A state health insurance plan for teachers begun five years ago to save jobs in small school districts has grown into one of Texas' biggest programs, used by nearly 90 percent of the state's school districts.
The ActiveCare health insurance plan for teachers, which is overseen by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, now covers about 335,000 teachers and dependents in about 900 school districts, including Arlington, Dallas and Fort Worth. Other large school districts — including the ones in Austin, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio — have their own health insurance plans.
That might not last. Eventually, all public school teachers in Texas will get their health coverage through the plan, predicted Linus Wright, vice chairman of the Teacher Retirement System board and a former superintendent in the Dallas district.
The health plan had its roots in a 1981 struggle in which state lawmakers passed a teacher health insurance bill that then-Gov. Bill Clements rejected because, he said at the time, teachers could get health coverage through their spouses.
The plan eventually came into being for the 2002-03 school year, and it was aimed at small- and medium-sized school districts.
But the plan became more attractive to larger districts grappling with escalating health care costs.
Officials say the biggest advantage of the state plan is that there has been no increase in premiums in two of the last three years.
Critics of the plan, however, say premiums are still too high.
Before You Start
- Think about how you would pay for routine expenses if you or another income-earning adult in your home were to suffer a disability and stop working?
- Ask your employer whether disability income insurance is offered as an optional workplace benefit.
- If you're an employer, consider offering it as a benefit to attract and retain desired workers.
- If you already own disability income insurance, take a fresh look at the policy to learn about the level of coverage it provides, eligibility requirements, etc.
California's three biggest issuers want hikes as high as 9.3%. Insurance chief Steve Poizner's response could affect his political future.
After dropping in recent years, the cost of insuring your home may be about to climb.
California's three biggest insurers, covering more than half of insured homes, have requests for rate hikes pending with Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner.
How Poizner handles the proposed increases could affect his political future. As the only Republican statewide officeholder, he is being touted as his party's best candidate for governor in 2010.
The wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned consumer advocate may not want to run on a record of raising insurance premiums paid by millions of homeowners and renters.
"It's going to be very tough for him," said Amy Bach, director of United Policyholders, a national insurance consumer advocacy group. "It's going to hurt him if he approves new rates, and consumers publicize that and are critical of him."
Poizner doesn't fear repercussions from doing whatever he thinks is right, said California Department of Insurance spokesman Darrel Ng. "He is confident that should he decide to run for future political office, his good policies will be good for him politically," Ng said.
Third-ranked Allstate Corp. is seeking a rate increase of 9.3%. Industry leader State Farm General Insurance Co. and No. 2 Farmers Group Inc. are asking for a 6.9% hike.
All three companies have earned solid profits in recent years. In general, insurers say that they need more revenue from customers to cover a jump in the severity of individual claims and inflationary pressures on the cost of rebuilding homes damaged by fires and high winds -- although they didn't offer more detailed explanations for their rate increase requests.
"There's been an increase in materials for rebuilding and remodeling, and labor costs have gone up," said Jerry Davies, a spokesman for Farmers, a unit of Zurich Financial Services.
State Farm spokesman Bill Sirola acknowledges that his company "made significant profits in California between 2003 and 2007" and stresses that "those good times allow us to rebuild the capital we need for the bad times" that are sure to come.
Allstate, which recently limited its potential losses by refusing to take on new residential customers in California, contends that higher rates would enable it to increase its financial reserves so that the company could be prepared for future disasters, such as wildfires or earthquakes.
Consumer advocates counter that California insurers have little basis for raising rates. According to the Department of Insurance, insurers of residential properties paid 71 cents in claims for every $1 in policyholders' premiums last year. Most financial losses had more to do with weak performance of insurer investment portfolios related to the sub-prime mortgage meltdown, consumer groups say.
"Insurance companies are doing badly in the stock market, and they are trying to recoup their losses from policyholders' pocketbooks," said Harvey Rosenfield, the consumer attorney who wrote Proposition 103, an initiative approved by California voters in 1988 that increased government regulation of insurance rates.
Poizner is reviewing all three filings. Last May, however, he hinted he might reject Allstate's proposal and possibly order it to rebate customers should any charges be deemed excessive.
The Allstate filing, the subject of a hearing before a Department of Insurance administrative law judge, was submitted close to the end of former Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi's tenure in 2006.
Garamendi, a Democrat now serving as lieutenant governor, at the time had ordered Allstate, State Farm, Farmers and Safeco Corp. to cut rates because their customers had been filing fewer and less costly claims.
State Farm and Safeco subsequently lowered their premiums by 20% and Farmers reduced its rate by 18%. Only Allstate fought Garamendi, and later, Poizner, by seeking a substantial rate increase.
Sirola, the State Farm spokesman, welcomed the 2006 price cuts and boasted that lower rates would make the company more competitive, especially with Allstate.
But now State Farm and Farmers have changed their tune.
"We see an increase in the cost of claims," Sirola said. "We've tracked these trends over a number of years."
Allstate, meanwhile, said it felt vindicated by its chief competitors' asking Poizner for rate increases.
"It seems to show that this is an issue affecting the industry across the board," company spokesman Peter DeMarco said.
Some consumer activists, who applauded Poizner's tough stand with Allstate, say they're worried the insurance commissioner may be warming to companies' petitions to raise rates. As evidence, they point to new regulations issued last month by Poizner that critics claim were hastily considered and make it easier for companies to win approval for future rate increase requests.
Companies "see an opportunity to make more money from Commissioner Poizner," Rosenfield said. "I think they see a better chance of soaking the policyholder under Poizner than under Garamendi."
As California's insurance regulator, Poizner does not want to prejudge any company's legal filings, said Ng, the state insurance department spokesman.
He says Poizner is committed to approving rates that are fair to insurers and consumers.
Zheng Xiao, a 53-year-old insurance agent with China Life, has been overworking for two weeks, as the number of consultation calls about insurance products jumped by nearly 40 percent since the May 12 earthquake.
"I've had to charge my mobile phone every day and bring a spare battery to work with me, because I've been getting so many calls since the quake," she said. "Most of the enquiries are about accident insurance, and 90 percent of the callers decide to buy policies after the call."
