Which of the following best defines 'insurable interest' in life insurance?

Insurable interest in life insurance is fundamentally defined as having a financial interest in the life of the insured. This means that the policyholder must stand to suffer a financial loss or hardship if the insured individual were to pass away. Insurable interest is a crucial aspect of life insurance because it prevents individuals from taking out policies on lives in which they have no financial stake, thus avoiding morally questionable situations like wagering on someone's life.

For life insurance policies, insurable interest typically exists between close relatives, such as spouses or parents and children, as well as in certain contractual relationships, such as those between business partners or key employees. This financial connection serves as a safeguard against insurance being used for speculative purposes.

The other options do not accurately represent the concept of insurable interest. Emotional attachment, the number of policies, or the length of time a policy has been active do not constitute a financial stake in the life of the insured and, therefore, do not meet the necessary criteria for establishing insurable interest in life insurance.