A contract in which only one party makes an enforceable promise. Most insurance policies are unilateral contracts in that only the insurer makes a legally enforceable promise to pay covered claims. By contrast, the insured makes few, if any, enforceable promises to the insurer. Instead, the insured must only fulfill certain conditions—such as paying premiums and reporting accidents—to keep the policy in force.
Definition provided by the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI) Glossary of Insurance.