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

Return of employer contributions to a pension if that plan is (1) newly established and is determined by the IRS not to be tax qualified; or (2) long established but the IRS disallows a ...

Agreement that eliminates tariffs among the United States, Canada, and Mexico over a 15-year period. Approximately 65% of United States agricultural and industrial exports would be eligible ...

Formal process of setting aside funds on a mathematical basis to provide deferred income benefits. ...

a large number of homogeneous exposures (in order for the deviation of actual losses from expected losses to approach zero, and thecreditability of the prediction to approach one). loss ...

Physical handing of an insurance policy to the insured. Sales training emphasizes the importance of delivery of a policy by the agent. This develops a caring attitude on the part of the ...

Regulations of the national association of insurance commissioners (naic) that dictate provisions that all individual health insurance policies must contain. All states now require these ...

Trade association whose objective is to further the interests of its membership, as well as to inform the public on the role of its members. ...

Coverage usually provided under the commercial general liability insurance (CGL); it can also be purchased separately. ...

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 ...

Popular Insurance Questions