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

Fringe benefit provided by the employer to its employees as sanctioned under the 1981 Economic Recovery Tax Act. Under Internal Revenue Code Section 129, this benefit is nontaxable to the ...

Applications for insurance coverage that have been forwarded to an insurer but not yet processed. ...

Coverage if transmission equipment is damaged or destroyed on an all risks basis excluding the perils of war, wear and tear, inherent defect, and nuclear damage, consequential loss ...

Worst case scenario under which an estimate is made of the maximum dollar amount that can be lost if a catastrophe occurs such as a hurricane or firestorm. ...

Modified collateral split dollar life insurance plan under which the employee purchases and owns a life insurance policy on the employee's own life. The employer makes the unscheduled ...

Mathematical determination based on the expectation of loss and the benefits to be paid in such an eventuality. The premium charged will vary directly with the probability of loss. ...

Consideration should be given to a company's capacity to underwrite a particular risk, as indicated by its financial standing, claims philosophy, price structure, agent representation, loss ...

The term pro rata comes from Latin and translates to in proportion, proportionally, the proportion of, proportionately determined, or according to a specific rate. It is often used in legal ...

Value of property as established by the price a willing buyer would pay for property purchased from a willing seller, compared with the replacement cost of damaged or destroyed property ...

Popular Insurance Questions