Who makes legally enforceable promises in unilateral contracts?

In unilateral contracts, legally enforceable promises are made by only one party, which in the context of insurance contracts is the insurer. The insurer agrees to provide coverage (an enforceable promise) in exchange for the insured fulfilling certain conditions, typically the payment of premiums. The nature of unilateral contracts is that only one party is obligated to perform, while the other party may choose to act on the contract to receive the benefit.

In an insurance setting, the insurer promises to pay out claims or provide coverage under specified conditions, while the insured does not make a similar promise but may choose to accept the terms laid out. This differentiates unilateral contracts from bilateral contracts, where both parties exchange promises and are bound to fulfill obligations. Thus, it is the insurer who is making the enforceable promise, making this the correct understanding of how unilateral contracts function, especially in the realm of insurance.