Underwriting Cycle
Tendency of property and liability insurance premiums, insurers' profits, and availability of coverage to rise and fall with some regularity over time. A cycle can be said to begin when insurers tighten their underwriting standards and sharply raise premiums after a period of severe underwriting losses. Stricter standards and higher premium rates often bring dramatic increases in profits, attracting more capital to the insurance industry and raising underwriting capacity. On the other hand, as insurers strive to write more premiums at higher levels of profitability, premium rates may be driven down and underwriting standards relaxed in the competition for new business. Profits may erode and then turn into losses if more tax underwriting standards generate mounting claims. The stage would then be set for the cycle to begin again.
Popular Insurance Terms
Protection of the property of the business that is damaged or destroyed by perils such as fire, smoke, and vandalism; and/or if the actions (or nonactions) of the business' representatives ...
Value or cost of the actual net protection, in life insurance, in any year (face amount less reserve) according to the yearly renewal term rate used by an insurance company. ...
Value or property given by an individual to a trustee who holds and administers it for the benefit of the donee (recipient of the gift). For example, a father entrusts a life insurance ...
Statutory law that lowers the defendant's liability by restricting the monetary recovery of the plaintiff incurring a specified injury, such as pain and suffering, or by restricting the ...
Widely accepted standard policy forms that have been developed by various rating bureaus or insurance companies. Some forms are required by state law, and some are used by custom. In some ...
Annuity that provides income payments for a number of years provided the annuitant is alive to receive them. All income payments cease upon the death of the annuitant. ...
Limited number of payments, the first of which is due immediately, and payments thereafter are contingent upon the designated beneficiary (the annuitant) continuing to live. After the limit ...
Monetary guarantee that an individual released from jail will be present in court at the appointed time. If the individual is not present in court at that time, the monetary value of the ...
Addition to a workers compensation insurance policy to cover payments to injured employees who are not covered by a state's workers compensation law. This endorsement provides employees who ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.