In a unilateral contract, which party has obligations?

In a unilateral contract, only one party is legally bound to fulfill their obligations, which distinctly characterizes this type of contract. In the context of crop insurance, for instance, the insurer makes a promise to provide coverage, while the insured party has the option to accept the terms, but they are not legally obligated to pay premiums until they decide to activate the coverage. This creates a scenario where the insurer is the only party with enforceable obligations upon the initiation of the contract, thereby fulfilling their duty to cover the risks they agreed to insure.

In this case, options that mention obligations from both parties or suggest that no obligations are required misrepresent the nature of a unilateral contract. The essence of such a contract is that one party has made a commitment that is actionable, while the other has the choice to engage without having any binding commitment until certain conditions are met. This one-sided obligation is key to understanding the framework and enforcement of unilateral contracts in the field of insurance.