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

Reinsurance broker for a primary company (the re-insured). This broker is paid commissions by the reinsurance company, just as an agent is paid commissions by an insurance company for ...

Section of a life insurance policy setting the procedure for revoking a current beneficiary and designating a successor beneficiary. Insurers require written notice of a beneficiary change, ...

Provides the same coverage as a comprehensive personal liability insurance policy, plus coverage to exposures that are peculiar to farms, such as farm business operations, farm employees ...

Endorsement attached to an insurance policy that eliminates coverage for certain specified perils. ...

Fee paid to an insurance salesperson as a percentage of the premium generated by a sold insurance policy. ...

Total of interest, dividends, and other earnings derived from the insurance company's invested assets minus the expenses associated with these investments. Excluded from this income are ...

Section describing coverages under a policy. Elsewhere in the policy other sections may restrict or exclude coverages. ...

Written contract between an insured and an insurance company stating the obligations and responsibilities of each party. ...

Annuity that guarantees that a specific sum of money will be paid in the future, usually as monthly income, to an annuitant. For example, a $1000-a-month income benefit will be paid as long ...

Popular Insurance Questions