An individual, often holding a professional designation, who computes statistics relating to insurance. Actuaries are most frequently used to estimate loss reserves (for both insurers and self-insureds) and to determine premiums for various coverage lines. Professional designations are awarded by the Casualty Actuarial Society and the Society of Actuaries.
Coverage applies to the “actual loss sustained” by the insured as a result of a covered loss.
An insurance company licensed to do business in a specified jurisdiction to underwrite insurance in that jurisdiction.
A form of reinsurance that requires participation by the reinsurer when aggregate excess losses for the primary insurer exceed a certain stated retention level.
An insurance contract provision limiting the maximum liability of an insurer for a series of losses in a given time period, e.g., a year or for the entire period of the contract. Aggregate limits may be equal to or greater than the per occurrence or per accident policy limit. An insurance policy may have one or more aggregate limits. For example, the standard commercial general liability policy has two: the general aggregate that applies to all claims except those that fall in the products-completed operations hazard and a separate products-completed operations aggregate.
A term commonly used in risk financing to refer to one of a number of risk funding techniques (e.g., self-insurance, captive) or facilities that provide coverages or services outside the realm of those provided by most traditional property and casualty insurers. The alternative market may be utilised by large corporations, for example, to provide high limits of coverage over a large self-insured retention. It may also be utilised by groups of smaller entities, for example, participating in a risk retention group or group captive programme. Note that the distinction between traditional and alternative markets tends to blur over time as many traditional insurers have expanded their offering of products to encompass alternative-type funding techniques, and vice versa. Finally, retrospective funding plans, especially paid loss plans, are sometimes identified with the alternative market.
A captive insurance company formed and owned by a trade or professional association.
The point at which excess insurance or reinsurance limits apply. For example, a captive's retention may be $250,000. This is the attachment point at which excess reinsurance limits would apply.
A reinsurance treaty under which the ceding company must transfer exposures of a defined class that the reinsurer must accept in accordance with the terms of the treaty.
The rating system developed and published annually by A.M. Best that indicates the financial condition of insurance companies.
A report providing premium or loss data with respect to identified specific risks. This report is periodically furnished to a reinsurer by the ceding insurers or reinsurers.
An actuarial technique for developing losses to estimate their ultimate amount. An amount for expected unreported losses (derived using the reciprocal of the loss development factor) is added to the actual reported losses to obtain the estimated ultimate loss for a given accident year. The technique is most useful when actual reported losses for an accident year are a poor indicator of future IBNR for the same accident year, as is often the case where there is a low frequency of loss but a very high potential severity.
The loss level at which losses below the level are considered "primary" losses and losses above are "excess" losses. The appropriate break point in any risk financing programme is a matter of judgment and is dependent upon that programme's individual characteristics.
Reinsurers that write business through reinsurance intermediaries. Reinsurers that do not generally accept such business are referred to as the direct market.
Any layer of insurance (or risk retention) that resides between the primary (burning) layer and the excess layers. For example, if the insured's primary CGL limit is $500,000 and its umbrella attachment point is $1 million, the layer of $500,000 excess of $500,000 coverage between the two is the buffer layer.
The net income (net profit or loss before income taxes) that would have been earned by the insured if a loss hadn’t occurred, as well as the numerical value of the insured’s regular operating expenses.
A captive insurer is an insurance company that insures the risks of associated business. For example, a parent corporation may own both an operating company and a captive insurance company as brother-sister subsidiaries where the captive insures risks of the operating company; such as for illustration: ABC Parent Corporation owns both ABC Manufacturing Company and ABC Captive Insurance Company and ABC Captive Insurance Company insures certain of the risks of ABC Manufacturing Company. This arrangement is often called a single-owner captive. There are many other forms of captive. As an example of an alternative arrangement, a captive may be owned by a number of unrelated companies in the same industry and insure a set of risks unique or common to that group of companies. This form of captive is often referred to as an association captive (meaning that it insures a specific industry or trade group). There are many more ways of classifying captives by type, e.g., pure captives (those that write no outside business) and so on.
