Definition of "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.

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

Frequency and severity of accidents resulting from conditions and environment surrounding one's workplace. Occupation is an important underwriting factor when considering an applicant for ...

Same as term Cargo Insurance: shipper's policies covering one cargo exposure or all cargo exposures by sea on all risks basis. Exclusions include war, nuclear disaster, wear and tear, ...

Coverage on all risks basis for such items as binders, reapers, harvesters, plows, tractors, pneumatic tools and compressors, bulldozers, and road scrapers. Excluded from coverage are wear ...

Number of bits a modem can receive or send per second. ...

Agent who is licensed and who markets and services insurance policies in a state in which he or she is not domiciled. ...

Relationship of the frequency of deaths of individual members of a group to the entire group membership over a particular time period. ...

Person who commits a tort, a type of wrongful act, that causes injury or damage. ...

Rate-making division of insurance services offices (ISO) for inland marine insurance coverages of member companies. ...

Expenses taken out when benefits are paid. For example, a specific dollar amount is subtracted from a monthly income payment for company expenses. ...

Popular Insurance Questions