Zheng said the past two weeks have been the busiest in her 15-year insurance career.
"Because of insurance companies' timely payments after the earthquake, many more people now better understand the importance of buying insurance," Zheng added.
By May 25, China's insurance companies had paid out 92.3 million yuan ($13.3 million) for 202,000 claims. Of these, 64.9 million yuan went to life insurance and 27.4 million yuan went to property and causalty insurance, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission figures show.
Businessman Lin Qiang, 32, is among those who have come to understand the importance of insurance since the disaster.
"There were several insurance agents calling me to buy policies before the quake, but I usually hung up on them as soon as I found out what they wanted, because I wasn't impressed by what they had to say," Lin said.
"But now, I believe I need a policy to at least provide accident coverage. This is a responsibility I have to my family."
However, the quake has not only impacted the way the public views insurance policies but also, it has affected the mindsets of insurance firms' staff.
PICC Life Insurance Co Vice-President Lan Yadong said that he breathed a sigh of relief when he handed over a 200,000-yuan payment to a hospitalized, 11-year-old quake orphan.
"At least we could help ease her financial plight to some extent," Lan said.
Experts said that as a growing number of Chinese look into insurance, they should pay close attention to the details of what the policies cover.
A staff member of 95518, PICC Property and Casualty Insurance Co's customer service hotline, surnamed Yuan said: "Since the Sichuan earthquake, there have been more calls about relevant insurance policies, and particularly about household property insurance."
However, earthquakes aren't currently covered by household property insurance, while those buying commercial property insurance must also purchase an independent rider to cover earthquake risks, Yuan explained, adding most life insurance policies cover quakes.
LONDON (Reuters) - Rivals are circling Royal Bank of Scotland's insurance arm as a bid deadline approaches, but aside from Zurich Financial Services, few may have the desire and firepower to buy Britain's largest motor insurer.
RBS Insurance was put on the block last month as part of the bank's plan to shore up its balance sheet, alongside a 12 billion pound rights issue.
The insurer is an eye-catching asset -- one of the most efficient players in a cut-throat market, and home to attractive brands, including Direct Line and Churchill. It's expected to fetch between 6 billion and 7.5 billion pounds.
But financial pressures on a sector battered by the credit crunch, the ultra-competitive UK market and the sheer size of the business is likely to cool many suitors from going beyond the first round, due to close on May 28.
Finance company says it will pay $4.6 million to settle charges that it sought federal insurance on expired mortgage loans.
WASHINGTON, National City Corp. has agreed to pay $4.6 million to settle allegations that it sought federal insurance for 58 mortgage loans that were already past due, the Justice Department said Thursday.
The financial services provider applied for insurance coverage from the Federal Housing Administration under a program intended to encourage banks to make loans to low and moderate income borrowers, the department said.
The insurance lowers the costs of the loans by protecting lenders in the case of default, the department said.
A spokesman for National City didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.
Shares of Cleveland-based National City (NCC, Fortune 500) rose 2 cents to $5.75 in later afternoon trading.
We all recognize the importance of life insurance. After all, we want to make sure that our loved ones are taken care of when we die. But before you run out and purchase a policy, do some research ahead of time. That way, you'll be sure to get the best possible coverage at the right price. Here are some helpful tips to get you started:
1. Shop around
2. Never buy more coverage than you need
3. The healthier you are, the better the rates
4. Buy sooner rather than later
5. Realize the importance of periodically reviewing your coverage
6. You don't necessarily have to pay a commission
7. You may be paying more for monthly premium payments
8. Don't rely solely on the life insurance offered by your employer
9. Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth
10. Buying more is sometimes cheaper
Shop around
When it comes to life insurance, it pays to shop around because premiums can vary widely. And thanks to the Internet, it's now easier than ever. Try out one of the many insurance websites that can provide you with instant quotes. Make sure the website you shop from takes into consideration the factors in your medical history that can affect the premiums.
Never buy more coverage than you need
The key to purchasing the right amount of life insurance is to have just enough coverage to meet your needs. If you have more life insurance than you need, you'll be paying unnecessarily for higher premiums. On the other hand, it's important not to have too little coverage, resulting in you being underinsured.
The healthier you are, the better the rates
It's true – healthy people get better rates on life insurance. You will be asked to pay a higher rate for anything that shortens your life expectancy (e.g., if you smoke, take medications regularly, are overweight, have a bad driving record).
Buy sooner rather than later
If you've been putting off purchasing life insurance because you don't want to pay the premiums, you may be doing yourself a disservice in the long run. The younger you are when you purchase life insurance, the lower your premiums will be.
Realize the importance of periodically reviewing your coverage
Any life change signals the need for a review of your overall financial plan. When it comes to life insurance coverage, you'll want to make sure that this major life event (e.g., birth of a child, children are grown) won't leave you underinsured or overinsured.
You don't necessarily have to pay a commission
One of the reasons for higher premiums is that most life insurance policies pay commissions to the agent/broker. However, you may be able to purchase a no-load policy through an insurer that sells no-load policies directly to consumers.
You may be paying more for monthly premium payments
You may not realize it, but you may be paying more for your life insurance if you pay your premium in monthly installments. Many insurance companies charge extra fees if you make monthly premium payments instead of paying the annual premium.
Don't rely solely on the life insurance offered by your employer
Many employers offer their employees some sort of group life insurance. But this amount of coverage is usually not enough to adequately meet your life insurance needs. In addition, group life insurance policies are not portable, meaning that if you leave your job, you can't take your life insurance coverage with you.
Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth
If you're thinking about lying on your insurance application, think again. If your insurance company finds out that you lied about a health-related condition or your lifestyle (e.g., smoking habit), they may be able to terminate your coverage.
Buying more is sometimes cheaper
Life insurance usually costs less per thousand dollars once you get into higher coverage amounts (e.g., $250,000). If the numbers work out, you may be able to pay a lower premium while increasing your coverage.
BEIJING, The 8.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Sichuan Province on May 12 has triggered a rush on insurance protection enquiries, especially disaster insurance.
