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

In a liability insurance policy, provision for the payment of the insured's expenses as stated in the policy in three areas above the policy limit of liability: legal fees resulting from ...

Number of bits a modem can receive or send per second. ...

Frequency of premium payment; for example annually, semiannually, quarterly, or monthly. ...

Federal legislation passed in 1988 (repealed November 23, 1989) that significantly increased the benefit amounts provided under medicare, both Part A and Part B, in the following manner: ...

Group appointed by President Nixon in 1971 to study workers compensation laws under the authorization of the occupational safety and health act (OSHA). It issued sweeping recommendations to ...

The term elevator collision insurance or elevator liability insurance is included in business liability insurance policies in order to cover potential damages suffered by the elevator or ...

Method of vesting under the employee retirement income security act of 1974 (ERISA) that requires an employee to have 10 years of service with an employer to be vested. An employee who ...

Documentation of loss required of a policyowner by an insurance company. For example, in the event of an insured's death, a death certificate (or copy) must be submitted to the company for ...

Coverage on jewelry and precious stones on an all risks basis at any location subject to exclusions of wear and tear, war, and nuclear disaster. Each item must be specifically listed in the ...

Popular Insurance Questions