Insurance (保险) may be considered a game of risk in which individuals and businesses protect themselves, their families, and their property from possible losses resulting from unpredictable events such as storms, fires, accidents and illnesses. The first rule of the game, devised centuries age, is "share the risk". To play by this rule, many people take a small loss in place of one person′ s taking a large one.
It is a simple idea: an individual pays a small amount of money called a premium (保险费) to an agent who acts on behalf of an insurance company, or underwriter, which holds the individual′s premium and the premiums paid by thousands of others. The individual receives an insurance policy, a promise that if there is a loss to the individual as defined in the policy the insurance company will pay for it. The funds will come from the individual′s premium, the premium paid by others who did not have losses, and money from the company′ s investment of all the premiums. An individual who does not have a loss loses the premium money but purchases what insurance underwriters call "peace of mind". It is a gamble for the customer and the underwriter, but it is built on the first rule of risk that losses are small when shared by many.
The word "policy" in the 2nd paragraph most probably means ___________.
A.a risk between individual and insurance company
B.a shared loss
C.an agreement between an individual and an underwriter
D.a rule made by the individual