Catastrophic Insurance Futures And Options
Definition of "Catastrophic insurance futures and options"
First exchange-traded risk management tool specifically developed for the insurance industry by the Chicago Board of Trade as a way for the primary insurance company to offset its underwriting exposures. See also futures tied to reinsurance. These contracts are designed to provide the insurance company with a hedge against underwriting losses resulting from catastrophic occurrences. The futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a commodity or financial instrument at a set price on a given date. The option permits the owner to decide whether or not to exercise the option to buy or sell the commodity or financial instrument by the stipulated exercise date. The insurance option trading is based on the loss ratio concept (losses incurred over a stipulated time period divided by premiums earned over the same time period). For example, assume an insurance company buys an option on the loss ratio that will fall within the range of 50% to 70%. Should losses fall within that range, the insurance company would then exercise the option and sell the contract, thereby enabling the company to make a profit on the option. This profit could then be used by the company to offset losses. Should the loss portion not fall within the 50% to 70% range, the option would expire at zero value.
Popular Insurance Terms
Factors on the application that must be evaluated in order to complete the underwriting process: age; sex; physical condition; personal health history; family health history; financial ...
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 ...
Life insurance contract that pays its owner dividends, which can be: taken as cash; applied to reduce a premium; applied to purchase an increment of paid-up insurance; left on deposit ...
Policy designed to act as a supplement to Medicare. The supplementation is in the form of additional benefits to that provided by Medicare. The additional benefits are in the form of ...
Amount expressed as a liability on the insurance company's balance sheet for benefits owed to policy owners. These reserves must be maintained according to strict actuarial formulas as they ...
Optional provision in a disability income policy that allows the policyowner to increase the monthly income sum at an approximate rate of 6%. ...
Same as term Floater: coverage for property which moves from location to location either on a scheduled or unscheduled basis. If the floater covers scheduled property, coverage is listed ...
Group insurance contract under which a periodic (usually monthly) disability income benefit is paid to the insured as long as he or she remains disabled. ...
Partnership in which family members hold all interest in the partnership. This partnership is treated as a cash flow through stand-alone entity. All sums of income and credits, as well as ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.