More than 50,000 people are feared dead from the powerful earthquake that jolted southwest China's Sichuan Province last Monday.
Insurers have sent emergency teams to give indemnity to policyholder victims, smooth indemnity procedures and donated about 1 billion yuan (US$143 million) to support people in the quake zone.
Life insurers face indemnity claims of 400 million yuan, said Tian Hui, an Industrial Securities Co analyst.
"Life insurers are the main bearers to make indemnity for the earthquake losses," Tuan said. "However, as the insurance penetration in the quake-hit area is relatively low, the impact will be limited."
Calls for a new disaster insurance system have come in the wake of the powerful quake.
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission has already set up a team to research earthquake insurance, said China Insurance News.
Other than the devastating earthquake last week, there were six earthquakes greater than 5-magnitude in 2007, with direct losses of 2.02 billion yuan. In 2006, there were 14 such big-scale quakes with direct losses of 800 million yuan.
China also suffered the worst snowstorm in half a century, and the Typhoon Neoguri in April.
China's disaster industry sector is still under-developed, including earthquake insurance.
In most cases, home property insurance and auto insurance exclude earthquake as exemptions. Some insurers include it in a rider contract. For corporate property insurance, companies can also include earthquake in a rider. A rider means more expenditure.
The reluctance to buy earthquake insurance products trims the effectiveness of the insurance industry in fighting against earthquake losses.
As the possibility of an earthquake is considered low, most homes and businesses don't buy such products to save on costs. Only big-scale corporates with ample capital are generally willing to buy the products. Life insurance normally includes earthquake coverage.
Industry watchers said more efforts were needed to develop disaster insurance in China.
Wang He, the vice president of PICC, suggested a closer cooperation between domestic and overseas insurers in researching disaster insurance. Wang said in a China Insurance News report that domestic insurers should make better use of the international re-insurance mechanisms and shift part of the risk to the global capital market.
He said there needed to be government-guided support to build up the disaster protection system.
Zhang Xi, a China Galaxy Securities Research analyst, said the quake would increase insurance protection awareness and the demand for premiums. The quick and positive indemnity response from insurers after the snowstorm strengthened clients' confidence in insurers, Zhang said. For instance, project insurance premium grew 85.8 percent in the first quarter while home property insurance rose 42.9 percent.
Insurers also moved quickly after the earthquake. The CIRC immediately launched a disaster emergency response system to smooth indemnity. Insurers also moved to pay policyholders and called for their employees to donate money and blood to the quake-hit area.
The massive earthquake would eat insurers' profits in the short term but increase the insurance awareness and help grow China's disaster insurance industry in the long run, analysts said.
"Shares of listed insurers are under pressure to drop due to the earthquake spill-over effect," said Yu Bin, an analyst from SYWG Research & Consulting.
Florida, If your major interest is information related to Florida Auto Insurance or any other such as Collision Insurance Coverage, Auto Owners Insurance Lansing Mi, Texas Low Cost Auto Insurance, Bargain Auto Insurance, Auto Club Insurance Assoc or Auto Owners Insurance Company Lansing Michigan, this article can prove useful.
The other common mistake many people make is to over-insure older cars. The rule of thumb is that if your car is worth less than 10 times the premium, then chances are high that your insurance coverage is not cost effective.
Buying auto insurance can be very expensive these days, but it is possible to reduce the overall costs a little and still make sure that you have all of the necessary insurance coverage for your car or automobile just in case you ever need it. Of course, one of the main things to consider when it comes to finding cheaper auto insurance is the type of car that you drive. After all, if you are driving a large powerful sports car that goes extremely fast and normally tends to encourage people to drive in an accelerated manner then chances are good that you will be required to pay a much higher car insurance premium based on the tendency for sports car owners to more than likely make insurance claims. So, naturally, if you own a smaller and less powerful car than it will most likely be cheaper for you to insure that vehicle which is based on the history of those types of car owners.
Draw the benefit of low mileage discounts. Some companies offer deductions to motorists who drive less than average or estimated number of miles per year.
AUTHOR'S NOTE -- I hope you are enjoying this article so far. It should prove very helpful whether your actual query is about Auto Insurance Companies or any other related other related Auto Insurance Discounter, Cheap Auto Insurance for Teens, AAA So Cal, Dug an Insurance, Southern Auto Owners Insurance and Auto Owners Insurance Colorado information. Read on.
Switch drivers - For married couples, compare insurance quotes between the male as the main driver and the female as the main driver. You may get a lower quote if the female is insured on a truck and the male is insured on the minivan. Teens should also be insured on safer cars such as the family sedan, rather than a sports car.
You may want to consider letting your teenager drive the family car instead of buying his/her own vehicle. This will very likely lower your cost to cover them. Students in school and living away from home can reduce their premiums by 30 - 50%, depending on the insurer.
As detailed as this article is, don't forget that you can find more information about all state Auto Insurances or any such information from any of the search engines out there such as MSN.com. Commit yourself to finding specific information therein about All state Auto Insurances and you will.
Sit high enough in your seat so that you can see at least 10 feet in front of your car, advises the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If your car seat does not adjust to allow this, add a cushion. This will make it easier to see pedestrians and bike riders, and reduce problems from oncoming headlight glare at night.
Many people looking for information about Florida Auto Insurance also looked online for Safe Home Insurance Don T Own A Car, Fortune 500 Ranks, and even I Just Saved A Bunch Of Money On Car Insurance.
It doesn't matter if you have just passed your test or you are a seasoned driver, ensuring you don't pay more than you need to for your auto insurance is important as the cost of owning a vehicle continue to rise; reductions in the premium can be considerable by using some of the information presented in this article. Many people become confused with the variety of cover available and do not know what to choose but ultimately it is just how much they can afford that will determine which plan they choose. Auto insurance policies are made up of many parts reflected in the type of accidents that happen including:
- Bodily injury liability
- Property damage liability
- Comprehensive coverage
Once-upon-a-time, obtaining a quote meant many trips to insurance provider's offices which could take a great deal of time. Now, some online sites will actually compare the car insurance rates from several companies for you; within just a few minutes all the information you require is ready for you. So, if you are looking for the best quotes then there is no reason why you should not use an online service to do it; increasing numbers of people carry out all their business online these days.