Loss in excess of the working layer, usually of such magnitude as to be difficult to predict and therefore rarely self-insured or retained.
A form of reinsurance that indemnifies the ceding company for the accumulation of losses in excess of a stated sum arising from a single catastrophic event or series of events.
A ceding insurer or reinsurer. A ceding insurer is an insurer that underwrites and issues an original, primary policy to an insured and contractually transfers (cedes) a portion of the risk to a reinsurer. A ceding reinsurer is a reinsurer that in turn transfers (cedes) a portion of its reinsurance layer to a retrocessionaire.
A percentage of the reinsurance premium retained by a ceding company to cover its acquisition costs, and sometimes, to provide a profit.
An amount of money set aside to meet future payments associated with claims incurred but not yet settled at the time of a given date.
The sum of two ratios, loss and expense, calculated by dividing incurred losses and all other expenses by earned premiums. Used in both insurance and reinsurance, combined ratio below 100 percent indicates an underwriting profit.
The captive undertakes policy buybacks with all parties to remove their obligations and liabilities. Front companies often undertake this but some are reluctant or price it to be unattractive. If the captive wrote direct policies then the insured would have to take liabilities back, which may not be attractive to the corporate parent.
This covers an insured's income loss resulting from covered losses experienced by an entity which the insured relies upon, i.e. suppliers, manufacturers, distributors.
In reinsurance, an allowance payable to the ceding company in addition to the normal ceding commission allowance. It is a predetermined percentage of the reinsurer's net profits after a charge for the reinsurer's overhead, derived from the subject treaty.
An actuarial term describing the degree of accuracy in forecasting future events based on statistical reporting of past events. Credibility tends to increase with the number of exposure bases in the observed data and to decrease with higher levels of variability in the observed data.
An amount agreed to between the insured and insurer whereby the insured reimburses the insurer for losses it pays within the specified deductible amount.
The return of premium to an insured by the insurance company. Policies on which dividends may be paid are often called participating insurance. It is important to note that it is illegal for insurers to guarantee that dividends will be paid.
The location or venue in which a captive insurer is licensed to do business. Some factors to be considered in selecting the best domicile for a given captive include capitalisation and surplus requirements, investment restrictions, income and local taxes, formation costs, acceptance by fronting insurers and reinsurers, availability of banking and other services, and proximity considerations.
An insurer ‘earns’ a portion of a policy's premium as time elapses during the policy period.
Funds earned by an insurance company (including captives and risk retention groups) after all losses and expenses have been paid. Once earned surplus is recognised, it can be allocated to capital and/or dividends.
A risk management approach that totally integrates both financial (i.e., speculative) and event (i.e., pure) risk into one broad programme of multiple retention and high-excess aggregate insurance limits. To date, however, few firms have implemented such a comprehensive programme. Nevertheless, companies are increasingly buying multiyear, multiline insurance programmes that cover disparate forms of risk (e.g., property and directors and officers liability), which are designed to maximise the benefits of portfolio diversification.
A policy or bond covering the insured against certain hazards, and applies only to loss or damage in excess of a stated amount, a specified primary limit, or a self-insurance limit. It is also that portion of the amount insured that exceeds the amount retained by an entity for its own account.
A form of reinsurance that indemnifies the ceding company against the amount of loss excess of only the specified retention.
Estimated loss frequency multiplied by estimated loss severity, summed for all exposures. This measure of loss generally refers to the total losses of an organisation of a particular type, e.g., workers compensation or general liability.
Describes any plan that uses the past loss experience and exposure levels, e.g., payrolls, of the individual risk as a basis of determining premiums.
The state of being subject to loss because of some hazard or contingency. Also used as a measure of the rating units or the premium base of a risk.
The expenses incurred by the insured during the period of restoration. These would not have been necessary if there had been no physical loss to real or personal property caused by a covered loss. Example: Temporary business equipment rentals.
