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
Stealing small amounts of property. Insurance coverage is available under a number of policies. ...
Pension plan under which both the contribution (employer and employee if a contributory plan) and the benefit structure are fixed. In order to properly maintain the actuarial equivalent, ...
To accumulate. For example, under one of the dividend options of a participating life insurance policy, dividends can accumulate at interest by leaving them with the insurance company; cash ...
Authority to act on behalf of an individual that terminates upon its revocation or death of that individual. ...
Process in which the policy-holder surrenders the policy when: cash proceeds can be invested elsewhere at a higher return than that being earned on the cash value within the policy; ...
Same as term Annual Policy: contract remaining in force for up to 12 months unless canceled earlier. After 12 months the policy can either be renewed or not renewed by the insurance company ...
System of charges to an insured that fluctuates according to the loss experience of that insured. This is a form of experience rating. ...
Report developed by or supplied by a credit agency to an insurer dealing with the financial standing and character of an insurance applicant. These factors are carefully weighted by the ...
Standardized set of business laws that has been adopted by most states. The Uniform Commercial Code governs a wide range of transactions including borrowing, contracts, and many other ...
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