To make matters worse, the cost can be based on many different aspects; the main points however, are listed below:
- The address where the vehicle is parked
- Is there an alarm system fitted in the vehicle?
- The cost of labor and parts for the vehicle
- The power to weight ratio
the number of claims made increases enormously when a person lives in a city from accidents, theft and damage. One thing that doesn't change is just how much your auto insurance premium will rise if you do not live in the country; Whilst this does add to your annual expenses, you can usually cover the cost of the premiums with convenient monthly payments. One word of warning that is echoed by many insurance specialists is 'don't leave getting your free quotes until the last minute' as this can cause problems when the renewal is due.
There are a number of people that drive expensive cars that have high premium costs and a comprehensive policy might be out of the question so a basic policy might be needed. Comprehensive insurance does have its benefits though, in particular when it comes to paying for medical treatment or time lost from work even if the policy holder was to blame for the accident. This type of policy also covers passengers in both accident vehicles providing they are not related by blood.
Switching auto insurance providers is not a difficult process but nevertheless it should not be done until the old plan needs to be renewed. A word of warning here: never cancel your current policy before your new one is set up because this can be a serious mistake. Some insurers can offer a larger discount if you decide to have your homeowners insurance with them as well. Discounts are almost always available if you look around and have a little knowledge about the subject so don't put up with regular auto insurance premium increases if you do not have to. Read More……
Many of us need automobiles to get from place to place, so we all know how useful they can be while also recognizing the fact that driving an automobile is dangerous. You might be careful in obeying traffic laws, but you never know when someone else will not and be the cause of an accident that involves you. Then again, mistakes do happen and you never know when something may occur that you will be at fault. These are reasons why it is important to have auto insurance.
However, auto insurance covers much more than just collisions. There are times when certain acts of nature may occur such as a hail storm or a falling tree that may cause damage to an automobile and it would cost too much money out of pocket to fix these things. The insurance will sometimes charge a small deductible depending on the type of accident that has occurred, but the cost is minimal compared to what it would cost to fix an automobile on your own.
A world without auto insurance
Just imagine what a world without auto insurance would be like. First of all, people who are at fault in accidents would be paying money to the accident victims out of their wages and other income for years to come. Those who have been injured in an accident at no fault of their own are entitled to have their medical bills, vehicle repairs, and other expenses paid by the insurance of the person who was at fault. If the person at fault does not have insurance, then they do have to pay those expenses out of their pocket. Many people have been known to lose major assets because they did not pay the minimal cost of having auto insurance to prevent such losses.
Then there are those natural disasters that we have absolutely no control over. There have been many overturned trees from high winds that have decided to fall the direction of someone's brand new car. There have also been the occasional hail storms throwing golf ball-sized hail out of the sky at the many automobiles below. This can cause thousands of dollars in damage that goes beyond the scope of what most individuals can afford straight out of their pocket.
So why is it important?
It is probably already quite obvious to see why having < a href="http://www.belairdirect.com">car insurance is very important. If not, then look at it this way:
- You are protecting your automobile, one of the largest investments you make in your life. - You are able to pay for medical bills if an accident occurs. - You don't have to feel the biggest part of an accident-related lawsuit. - Protects assets that you've worked hard for from being lost due to a lawsuit. - Protects you from those motorists that may not have insurance of their own. - Not only pays for accidents and weather-related incidents, but also pays for vandalism and theft. - You know you are protected every single time you hit the road.
However, this brings about another point. It is very important that you review your insurance policy and make sure you understand all of it since every policy is different. Depending on a person's financial situation, they may choose a certain type of coverage over another for a variety of reasons. This can be because they want to cut premium costs because they simply cannot afford higher coverage or another reason that they find they don't need extensive coverage. These things should be considered carefully because you never know when one accident may be the event that causes you to lose many of your assets in order to satisfy the cost of a lawsuit settlement.
Insurance companies may be classified into two groups:
- Life insurance companies, which sell life insurance, annuities and pensions products.
- Non-life, General, or Property/Casualty insurance companies, which sell other types of insurance.
General insurance companies can be further divided into these sub categories.
- Standard Lines
- Excess Lines
Excess line insurance companies (aka Excess and Surplus) typically insure risks not covered by the standard lines market. They are broadly referred as being all insurance placed with non-admitted insurers. Non-admitted insurers are not licensed in the states where the risks are located. These companies have more flexibility and can react faster than standard insurance companies because they are not required to file rates and forms as do the "admitted" carriers do. However, they still have substantial regulatory requirements placed upon them. State laws generally require insurance placed with surplus line agents and brokers to not be available through standard licensed insurers.
Insurance companies are generally classified as either mutual or stock companies. This is more of a traditional distinction as true mutual companies are becoming rare. Mutual companies are owned by the policyholders, while stockholders (who may or may not own policies) own stock insurance companies. Other possible forms for an insurance company include reciprocals, in which policyholders 'reciprocate' in sharing risks, and Lloyds organizations.
Insurance companies are rated by various agencies such as A. M. Best. The ratings include the company's financial strength, which measures its ability to pay claims. It also rates financial instruments issued by the insurance company, such as bonds, notes, and securitization products.
Reinsurance companies are insurance companies that sell policies to other insurance companies, allowing them to reduce their risks and protect themselves from very large losses. The reinsurance market is dominated by a few very large companies, with huge reserves. A reinsurer may also be a direct writer of insurance risks as well.
Captive insurance companies may be defined as limited-purpose insurance companies established with the specific objective of financing risks emanating from their parent group or groups. This definition can sometimes be extended to include some of the risks of the parent company's customers. In short, it is an in-house self-insurance vehicle. Captives may take the form of a "pure" entity (which is a 100 percent subsidiary of the self-insured parent company); of a "mutual" captive (which insures the collective risks of members of an industry); and of an "association" captive (which self-insures individual risks of the members of a professional, commercial or industrial association). Captives represent commercial, economic and tax advantages to their sponsors because of the reductions in costs they help create and for the ease of insurance risk management and the flexibility for cash flows they generate. Additionally, they may provide coverage of risks which is neither available nor offered in the traditional insurance market at reasonable prices.
