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 representative who sells debit life insurance (industrial life insurance). This agent is usually more of a collector of small premium payments on a weekly, biweekly, or ...

Use of the threat of violence or actual violence in taking property from someone else's possession. This peril is covered on a personal basis through the purchase of a homeowners insurance ...

State-sponsored insurance fund that was intended to guarantee deposits at state-chartered savings institutions. A handful of these funds existed in the early 1980s, but after a string of ...

Right to insurable interest in property such as the right of a secured creditor in the property pledged as security. ...

Funds paid by an insurance company associated with the normal costs of doing business other than the costs of claims payments. ...

Common element in property insurance that excludes electrical damage or destruction of an appliance unless the damage is caused by a resultant fire. ...

Extremely aggressive behavior by an insurance agent to convince a prospect to purchase the insurance product without due regard for the prospect's ability to pay the premiums and/or needs ...

Coverage on more than one person that pays a benefit after all of the insureds die. This type of joint life policy is significantly cheaper than a regular policy. Survivorship life ...

Insurance coverages for businesses, commercial institutions, and professional organizations, as contrasted with personal insurance. ...

Popular Insurance Questions