Is an animal an insect? Why or why not?

I believe you are actually asking if an insect is an
animal. The answer to that question emphatically is yes! To be classified in Kingdom
Animalia, the organism must be multicellular, and it must be heterotrophic. It relies on
other organisms for a source of food. Animal cells are eukaryotic with a true nucleus
and organelles adapted for carrying out life functions. Most animals contain tissues,
specialized cells that carry out a particular function. However, primitive animals like
sponges do not. Animals can usually carry out locomotion, although some are sessile.
Insects fit all the characteristics that place them in the Kingdom
Animalia.