Catastrophic Insurance Futures And Options
Definition of "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
Facility that provides short periods of stay for a terminally ill person in a homelike setting for either direct care or respite. A "terminally ill" person has a life expectancy of six ...
Company organized with the business objective of providing claims adjustment services to insurance companies that do not have an internal claims department. ...
Insurance company that is licensed by a state to market and service particular lines of insurance in that state. ...
Clause in an insurance policy stipulating that the benefits under the policy will accrue to the right of the insured. For example, if the insured leaves a violin at a repair shop and that ...
Social insurance that provides benefits to temporarily disabled workers in a few states. Five states require employers to pay cash benefits if workers are disabled. They are Rhode Island, ...
Index that reflects changes in industrial output by manufacturers, mines, electric utilities, and natural gas utilities. This is a monthly index published by the Federal Reserve. ...
Group that monitors government health insurance programs. Authorized by the 1972 amendment to the Social Security Act, PSROs were set up to cut costs and minimize abuses by checking on the ...
Insurance for which (1) an application has been filed but the first premium has not yet been paid or (2) a life insurance policy that has not yet been delivered to an insured. ...
Insurance company that is organized under the state laws by which the company is licensed and that is called a domestic insurer. Also, this insurance company may be chartered and licensed ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.