When to use blackjack insurance is one of the questions millions of players at online Canadian casinos and all over the world, ask themselves. Understanding what insurance is and how it works can help you understand when to use insurance--and when to steer clear.

What is Blackjack Insurance?

To put it simply, insurance in blackjack simply means that a player has the option to 'purchase' insurance in the form of half of your original wager. The only time a player is offered insurance is when the dealer turns up an Ace. In this scenario, the odds are high that the dealer has a blackjack. Even though insurance costs half of the original ante, it pays out at 2-to-1 odds. This means that if the dealer does, in fact, have a blackjack, the player who opted to purchase insurance can come out even instead of completely losing the hand.

When to Use Insurance in Blackjack

Insurance has a time and place--when the player is fairly certain that the dealer has blackjack. This scenario sounds like the end of the world for a high-rolling blackjack player, but consider the other options. If the player also has blackjack, it rules the necessity of insurance null and void. Also, if the player opts to take insurance, but the dealer does not have a blackjack, the player breaks even anyway. So, when should a player choose to take insurance in blackjack? Professional players almost never use blackjack insurance. The odds of a dealer turning up a 10 in order to score a perfect two-card blackjack are almost slim to none.

Using insurance in blackjack is one of the strategies that many people question each and every time the dealer turns up an Ace. Understanding how insurance works and the appropriate time to use it can make all the difference in any blackjack game.