage directly to customers. An insurance broker facilitates policy purchases and assists clients in finding suitable coverage, but they are not the insurance provider themselves.