Definition of "Financial reinsurance"

Transaction of reinsurance under which there is a limit on the total liability of the re-insurer and future investment income is a recognized component of the underwriting process. This financial instrument incorporates the time value of money into the CEDING process such that the CEDENT can re-insure its liabilities at a premium rate less than the true rate for the liabilities transferred (difference in the two rates to be made up by the investment income generated during the years the reinsurance contract remains in force). Financial reinsurance can be used effectively in several situations:

  1. surplus relief (QUOTA SHARE REINSURANCE) CEDING COMPANY transfers a percentage of its book of business to the re-insurer (there insurer will limit its total liability under any one contract).
  2. portfolio transfers ceding company transfers reserves on known losses to the re-insurer in exchange for premiums equal to the present value of the future claims experience.
  3. retrospective aggregates ceding company transfers reserves on known losses as well as INCURRED BUT NOT REPORTED LOSSES (IBNR).
  4. prospective aggregates ceding company pays a premium on a PROSPECTIVE RATING basis to the re-insurer. In exchange, the re-insurer is obligated to pay future losses incurred by the cedent. If these future losses are less than expected, the cedent will receive the UNDERWRITING GAIN. Any gains from investments and fees will be retained by the re-insurer. Through this mechanism, in essence, the cedent gains current capacity for writing additional business by borrowing against income to be received in the future.
  5. catastrophe protection coverage against shock losses is provided by spreading the payment of such losses over several years.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Method of underwriting by which one or a group of Lloyd's underwriters write business on behalf of a number of Lloyd's syndicates and other insurance companies. Among the benefits of ...

Coverage of two or more persons with the death benefit payable at the first death. Premiums are significantly higher than for policies that insure one person, since the probability of ...

Organization based in Washington, D.C., that is composed of risk and insurance managers of various public entities, to include municipalities and school boards. ...

Insurance arrangement in which all employees of a given business firm are accepted into a plan regardless of their physical condition. The employee cannot be required to take a physical ...

Use of engineering approved fire resistive construction materials exclusively within a structure. ...

Same as term Mortality Table: chart showing rate of death at each age in terms of number of deaths per thousand. ...

Coverage provided by the pension benefit guaranty corporation (pbgc) that guarantees participants a certain level of pension benefits even if the plan terminates without assets. The PBGC ...

Group arrangement in which a network of attorneys provides legal services to the participants in the plan with the attorney fees being reimbursed by the provider. The attorneys who are ...

Legal status giving an insurance company all rights to an insured's property. The abandonment clause is usually found in marine insurance and not in other property insurance policies such ...

Popular Insurance Questions