The hybrid of the facultative versus treaty reinsurance approach. It is a treaty under which the primary insurer has the option to cede or not cede individual risks. However, the reinsurer must accept any risks that are ceded.
Reinsurance of individual risks on an individual ‘offer’ and ‘acceptance’ basis wherein the reinsurer has the option to accept or reject each risk offered.
A study undertaken to determine whether a contemplated risk financing programme is practicable for an organisation or group of organisations. An actuarial analysis is often performed in conjunction with a feasibility study. The term is often used in reference to studies that attempt to ascertain whether or not the formation of a captive insurance company is a viable risk financing option under a given set of circumstances.
An insurer domiciled in the US but outside the state in which the insurance is to be written.
The likelihood that a loss will occur. Expressed as low frequency (meaning that the loss event is possible but the event has not happened in the past and is not likely to occur in the future), moderate frequency (meaning the loss event has happened once in a while and can be expected to occur sometime in the future), or high frequency (meaning the loss event happens regularly and can be expected to occur regularly in the future). Workers compensation losses normally have a high frequency as do automobile collision losses. General liability losses are usually of a moderate frequency, and property losses often have a low frequency.
The process whereby an insurance company issues an insurance policy to the insured and then reinsures all or most of the risk with the insured's captive insurance company or elsewhere as directed by the insured. This approach allows the insured to issue certificates of insurance acceptable to regulators and lenders and avoids the burden of licensing the insured's captive in all states or of becoming a qualified self-insurer in all states.
One side of the market cycle that is characterised by high rates, low limits, and restricted coverage. Contrasts with a soft market.
Recognition that events have taken place in such a manner as to eventually produce claims but that these events have not yet been reported. In other words, IBNR is a loss that has happened but is not known about. Since it is impossible to know the value of a case not yet reported or investigated, a subjective estimate is often used by insurance companies to recognise losses incurred but not reported.
All open and closed claims occurring within a fixed period, usually a year. Incurred losses include reserves for open claims but do not usually include IBNR losses.
A mechanism that transfers all or part of the captive’s business to a third party. This will be governed by prescribed regulatory processes depending on the domiciles of the transferor and transferee. In the UK, it is performed by the Part VII transfer mechanism and will also require court approval. Insurance business transfers will transfer the liabilities and obligations of the transferor but not generally any benefits such as reinsurance protections. However, a Part VII usually will transfer reinsurance protections. Unlike an LPT, an IBT gives finality as the policy obligations are transferred and not just the economic risk.
A regulatory department charged with the administration of insurance laws and other responsibilities associated with insurance. The commissioner of insurance is the head of this department in most states.
Insurance-linked securities are generally thought to have little to no correlation with the wider financial markets as their value is linked to non-financial risks such as natural disasters, longevity risk or life insurance mortality.
The income of an insurance company derived from its investments, as opposed to its underwriting operations. The term has special significance in the insurance industry as various factions consider whether such income should be considered in ratemaking.
The income of an insurance company derived from its investments, as opposed to its underwriting operations. The term has special significance in the insurance industry as various factions consider whether such income should be considered in ratemaking.
Rates that are established by the judgment of an underwriter rather than by a rating authority. Judgment rates are used most often for those lines of insurance in which there are not enough similar exposure units to develop statistically credible rates.
An insurance programme that allows the insured to retain a portion of each loss through a substantial deductible and to transfer to an insurer losses in excess of that deductible. The insurer typically handles losses falling below the deductible and bills these costs back to the insured.
A tool used in probability and statistics. The larger the number of units independently exposed to loss, the more accurate the ability to predict loss results arising from those exposure units.
A legal commitment issued by a bank or other entity stating that, upon receipt of certain documents, the bank will pay against drafts meeting the terms of the letter of credit. Letters of credit are frequently used for risk financing purposes to collateralise monies owed by an insured under various cash flow programmes such as incurred but not paid losses in a paid loss retrospective rating programme. ‘LOCs’ also provide a means of meeting capitalisation requirements of captives, and are used to satisfy the security requirements in ‘fronted’ deductible or retention programmes.
