Definition of "Insurance futures"

Futures contracts (legally binding contract that stipulates that delivery of an asset will be taken or delivery of an asset will be made at a future time at an agreed upon price at the current moment) on insurance lines to include catastrophic insurance futures, automobile insurance futures, homeowners insurance futures, and so forth, traded on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). Traditionally, precious metals such as gold and silver; agriculture commodities such as cattle, corn, and soy beans; and United States Treasury issues such as bonds and bills, have all been traded on the CBOT. The aim of the transaction with these futures is to cancel the contract with a gain before the delivery of the commodity. (Who would want cattle delivered to their house?) On the other hand, the insurance futures contract concerns itself with the dollar value the market attaches to an index. In turn, this index is an expectation of how much of the premium income generated by a particular line of insurance will have to be allocated to pay off incurred losses. For example, if the automobile insurance line generates an income of $5,000,000 and the market has an expectation that 90% of that income will have to be allocated to paying off incurred losses, the market will value that futures contract at a price somewhat less than $450,000. This is because of such factors that have to be accounted for as incurred but not reported losses (IBNR).

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

Insurance company that becomes subrogated to the rights of another party. ...

Measure of the rate at which policies are cancelled or allowed to lapse. The termination rate is a factor in setting premiums for group life and health policies. ...

Formula for a given line of insurance used by property and casualty insurance companies to compare losses and loss adjustment expense with premiums. This shows the amount of each premium ...

Same as term Expected Loss: probability of loss upon which a basic premium rate is calculated. ...

Calculations involving the mortality rate of a company's insureds and the rate of return on the company's investments. It is used in calculating the prospective reserve. ...

Date of the initial annuity payment. ...

Same as term Expense Allowance: payment to an insurance agent in addition to commissions. Expense allowances, that differ from company to company, vary with the amount of business agents ...

Choice of one of the following available to a life insurance policy owner (or beneficiary, if entitled to receive a death benefit in a lump sum at the death of an insured): INTEREST OPTION ...

Professional designation earned after the successful completion of three national examinations given by the insurance institute of America (IIA). Covers such areas of expertise as ...

Popular Insurance Questions