Catastrophic Insurance Futures And Options
First exchange-traded risk management tool specifically developed for the insurance industry by the Chicago Board of Trade as a way for the primary insurance company to offset its underwriting exposures. See also futures tied to reinsurance. These contracts are designed to provide the insurance company with a hedge against underwriting losses resulting from catastrophic occurrences. The futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a commodity or financial instrument at a set price on a given date. The option permits the owner to decide whether or not to exercise the option to buy or sell the commodity or financial instrument by the stipulated exercise date. The insurance option trading is based on the loss ratio concept (losses incurred over a stipulated time period divided by premiums earned over the same time period). For example, assume an insurance company buys an option on the loss ratio that will fall within the range of 50% to 70%. Should losses fall within that range, the insurance company would then exercise the option and sell the contract, thereby enabling the company to make a profit on the option. This profit could then be used by the company to offset losses. Should the loss portion not fall within the 50% to 70% range, the option would expire at zero value.
Popular Insurance Terms
Reductions in the value of property due to physical damage or destruction. ...
Provision found in current assumption whole life insurance policies under which the insurance company retains the contractual right to recalculate the premium (after a minimum period of ...
States that allow the placement of surplus lines only with insurance companies that the states have approved. ...
Insured losses that have occurred but have not been reported to a primary insurance company. These types of claims have a tremendous effect on a reinsurance treaty, which may be showing a ...
Fire that spreads substantial destruction. ...
Same as term Occurrence Basis: coverage, in liability insurance, for harm suffered by others because of events occurring while a policy is in force, regardless of when a claim is actually ...
Total of operating income plus realized capital gains (losses) from investment and underwriting operations minus federal income taxes. ...
basic feature of the social security act under which benefits paid are associated with the employee's earnings that have been taxed during the employment period. ...
Act that makes the liability cost for cleanup joint and several. Even if a party is only partially responsible for losses inflicted, that party may be liable for the payment of the total ...

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