The cost of investigating and adjusting losses. Such expenses may be termed ‘allocated loss adjustment expenses’ or unallocated loss adjustment expenses.
The difference between the original loss as first reported to an insurer and its subsequent evaluation at a later date or at the time of its final disposal.
Predicting future losses through an analysis of past losses.
Proportionate relationship of incurred losses to earned premiums expressed as a percentage. If, for example, a firm pays a $100,000 annual premium for worker's compensation insurance, and its insurer pays and reserves $50,000 in claims, its loss ratio is 50 percent ($50,000/$100,000).
An estimate of the value of a claim or group of claims not yet paid. A case reserve is an estimate of the amount for which a particular claim will ultimately be settled or adjudicated. An insurer will also set reserves for its entire books of business to estimate its future liabilities.
One step in the process of predicting future losses, through an analysis of past losses.
Otherwise known as an ‘attraction property’, a leader property is not owned, controlled, or operated by the insured. Instead, it attracts customers to an insured’s place of business. Example: A souvenir shop located next to a museum, selling museum-related merchandise.
Provided for the insured’s actual loss incurred during the length of time when access to real or personal property is prohibited by order of civil authority. Example: The surrounding area of the business is labelled a ‘crime scene’, and ordered to be closed off by local law enforcement.
Market-wide fluctuations in the prevailing level of insurance and reinsurance premiums. A soft market, i.e., a period of increased competition, depressed premiums, and excess capacity, is followed by a hard market – a period of rising premiums and decreased capacity.
Insurance coverage that protects against unforeseen or catastrophic losses. Medical stop-loss insurance is typically purchased by employers looking to reduce health benefit costs, maintain control over cash reserves, and offer comprehensive health coverage for employees. Under medical stop-loss policies, employers who have opted to self-insure their employee benefit plans do not assume 100 percent of the liability for losses that may arise from those plans. Liability is transferred to the insurance company for eligible losses that exceed certain limits called deductibles.
The least amount of premium to be charged for providing a particular insurance coverage. The minimum premium may apply in any number of ways such as per location, per type of coverage, or per policy.
A reinsurance treaty between an insurer and a reinsurer (usually involving pro rata reinsurance), in which the insurer agrees to automatically cede all business that falls within the terms of the treaty. The reinsurer, in turn, is obligated to accept such business. "Automatic treaty" is another term for obligatory treaty.
Losses that have been reported to the insurer but are still in the process of settlement. Paid losses plus outstanding losses equal incurred losses.
A form of reinsurance under which the reinsurer and primary insurer share losses in the same proportion as they share premiums and policy limits. Quota share reinsurance and surplus share reinsurance are the two types of participating reinsurance. Pro rata reinsurance is another term often used to describe participating reinsurance.
A schedule illustrating the typical rate of dollars paid out in claim settlements over time. For example, on average, less than 30 cents of the total loss dollar for workers compensation claims is paid during the first year of coverage. Even less is paid on average for general liability claims. Depending upon the particular type of risk, an additional five to 10 years can elapse before the full 100 percent of the loss reserve is paid out on a particular claim. During this long pay-out period, the loss reserves (i.e., the not-yet-paid-out funds which are set aside by the insurer to cover the loss claims) can be a source of significant investment income to the insurer, and the payout profile is instrumental in estimating this source of profit for any given category of risk.
The time needed to repair or replace property after loss or damage occurs.
TA legal agreement to replace one insurer with another insurer. The insured, the captive and the new insurer will all execute the novation. If the policy was fronted then the front company would need to agree to the novation. All obligations under the policy transfer to the new insurer as if the new insurer were on risk from inception of the original policy. Novation can also be used to transfer reinsurance protections, perhaps in conjunction with an IBT.
