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
Person who receives an income benefit from an annuity for life or for a specified period. ...
Percentage of first year's premium paid to compensate an insurance agent. This is known as the "First Years" to show how much new business the agent is generating, compared with renewal ...
Provision that funds a tax-qualified plan. Trust funds are the oldest, and still the most common, method of funding pensions. All contributions made by employer and employees are deposited ...
Sum provided by a disability income insurance that pays a multiple of the monthly indemnity to cover the costs associated with a retraining course attended by the insured wage earner when ...
Written evidence given to a policyowner by an insurance company or insurance agency that it has received a premium. ...
Future benefits to be paid to the policyholders and beneficiaries, assigned surpluses, and miscellaneous debts. These primary liabilities take the form of reserves, which must be listed on ...
Methods by which a home office underwriter chooses applicants that an insurer will accept. The underwriter's job is to spread the costs equitably among members of the group to be insured. ...
Protection in the event of accidental discharge, leakage, or overflow of water from plumbing systems, heating, air conditioning, and refrigerating systems, and rain or snow through broken ...
Same as term Office Burglary and Robbery Insurance: coverage for the office of a business, or an individual in a general office building or other structure. Includes burglary of a safe; ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.