Catastrophic Insurance Futures And Options

Definition of "Catastrophic insurance futures and options"

Nelson Montanez  real estate agent

Written by

Nelson Montanez elite badge icon

Brass Moon Realty

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.

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

Method of depreciating an asset in which its useful life is divided into an appropriate number of years (or other periods), the final salvage value is deducted, and the asset is written off ...

Payment by the insurance company to the insured for the actual expenses incurred by the insured, such as medical expenses. ...

Contributions to a pension plan on a fixed basis according to a formula, with variable benefits. Contributions can be made under an allocated funding instrument (paid to an insurance ...

Transaction by a tax-exempt organization with a person from inside the organization (disqualified person) that provides an economic benefit to that person that is in excess of the value of ...

Type of inland marine insurance that provides coverage for jewels, watches, gold, silver, platinum, pearls, precious and semiprecious stones. Property can be owned by the insured jeweler, ...

Modification of the major medical insurance policy that provides coverage for the terminating employee who otherwise would not be covered by a health insurance policy. Usually, this ...

Assembly of people formed only for obtaining group insurance. Such a group is uninsurable and violates underwriting principles concerning group insurance. ...

Real property (structure (s) attached to the land) that is occupied and/or is under the care, custody, or control of an individual, individuals, or an organization for which an insurance ...

State law that stipulates the establishment of required reserves for claims made basis liability coverage contracts, removes the excess statutory reserves, and directs that all amounts that ...

Popular Insurance Questions