An organisation of insurers or reinsurers through which particular types of risks are underwritten with premiums, losses, and expenses shared in agreed ratios. Pools are also groups of organisations that are not large enough to self-insure individually and thus form a shared risk pool, also referred to as ‘risk pooling’.
A form of reinsurance under which a reinsurer assumes the entire book of the ceding company's business in a certain class or classes.
A set of financial statements (usually an income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows) designed to exhibit ‘as-if’ financial results, often used to project future financial results, based on a set of assumptions. These statements are commonly used to evaluate the feasibility of proposed risk funding programmes such as captives and risk retention groups.
A term describing all forms of ‘proportional’ reinsurance. Under pro rata reinsurance, the reinsurer shares losses in the same proportion as it shares premiums and policy amounts. Quota share and surplus share are the two major types of pro rata reinsurance.
A numerical measure of the chance or likelihood that a particular event will occur. Probabilities are generally assigned on a scale from 0 to 1. A probability near 0 indicates an outcome that is unlikely to occur, while a probability near 1 indicates an outcome that is almost certain to occur.
This is a type of captive reinsurance company that underwrites risks of an affiliated operating business by means of having those risks first directly underwritten by a fronting insurance company which then cedes those risks on through to the captive as reinsurer. The insurance is ‘producer-owned’ in the sense that the producer of the initial insurance contract owns the captive. In some instances, this type of reinsurance company is owned by an insurance agent and broker, in which case, it is not technically-speaking a captive insurer since it is not owned by the owners of the affiliated operating company.
A company whose business is confined solely to reinsurance and peripheral services offered by a reinsurer to its customers. This is in contrast to primary insurers who exchange reinsurance or operate reinsurance departments as adjuncts to their basic business of primary insurance.
A provision found in some reinsurance agreements that provides for profit sharing. Parties agree to a formula for calculating profit, an allowance for the reinsurer's expenses, and the cedant's share of profit after expenses.
A method used in arriving at an insurance or reinsurance rate and premium for a specified period based in whole or in part on the loss experience of the prior period.
Authorised by the Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986, a group formed to obtain liability coverage for its members, all of whom must have similar or related exposures. The Act requires a purchasing group to be domiciled in a specific state. In contrast to risk retention groups, purchasing groups are not risk-bearing entities.
The risk involved in situations that present the opportunity for loss but no opportunity for gain. Pure risks are generally insurable, whereas speculative risks (which also present the opportunity for gain) generally are not. See speculative risk.
A form of reinsurance whereby the reinsurer accepts a stated percentage of each exposure written by the ceding company on a defined class of business.
An organisation that collects statistical data on losses and exposures of businesses and promulgates rates for use by insurers in calculating premiums. The two most important rating bureaus are the National Council on Compensation Insurance and the Insurance Services Office, Inc. However, a number of states also use their own rating bureaus.
Insurance in which one insurer, the reinsurer, accepts all or part of the exposures insured in a policy issued by another insurer, the ceding insurer. In essence, it is insurance for insurance companies.
That portion of a risk that a reinsurer accepts from an original insurer (also known as a ‘primary’ insurer) in return for a stated premium.
Brokers who act as intermediaries between reinsurers and ceding companies. For the reinsurer, intermediaries operate as an outside sales force. They also act as advisers to ceding companies in assessing and locating markets that meet their reinsurance needs.
An insurer that contracts with a reinsurer to share all or a portion of its losses under reinsurance contracts it has issued in return for a stated premium. Also called ‘ceding company’.
An insurer that accepts all or part of the liabilities of the ceding company in return for a stated premium.
An arrangement in which a captive insurer ‘rents’ its facilities to an outside organisation, thereby providing the benefits that captives offer without the financial commitments that captives require. In return for a fee (usually a percentage of the premium paid by the renter), certain captives agree to provide underwriting, rating, claims management, accounting, reinsurance, and financial expertise to unrelated organisations.
The span of time between the occurrence of a claim and the date it is first reported to the insurer.