The types of risk that a captive can underwrite for their parents include property damage, public and products liability, professional indemnity, employee benefits, employers liability, motor and medical aid expenses. The captive's exposure to such risks may be limited by the use of reinsurance.
- heavy and increasing premium costs in almost every line of coverage;
- difficulties in insuring certain types of fortuitous risk;
- differential coverage standards in various parts of the world;
- rating structures which reflect market trends rather than individual loss experience;
- insufficient credit for deductibles and/or loss control efforts.
There are also companies known as 'insurance consultants'. Like a mortgage broker, these companies are paid a fee by the customer to shop around for the best insurance policy amongst many companies. Similar to an insurance consultant, an 'insurance broker' also shops around for the best insurance policy amongst many companies. However, with insurance brokers, the fee is usually paid in the form of commission from the insurer that is selected rather than directly from the client.
Neither insurance consultants nor insurance brokers are insurance companies and no risks are transferred to them in insurance transactions. Third party administrators are companies that perform underwriting and sometimes claims handling services for insurance companies. These companies often have special expertise that the insurance companies do not have.
The financial stability and strength of an insurance company should be a major consideration when purchasing an insurance contract. An insurance premium paid currently provides coverage for losses that might arise many years in the future. For that reason, the viability of the insurance carrier is very important. In recent years, a number of insurance companies have become insolvent, leaving their policyholders with no coverage (or coverage only from a government-backed insurance pool or other arrangement with less attractive payouts for losses). A number of independent rating agencies, such as Best's, Fitch, Standard & Poor's, and Moody's Investors Service, provide information and rate the financial viability of insurance companies.
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- Protected Self-Insurance is an alternative risk financing mechanism in which an organization retains the mathematically calculated cost of risk within the organization and transfers the catastrophic risk with specific and aggregate limits to an Insurer so the maximum total cost of the program is known. A properly designed and underwritten Protected Self-Insurance Program reduces and stabilizes the cost of insurance and provides valuable risk management information.
- Retrospectively Rated Insurance is a method of establishing a premium on large commercial accounts. The final premium is based on the insured's actual loss experience during the policy term, sometimes subject to a minimum and maximum premium, with the final premium determined by a formula. Under this plan, the current year's premium is based partially (or wholly) on the current year's losses, although the premium adjustments may take months or years beyond the current year's expiration date. The rating formula is guaranteed in the insurance contract. Formula: retrospective premium = converted loss + basic premium × tax multiplier. Numerous variations of this formula have been developed and are in use.
- Fraternal insurance is provided on a cooperative basis by fraternal benefit societies or other social organizations.
- Formal self insurance is the deliberate decision to pay for otherwise insurable losses out of one's own money. This can be done on a formal basis by establishing a separate fund into which funds are deposited on a periodic basis, or by simply forgoing the purchase of available insurance and paying out-of-pocket. Self insurance is usually used to pay for high-frequency, low-severity losses. Such losses, if covered by conventional insurance, mean having to pay a premium that includes loadings for the company's general expenses, cost of putting the policy on the books, acquisition expenses, premium taxes, and contingencies. While this is true for all insurance, for small, frequent losses the transaction costs may exceed the benefit of volatility reduction that insurance otherwise affords.
- No-fault insurance is a type of insurance policy (typically automobile insurance) where insureds are indemnified by their own insurer regardless of fault in the incident.
- Reinsurance is a type of insurance purchased by insurance companies or self-insured employers to protect against unexpected losses. Financial reinsurance is a form of reinsurance that is primary used for capital management rather than to transfer insurance risk.
- Stop-loss insurance provides protection against catastrophic or unpredictable losses. It is purchased by organizations who do not want to assume 100% of the liability for losses arising from the plans. Under a stop-loss policy, the insurance company becomes liable for losses that exceed certain limits called deductibles.
- Social insurance can be many things to many people in many countries. But a summary of its essence is that it is a collection of insurance coverages (including components of life insurance, disability income insurance, unemployment insurance, health insurance, and others), plus retirement savings, that mandates participation by all citizens. By forcing everyone in society to be a policyholder and pay premiums, it ensures that everyone can become a claimant when or if he/she needs to. Along the way this inevitably becomes related to other concepts such as the justice system and the welfare state. This is a large, complicated topic that engenders tremendous debate, which can be further studied in the following articles (and others)
Other
- Collateral protection insurance or CPI, insures property (primarily vehicles) held as collateral for loans made by lending institutions.
- Defense Base Act Workers' compensation or DBA Insurance insurance provides coverage for civilian workers hired by the government to perform contracts outside the US and Canada. DBA is required for all US citizens, US residents, US Green Card holders, and all employees or subcontractors hired on overseas government contracts. Depending on the country, Foreign Nationals must also be covered under DBA. This coverage typically includes expenses related to medical treatment and loss of wages, as well as disability and death benefits.
- Expatriate insurance provides individuals and organizations operating outside of their home country with protection for automobiles, property, health, liability and business pursuits.
- Financial loss insurance protects individuals and companies against various financial risks. For example, a business might purchase cover to protect it from loss of sales if a fire in a factory prevented it from carrying out its business for a time. Insurance might also cover the failure of a creditor to pay money it owes to the insured. This type of insurance is frequently referred to as "business interruption insurance." Fidelity bonds and surety bonds are included in this category, although these products provide a benefit to a third party (the "obligee") in the event the insured party (usually referred to as the "obligor") fails to perform its obligations under a contract with the obligee.
- Kidnap and ransom insurance
- Locked funds insurance is a little-known hybrid insurance policy jointly issued by governments and banks. It is used to protect public funds from tamper by unauthorized parties. In special cases, a government may authorize its use in protecting semi-private funds which are liable to tamper. The terms of this type of insurance are usually very strict. Therefore it is used only in extreme cases where maximum security of funds is required.
