Definition of "Insurance futures"

Futures contracts (legally binding contract that stipulates that delivery of an asset will be taken or delivery of an asset will be made at a future time at an agreed upon price at the current moment) on insurance lines to include catastrophic insurance futures, automobile insurance futures, homeowners insurance futures, and so forth, traded on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). Traditionally, precious metals such as gold and silver; agriculture commodities such as cattle, corn, and soy beans; and United States Treasury issues such as bonds and bills, have all been traded on the CBOT. The aim of the transaction with these futures is to cancel the contract with a gain before the delivery of the commodity. (Who would want cattle delivered to their house?) On the other hand, the insurance futures contract concerns itself with the dollar value the market attaches to an index. In turn, this index is an expectation of how much of the premium income generated by a particular line of insurance will have to be allocated to pay off incurred losses. For example, if the automobile insurance line generates an income of $5,000,000 and the market has an expectation that 90% of that income will have to be allocated to paying off incurred losses, the market will value that futures contract at a price somewhat less than $450,000. This is because of such factors that have to be accounted for as incurred but not reported losses (IBNR).

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

Expense of defending a lawsuit. To mount a legal defense against civil or criminal liability, a defendant faces expenses for lawyers, investigation, fact gathering, bonds, and court costs. ...

Income (premiums + investment earnings) minus disbursements (dividends + death claims + policies surrendered for benefits + general expenses). ...

Individual who has met professional standards of the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor for signing the actuarial reports required by the Employee Retirement Security Act ...

Clause in a life insurance policy that states that once the cash value exceeds the net single premium (based on current interest and mortality rates) required for the policy to become ...

in property and casualty insurance, termination of a policy because of failure to pay a renewal premium. in life insurance, termination of a policy because of failure to pay a premium and ...

Coverage providing protection for a business against loss from a hazard under the On-Premises Form, that provides all risk protection against the loss of money and securities; or the ...

Legal capability of those involved in mutual assent of making a contract, including an insurance contract. Those who have been deemed to be incompetent to make a valid contract include ...

Same as term Buy-Back Deductible: deductible eliminated through the payment of an additional premium, resulting in first-dollar coverage under the policy. ...

Coverage in the event of death due to accident, usually in combination with dismemberment insurance. If death is due to accident, payment is made to the insured's beneficiary; if bodily ...

Popular Insurance Questions