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
Rate not subsequently adjusted. The rate stays in effect regardless of an insured's subsequent loss record. ...
Same as term Fortuitous Loss: loss occurring by accident or chance, not by anyone's intention. Insurance policies provide coverage against losses that occur only on a chance basis, where ...
Insurance protection written in the form of a single line policy. ...
Provision in the extended coverage endorsement stating that smoke damage is covered when it results from the sudden, unusual, and faulty operation of an on-premises cooking or heating unit, ...
Addition to the pure cost of insurance that reflects agent commissions, premium taxes, administrative costs associated with putting business on an insurance company's books, and ...
Federal program to insure private U.S. investments in foreign countries, created by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. It is a joint government and private effort to encourage U.S. ...
Adjustment of the burning cost ratio for the increase in number and size of losses (losses likely in excess of that used in the unadjusted burning cost rate), incurred but not reported ...
Estimated future dividends to be paid by a participating insurance policy. These dividend estimations cannot be part of the policy since they are not guaranteed. They are normally shown in ...
Bond derivatives of short-term duration whose principal or coupon value is determined by a market index. Market indexes that can be utilized include securities, commodity prices, and ...

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