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

Loss experience of a given insured. ...

Insurance against interruption of supply of goods and services. If firm A depends on firm B for its supply of goods and services, an interruption caused by damage or destruction to B can ...

Price an investor is willing to pay for a financial asset. ...

Coverage on a single shipment of property while in temporary storage or in transit. This policy is most commonly used in moving of household goods, which are covered from the time they are ...

Procedure for calculating the cost of life insurance, taking into account the time value of money (investment return on sums placed in premium dollars had these sums been invested ...

Risk management technique for shifting a corporation's exposure from itself. A risk manager looks at many alternatives to insurance to limit the risks a business firm faces. One transfer ...

Extended reporting period, for an unlimited length of time, during which claims may be made after a claims made basis liability coverage policy has expired. ...

Means used by a direct fire underwriter to protect against accumulation for a fire account, as well as against extremely large fire account liability. For example, heavy liabilities under ...

Liability arising out of the operation of a motel or hotel as it pertains to the physical safety of guests and their property. ...

Popular Insurance Questions