- Nuclear incident insurance covers damages resulting from an incident involving radioactive materials and is generally arranged at the national level. (For the United States, see the Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act.)
- Pet insurance insures pets against accidents and illnesses - some companies cover routine/wellness care and burial, as well.
- Pollution Insurance. A first-party coverage for contamination of insured property either by external or on-site sources. Coverage for liability to third parties arising from contamination of air, water, or land due to the sudden and accidental release of hazardous materials from the insured site. The policy usually covers the costs of cleanup and may include coverage for releases from underground storage tanks. Intentional acts are specifically excluded.
- Purchase insurance is aimed at providing protection on the products people purchase. Purchase insurance can cover individual purchase protection, warranties, guarantees, care plans and even mobile phone insurance. Such insurance is normally very limited in the scope of problems that are covered by the policy.
- Title insurance provides a guarantee that title to real property is vested in the purchaser and/or mortgagee, free and clear of liens or encumbrances. It is usually issued in conjunction with a search of the public records performed at the time of a real estate transaction.
- Travel insurance is an insurance cover taken by those who travel abroad, which covers certain losses such as medical expenses, lost of personal belongings, travel delay, personal liabilities, etc.
Credit insurance repays some or all of a loan back when certain things happen to the borrower such as unemployment, disability, or death. Mortgage insurance is a form of credit insurance, although the name credit insurance more often is used to refer to policies that cover other kinds of debt.
Mortgage insurance insures the lender against default by the borrower.
- Environmental liability insurance protects the insured from bodily injury, property damage and cleanup costs as a result of the dispersal, release or escape of pollutants.
- Errors and omissions insurance: See "Professional liability insurance" under "Liability insurance".
- Professional liability insurance, also called professional indemnity insurance, protects professional practitioners such as architects, lawyers, doctors, and accountants against potential negligence claims made by their patients/clients. Professional liability insurance may take on different names depending on the profession. For example, professional liability insurance in reference to the medical profession may be called malpractice insurance. Notaries public may take out errors and omissions insurance (E&O). Other potential E&O policyholders include, for example, real estate brokers, home inspectors, appraisers, and website developers.
- Directors and officers liability insurance protects an organization (usually a corporation) from costs associated with litigation resulting from mistakes incurred by directors and officers for which they are liable. In the industry, it is usually called "D&O" for short.
- Prize indemnity insurance protects the insured from giving away a large prize at a specific event. Examples would include offering prizes to contestants who can make a half-court shot at a basketball game, or a hole-in-one at a golf tournament.
Property insurance provides protection against risks to property, such as fire, theft or weather damage. This includes specialized forms of insurance such as fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, home insurance, inland marine insurance or boiler insurance.
- Automobile insurance, known in the UK as motor insurance, is probably the most common form of insurance and may cover both legal liability claims against the driver and loss of or damage to the insured's vehicle itself. Throughout the United States auto insurance policy is required to legally operate a motor vehicle on public roads. In some jurisdictions, bodily injury compensation for automobile accident victims has been changed to a no-fault system, which reduces or eliminates the ability to sue for compensation but provides automatic eligibility for benefits. Credit card companies insure against damage on rented cars.
- Driving School Insurance insurance provides cover for any authorized driver whilst under going tuition, cover also unlike other motor policies provides cover for instructor liability where both the pupil and driving instructor are both equally liable in the event of a claim.
- Aviation insurance insures against hull, spares, deductible, hull wear and liability risks.
- Boiler insurance (also known as boiler and machinery insurance or equipment breakdown insurance) insures against accidental physical damage to equipment or machinery.
- Builder's risk insurance insures against the risk of physical loss or damage to property during construction. Builder's risk insurance is typically written on an "all risk" basis covering damage due to any cause (including the negligence of the insured) not otherwise expressly excluded.
- Crop insurance "Farmers use crop insurance to reduce or manage various risks associated with growing crops. Such risks include crop loss or damage caused by weather, hail, drought, frost damage, insects, or disease, for instance."[8]
- Earthquake insurance is a form of property insurance that pays the policyholder in the event of an earthquake that causes damage to the property. Most ordinary homeowners insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Most earthquake insurance policies feature a high deductible. Rates depend on location and the probability of an earthquake, as well as the construction of the home.
- A fidelity bond is a form of casualty insurance that covers policyholders for losses that they incur as a result of fraudulent acts by specified individuals. It usually insures a business for losses caused by the dishonest acts of its employees.
- Flood insurance protects against property loss due to flooding. Many insurers in the US do not provide flood insurance in some portions of the country. In response to this, the federal government created the National Flood Insurance Program which serves as the insurer of last resort.
- Home insurance or homeowners insurance: See "Property insurance".
- Marine insurance and marine cargo insurance cover the loss or damage of ships at sea or on inland waterways, and of the cargo that may be on them. When the owner of the cargo and the carrier are separate corporations, marine cargo insurance typically compensates the owner of cargo for losses sustained from fire, shipwreck, etc., but excludes losses that can be recovered from the carrier or the carrier's insurance. Many marine insurance underwriters will include "time element" coverage in such policies, which extends the indemnity to cover loss of profit and other business expenses attributable to the delay caused by a covered loss.
- Surety bond insurance is a three party insurance guaranteeing the performance of the principal.
- Terrorism insurance provides protection against any loss or damage caused by terrorist activities.
- Volcano insurance is an insurance that covers volcano damage in Hawaii.
- Windstorm insurance is an insurance covering the damage that can be caused by hurricanes and tropical cyclones.
Annuities provide a stream of payments and are generally classified as insurance because they are issued by insurance companies and regulated as insurance and require the same kinds of actuarial and investment management expertise that life insurance requires. Annuities and pensions that pay a benefit for life are sometimes regarded as insurance against the possibility that a retiree will outlive his or her financial resources. In that sense, they are the complement of life insurance and, from an underwriting perspective, are the mirror image of life insurance.
