Definition of "Underwriting cycle"

Tendency of property and liability insurance premiums, insurers' profits, and availability of coverage to rise and fall with some regularity over time. A cycle can be said to begin when insurers tighten their underwriting standards and sharply raise premiums after a period of severe underwriting losses. Stricter standards and higher premium rates often bring dramatic increases in profits, attracting more capital to the insurance industry and raising underwriting capacity. On the other hand, as insurers strive to write more premiums at higher levels of profitability, premium rates may be driven down and underwriting standards relaxed in the competition for new business. Profits may erode and then turn into losses if more tax underwriting standards generate mounting claims. The stage would then be set for the cycle to begin again.

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

expenses and damages incurred as the result of damage to a ship and its cargo, and/or of taking direct action to prevent initial or further damage to the ship and its cargo. These expenses ...

Program instituted by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that guarantees a construction contract bond in the event the issuing surety company suffers a loss. This is an effort by the ...

Coverage on an all risks basis for the insured's own property as well as property of others under the insured firm's care, custody, and control. Exclusions are wear and tear, mysterious ...

Coverage for a practicing physician, surgeon, or dentist, when bodily injury, personal injury, and/or property damage is incurred by a patient and the patient sues for injuries and/or ...

Husband's interest in his wife's property upon her death. A husband has an insurable interest in that property and can purchase a property and casualty insurance policy to cover the ...

independent advisor to insurance companies, corporations, federal, state, and local governments, and labor unions on actuarial matters. These include evaluation of the liabilities of ...

Branch office of an insurance company's home office that markets, underwrites, and services the company's lines of business within a specified geographical area. ...

Principle that holds that social insurance programs should be for the benefit of lower socioeconomic segments of society and not for that segment of society that does not require financial ...

Break in commercial activities due to the occurrence of a peril. Coverage against business interruption by various named perils can be obtained through insurance. ...

Popular Insurance Questions