An amount of money earmarked for a specific purpose. Insurers establish unearned premium reserves and loss reserves indicated on their balance sheets. Unearned premium reserves show the aggregate amount of premiums that would be returned to policyholders if all policies were cancelled on the date the balance sheet was prepared. Loss reserves are estimates of outstanding losses, loss adjustment expenses, and other related items. Self-insured organisations also maintain loss reserves.
Assumption of risk of loss, generally through the use of noninsurance, self-insurance, or deductibles. This retention can be intentional or, when exposures are not identified, unintentional. In reinsurance, it is the net amount of risk the ceding company keeps for its own account or that of specified others.
A dividend plan normally used in writing workers compensation insurance in which the net cost to the policyholder is equal to a ‘retention factor’ (insurance company profit and expenses) plus actual incurred losses subject to a maximum premium equal to standard premium less premium discount.
A transaction in which a reinsurer transfers risks it has reinsured to another reinsurer.
A method developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to determine the minimum amount of capital required of an insurer to support its operations and write coverage. The insurer's risk profile (i.e., the amount and classes of business it writes) is used to determine its risk-based capital requirement. Four categories of risk are analysed in arriving at an insurer's minimum capital requirement: asset, credit, underwriting, and off-balance sheet.
Achievement of the least-cost coverage of an organisation's loss exposures, while assuring post-loss financial resource availability. The risk financing process consists of five steps: identifying and analysing exposures, analysing alternative risk financing techniques, selecting the best risk financing technique(s), implementing the technique(s), and monitoring the selected technique(s). Risk financing programmes can involve insurance rating plans, such as retrospective rating, self-insurance programmes, or captive insurers.
A group formed in compliance with the Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986 for the purpose of negotiating for and purchasing insurance from a commercial insurer. Unlike a risk retention group which actually bears the group's risk, a risk purchasing group merely serves as a vehicle for obtaining coverage, typically at favourable rates and coverage terms.
Measurement of risk to make risk financing decisions. Loss frequency and loss severity are the dimensions of measurement. The value of loss and the variation in value from one period to the next will quantify the impact of the risk.
Planned acceptance of losses by deductibles, deliberate noninsurance, and loss-sensitive plans where some, but not all, risk is consciously retained rather than transferred.
Federal legislation that facilitates the formation of purchasing groups and group self-insurance for commercial liability exposures.
A group self-insurance plan or group captive operating under the auspices of the Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986. A risk retention group can cover the liability exposures, other than workers compensation, of its owners.
Also known as ‘risk distribution’, risk sharing means that the premiums and losses of each member of a group of policyholders are allocated within the group, based on a predetermined formula. Risk is considered to be shared if there is no policyholder-specific correlation between premiums paid into a captive, for example, and losses paid from the captive's reserve pool.
A legal transfer of the shareholding of the captive from the corporate parent to a new owner. This provides full finality to the corporate parent.
This is a court process whereby policyholders effectively agree a commutation plan with the insurer. If the plan is voted through, it is mandatory on all policyholders. A scheme provides finality for the insurer. There are only a few domiciles where this could be used, primarily Bermuda for captive jurisdictions. It is only really relevant where the captive has written third party business that would be too voluminous to exit by individual commutation, or where insured parties cannot be located.
A formal system whereby a firm pays out of operating earnings or a special fund any losses that occur that could ordinarily be covered under an insurance programme. The money that would normally be used for premium payments may be added to this special fund for payment of losses incurred.
A formal system whereby a firm pays out of operating earnings or a special fund any losses that occur that could ordinarily be covered under an insurance programme. The money that would normally be used for premium payments may be added to this special fund for payment of losses incurred.
The amount of each loss for which the insured agrees to be responsible before a commercial insurer begins to participate in a loss. This is in contrast to a deductible in that the commercial insurer is responsible for losses even within the deductible limit. Although the deductible insurer looks to the insured for reimbursement of such losses, the insurer's responsibilities are unaffected by the insured's failure to reimburse.
