I recently started working at an insurance company.  I am trying to learn as much as I can as quickly as possible.
 It is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk! I like it though
I am very interested in minimizing risk and like that I can help people through insurance.  Don't you agree?
I do, I have heard  an entity which provides insurance is known as an insurer
Do you know when insurance actually became a thing?  Is it just a modern profession and business practice?
I think so but In insurance.The insured receives a contract, called the insurance policy, which details the conditions 
Ultimately, those contracts are built to make the company profits though and have little to do with helping people, right?
That is correct and If the insured experiences a loss which is potentially covered by the insurance policy the plan pays out