In many countries, such as the U.S. and the UK, the tax law provides that the interest on this cash value is not taxable under certain circumstances. This leads to widespread use of life insurance as a tax-efficient method of saving as well as protection in the event of early death.
In U.S., the tax on interest income on life insurance policies and annuities is generally deferred. However, in some cases the benefit derived from tax deferral may be offset by a low return. This depends upon the insuring company, the type of policy and other variables (mortality, market return, etc.). Moreover, other income tax saving vehicles (e.g., IRAs, 401(k) plans, Roth IRAs) may be better alternatives for value accumulation. A combination of low-cost term life insurance and a higher-return tax-efficient retirement account may achieve better investment return.
Casualty insurance insures against accidents, not necessarily tied to any specific property.
Political risk insurance is a form of casualty insurance that can be taken out by businesses with operations in countries in which there is a risk that revolution or other political conditions will result in a loss.
Total permanent disability insurance insurance provides benefits when a person is permanently disabled and can no longer work in their profession, often taken as an adjunct to life insurance.
Disability overhead insurance allows business owners to cover the overhead expenses of their business while they are unable to work.
Workers' compensation insurance replaces all or part of a worker's wages lost and accompanying medical expense incurred because of a job-related injury.
Any risk that can be quantified can potentially be insured. Specific kinds of risk that may give rise to claims are known as "perils". An insurance policy will set out in detail which perils are covered by the policy and which are not. Below are (non-exhaustive) lists of the many different types of insurance that exist. A single policy may cover risks in one or more of the categories set forth below. For example, auto insurance would typically cover both property risk (covering the risk of theft or damage to the car) and liability risk (covering legal claims from causing an accident). A homeowner's insurance policy in the U.S. typically includes property insurance covering damage to the home and the owner's belongings, liability insurance covering certain legal claims against the owner, and even a small amount of health insurance for medical expenses of guests who are injured on the owner's property.
Business insurance can be any kind of insurance that protects businesses against risks. Some principal subtypes of business insurance are (a) the various kinds of professional liability insurance, also called professional indemnity insurance, which are discussed below under that name; and (b) the business owners policy (BOP), which bundles into one policy many of the kinds of coverage that a business owner needs, in a way analogous to how homeowners insurance bundles the coverages that a homeowner needs.
Turning to insurance in the modern sense (i.e., insurance in a modern money economy, in which insurance is part of the financial sphere), early methods of transferring or distributing risk were practiced by Chinese and Babylonian traders as long ago as the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC, respectively. Chinese merchants travelling treacherous river rapids would redistribute their wares across many vessels to limit the loss due to any single vessel's capsizing. The Babylonians developed a system which was recorded in the famous Code of Hammurabi, c. 1750 BC, and practiced by early Mediterranean sailing merchants. If a merchant received a loan to fund his shipment, he would pay the lender an additional sum in exchange for the lender's guarantee to cancel the loan should the shipment be stolen.
The purpose of registering was that whenever the person who presented the gift registered by the court was in trouble, the monarch and the court would help him. Jahez, a historian and writer, writes in one of his books on ancient Iran: "[W]henever the owner of the present is in trouble or wants to construct a building, set up a feast, have his children married, etc. the one in charge of this in the court would check the registration. If the registered amount exceeded 10,000 Derrik, he or she would receive an amount of twice as much."
A thousand years later, the inhabitants of Rhodes invented the concept of the 'general average'. Merchants whose goods were being shipped together would pay a proportionally divided premium which would be used to reimburse any merchant whose goods were jettisoned during storm or sinkage.
The Greeks and Romans introduced the origins of health and life insurance c. 600 AD when they organized guilds called "benevolent societies" which cared for the families and paid funeral expenses of members upon death. Guilds in the Middle Ages served a similar purpose. The Talmud deals with several aspects of insuring goods. Before insurance was established in the late 17th century, "friendly societies" existed in England, in which people donated amounts of money to a general sum that could be used for emergencies.
Separate insurance contracts (i.e., insurance policies not bundled with loans or other kinds of contracts) were invented in Genoa in the 14th century, as were insurance pools backed by pledges of landed estates. These new insurance contracts allowed insurance to be separated from investment, a separation of roles that first proved useful in marine insurance. Insurance became far more sophisticated in post-Renaissance Europe, and specialized varieties developed.
Toward the end of the seventeenth century, London's growing importance as a centre for trade increased demand for marine insurance. In the late 1680s, Mr. Edward Lloyd opened a coffee house that became a popular haunt of ship owners, merchants, and ships’ captains, and thereby a reliable source of the latest shipping news. It became the meeting place for parties wishing to insure cargoes and ships, and those willing to underwrite such ventures. Today, Lloyd's of London remains the leading market (note that it is not an insurance company) for marine and other specialist types of insurance, but it works rather differently than the more familiar kinds of insurance.
Insurance as we know it today can be traced to the Great Fire of London, which in 1666 devoured 13,200 houses. In the aftermath of this disaster, Nicholas Barbon opened an office to insure buildings. In 1680, he established England's first fire insurance company, "The Fire Office," to insure brick and frame homes.
The first insurance company in the United States underwrote fire insurance and was formed in Charles Town (modern-day Charleston), South Carolina, in 1732. Benjamin Franklin helped to popularize and make standard the practice of insurance, particularly against fire in the form of perpetual insurance. In 1752, he founded the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire. Franklin's company was the first to make contributions toward fire prevention. Not only did his company warn against certain fire hazards, it refused to insure certain buildings where the risk of fire was too great, such as all wooden houses. In the United States, regulation of the insurance industry is highly Balkanized, with primary responsibility assumed by individual state insurance departments. Whereas insurance markets have become centralized nationally and internationally, state insurance commissioners operate individually, though at times in concert through a national insurance commissioners' organization. In recent years, some have called for a dual state and federal regulatory system for insurance similar to that which oversees state banks and national banks.
Profit = earned premium + investment income - incurred loss - underwriting expenses.
