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Glite Dictionary
to subrogate

to subrogate

9.9
A person or company that pays a loss takes the right to claim money from the person who caused it
  • verb
  • /ˈsʌb.roʊ.ɡeɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : subrogar
  • In cases of theft, the insurer might subrogate to recover costs from the perpetrator.

Examples

  • After paying for the damages, the auto insurer may subrogate the claim against the at-fault driver.

  • The insurance company will subrogate its rights to seek compensation after covering the damages.

  • In the event this indemnification is enforced against the Contractor for a violation of law by a Generator/Preparer, the Landowner/Leaseholder agrees to assign and subrogate to the Contractor its claim against the Generator/Preparer.

    Academic text (1999)

Surface Forms

subrogate infinitive
subrogated past
subrogated past participle
subrogating present participle
subrogates third person singular

Morphology

subrogate = sub + rogate + ate

The root 'rogate' is not a standalone English word and the verb formation is a specialized legal term, so learners cannot reliably derive the meaning from the visible parts.

Etymology

Subrogate comes from Latin parts sub- 'under' and rogare 'to ask', so you can think of it as 'asking in someone else's place', like the everyday word substitute. So when an insurance company subrogates, it takes the insured person's right and tries to get money from the person who caused the damage.