INFLATION PREMIUM: The difference between the nominal interest rate and the real interest rate. The role of the inflation premium is, quite simply, to adjust the interest rate for inflation. The nominal interest rate (the one on the loan contract) includes a real interest rate needed by the lender and a surcharge equal to the expected inflation rate used to maintain the purchasing power of the future payments. This expected inflation rate is the inflation premium. See also | inflation | inflation rate | nominal | real | price level | risk premium |