The most difficult aspect of the insurance business is the underwriting of policies. Using a wide assortment of data, insurers predict the likelihood that a claim will be made against their policies and price products accordingly. To this end, insurers use actuarial science to quantify the risks they are willing to assume and the premium they will charge to assume them. Data is analyzed to fairly accurately project the rate of future claims based on a given risk. Actuarial science uses statistics and probability to analyze the risks associated with the range of perils covered, and these scientific principles are used to determine an insurer's overall exposure. Upon termination of a given policy, the amount of premium collected and the investment gains thereon minus the amount paid out in claims is the insurer's underwriting profit on that policy. Of course, from the insurer's perspective, some policies are winners (i.e., the insurer pays out less in claims and expenses than it receives in premiums and investment income) and some are losers (i.e., the insurer pays out more in claims and expenses than it receives in premiums and investment income).
Insurance companies also earn investment profits on “float”. “Float” or available reserve is the amount of money, at hand at any given moment, that an insurer has collected in insurance premiums but has not been paid out in claims. Insurers start investing insurance premiums as soon as they are collected and continue to earn interest on them until claims are paid out.
In the United States, the underwriting loss of property and casualty insurance companies was $142.3 billion in the five years ending 2003. But overall profit for the same period was $68.4 billion, as the result of float. Some insurance industry insiders, most notably Hank Greenberg, do not believe that it is forever possible to sustain a profit from float without an underwriting profit as well, but this opinion is not universally held. Naturally, the “float” method is difficult to carry out in an economically depressed period. Bear markets do cause insurers to shift away from investments and to toughen up their underwriting standards. So a poor economy generally means high insurance premiums. This tendency to swing between profitable and unprofitable periods over time is commonly known as the "underwriting" or insurance cycle.
Property and casualty insurers currently make the most money from their auto insurance line of business. Generally better statistics are available on auto losses and underwriting on this line of business has benefited greatly from advances in computing. Additionally, property losses in the US, due to natural catastrophes, have exacerbated this trend.
Finally, claims and loss handling is the materialized utility of insurance. In managing the claims-handling function, insurers seek to balance the elements of customer satisfaction, administrative handling expenses, and claims overpayment leakages. As part of this balancing act, fraudulent insurance practices are a major business risk that must be managed and overcome.
An "indemnity" policy will never pay claims until the insured has paid out of pocket to some third party; i.e. a visitor to your home slips on a floor that you left wet and sues you for $10,000 and wins. Under an "indemnity" policy the homeowner would have to come up with the $10,000 to pay for the visitors fall and then would be "indemnified" by the insurance carrier for the out of pocket costs (the $10,000).
Under the same situation, a "pay on behalf" policy, the insurance carrier would pay the claim and the insured (the homeowner) would not be out of pocket for anything. Most modern liability insurance is written on the basis of "pay on behalf" language.
When insured parties experience a loss for a specified peril, the coverage entitles the policyholder to make a 'claim' against the insurer for the covered amount of loss as specified by the policy. The fee paid by the insured to the insurer for assuming the risk is called the 'premium'. Insurance premiums from many insureds are used to fund accounts reserved for later payment of claims—in theory for a relatively few claimants—and for overhead costs. So long as an insurer maintains adequate funds set aside for anticipated losses (i.e., reserves), the remaining margin is an insurer's profit.
Commercially insurable risks typically share seven common characteristics.
2. Definite Loss. The event that gives rise to the loss that is subject to insurance should, at least in principle, take place at a known time, in a known place, and from a known cause. The classic example is death of an insured on a life insurance policy. Fire, automobile accidents, and worker injuries may all easily meet this criterion. Other types of losses may only be definite in theory. Occupational disease, for instance, may involve prolonged exposure to injurious conditions where no specific time, place or cause is identifiable. Ideally, the time, place and cause of a loss should be clear enough that a reasonable person, with sufficient information, could objectively verify all three elements.
4. Large Loss. The size of the loss must be meaningful from the perspective of the insured. Insurance premiums need to cover both the expected cost of losses, plus the cost of issuing and administering the policy, adjusting losses, and supplying the capital needed to reasonably assure that the insurer will be able to pay claims. For small losses these latter costs may be several times the size of the expected cost of losses. There is little point in paying such costs unless the protection offered has real value to a buyer.
5. Affordable Premium. If the likelihood of an insured event is so high, or the cost of the event so large, that the resulting premium is large relative to the amount of protection offered, it is not likely that anyone will buy insurance, even if on offer. Further, as the accounting profession formally recognizes in financial accounting standards, the premium cannot be so large that there is not a reasonable chance of a significant loss to the insurer. If there is no such chance of loss, the transaction may have the form of insurance, but not the substance. (See the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board standard number 113)
6. Calculable Loss. There are two elements that must be at least estimable, if not formally calculable: the probability of loss, and the attendant cost. Probability of loss is generally an empirical exercise, while cost has more to do with the ability of a reasonable person in possession of a copy of the insurance policy and a proof of loss associated with a claim presented under that policy to make a reasonably definite and objective evaluation of the amount of the loss recoverable as a result of the claim.
7. Limited risk of catastrophically large losses. The essential risk is often aggregation. If the same event can cause losses to numerous policyholders of the same insurer, the ability of that insurer to issue policies becomes constrained, not by factors surrounding the individual characteristics of a given policyholder, but by the factors surrounding the sum of all policyholders so exposed. Typically, insurers prefer to limit their exposure to a loss from a single event to some small portion of their capital base, on the order of 5 percent. Where the loss can be aggregated, or an individual policy could produce exceptionally large claims, the capital constraint will restrict an insurers appetite for additional policyholders. The classic example is earthquake insurance, where the ability of an underwriter to issue a new policy depends on the number and size of the policies that it has already underwritten. Wind insurance in hurricane zones, particularly along coast lines, is another example of this phenomenon. In extreme cases, the aggregation can affect the entire industry, since the combined capital of insurers and reinsurers can be small compared to the needs of potential policyholders in areas exposed to aggregation risk. In commercial fire insurance it is possible to find single properties whose total exposed value is well in excess of any individual insurer’s capital constraint. Such properties are generally shared among several insurers, or are insured by a single insurer who syndicates the risk into the reinsurance market.
