Social risks as a key category of the concept of social insurance

The article presents an analysis of economic, sociological and legal approaches to the category of “social risk”. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the thesis about social risk as a central category of the social protection system and compulsory social insurance. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between social risk and uncertainty. It has been proven that the content of social risk determines the need for state regulation of the sphere of social security.