Coverage for an insured for direct physical loss, damage or destruction to electrical, steam, gas, water, sewer, or other utility.
The span of time between the first report of a claim and the date on which it is ultimately settled.
The amount of damage that is (or that may be) inflicted by a loss or catastrophe. Severity is sometimes quantified as a severity rate, which is a ratio relating the amount of loss to values exposed to loss during a specified period of time.
One side of the market cycle characterised by low rates, high limits, flexible contracts, and high availability of coverage. Contrast with a hard market.
Uncertainty about an event under consideration that could produce either a profit or a loss, such as a business venture or a gambling transaction. A pure risk is generally insurable, while a speculative risk is usually not.
Consideration of the number of independent exposures to loss in a given time period. As the number of units exposed independently to loss increases, the spread of risk expands and the likelihood that all units will suffer loss diminishes. Predictive ability increases as the spread of risk increases. This is often called the ‘law of large numbers’.
A form of reinsurance also known as ‘aggregate excess of loss reinsurance’ under which a reinsurer is liable for all losses, regardless of size, that occur after a specified loss ratio or total dollar amount of losses has been reached.
A settlement under which the plaintiff agrees to accept a stream of payments in lieu of a lump sum. Structured settlements can be tailored to the individual's inflation-adjusted living costs, anticipated future medical expenses, education costs for children, and other lifetime needs. Annuities are usually used as funding mechanisms.
Reinsurance amounts that exceed a ceding company's retention. In surplus reinsurance, the reinsurer contributes to the payment of losses in proportion to its share of the total limit of coverage.
Proportional reinsurance in which the reinsurer assumes pro rata responsibility for only that portion of the risk that exceeds the ceding company's established retention.
A firm that handles various types of administrative responsibilities on a fee-for-services basis for organisations involved in cash flow programmes. These responsibilities typically include claims administration, loss control, risk management information systems, and risk management consulting.
An agreement between an insurer and a reinsurer stating the types or classes of businesses that the reinsurer will accept from the ceding insurer.
A form of reinsurance in which the ceding company makes an agreement to cede certain classes of business to a reinsurer. The reinsurer, in turn, agrees to accept all business qualifying under the agreement, known as the ‘treaty’. Under a reinsurance treaty, the ceding company is assured that all of its risks falling within the terms of the treaty will be
Salaries, overhead, and other related adjustment costs not specifically allocated to the expense incurred for a particular claim.
The practice of separating risk handling and risk funding services either from a multi-line insurer or from themselves. Captives that require a ‘front’ may also be required to purchase all or some of the services from the same insurer. This is a ‘bundled’ programme. Unbundling indicates the ability to purchase services from any vendor, not just those associated with the fronting insurer.
The cutoff date for adjustments made to paid claims and reserve estimates in a loss report. For example, a workers compensation loss report for the 1996 policy year that has a 1998 valuation date includes all claim payments and changes in loss reserves made prior to the 1998 valuation date.
A method of forecasting losses that assigns greater weight, typically to more recent years, when developing a forecast of future losses. Recent years receive a greater weight because they tend to more closely approximate current conditions (e.g., benefit levels, nature of company operations, medical expenses).
A dollar range in which an insured or, in the case of an insurance portfolio, a group of insureds, is expected to experience a fairly high level of loss frequency. For many organizations, this loss frequency is adequate to provide some degree of statistical credibility to actuarial forecasts of the total expected losses during a specific period of time, for example, one year. This is the layer typically subject to deductibles, self-insured retentions, retrospective rating, and similar programmes.
A risk financing programme in which two or more different risk financing approaches are combined into one overall programme. Typically, a wrap-around is used for workers compensation insurance so that the most cost-effective programme in each state can be used to an insured's advantage. For instance, in state A, an insured may have an exposure large enough to qualify as a self-insurer, whereas the requirements in state B may be such that another type of risk financing programme is preferable.