Chapter 28 - reinsurance Flashcards
Reasons for reinsurance
- limitation of exposure to risk
- avoidance of large single losses
- smoothing of results
- availability of expertise
- increasing capacity to accept risk
- financial assistance
Factors affecting an insurer’s demand for reinsurance:
- the size of the insurer
- its experience in the marketplace
- its available free assets
- the size of its portfolio
- the degree to which it is felt that this business outcome is predictable within bounds
Reinsurance commission
- typically paid under proportional reinsurance business written on an original term basis
- sometimes deduction from premium (rebate)
Facultative advantages
flexibility for both parties
- cedant is free to place the reinsurance with any reinsurer (can look in the market for the best price)
- the reinsurer may accept or reject the reinsurance as offered
Facultative disadvantages
- it is a time-consuming and costly exercise to place such risks
- there is no certainty that the required cover will be available when needed
- even if cover is available, the price and terms may be unacceptable
- the primary insurer may be unable to accept a large risk until it has been able to find the required reinsurance cover
Treaty advantages
- allows them to place reinsurance automatically (less admin)
- Terms and conditions are carefully laid down
- no delay in acceptance
- solvency and growth requirements can be controlled more readily by treaty arrangements
- certain: cedant knows that reinsurance is available and on what terms
Proportional reinsurance for long-term:
Quota share or surplus
either of which can be on:
- an original terms basis (coinsurance)
- a risk premium basis (related either to full benefit or sum at risk)
Proportional reinsurance for short-term:
- quota share (on original terms basis)
Purpose of proportional reinsurance
- accept larger risks than would otherwise be possible
- particularly popular with new or inexperienced cedants
- allows reinsurance commissions to be payable
Original terms (coinsurance)
- involves a sharing of all aspects of the original contract (premiums and claims split in same proportion)
Reinsurance commission
- will usually cover (in respect of the reinsured portion of the policy) the commission that has been paid by the cedant and part or all of the cedant’s other expenses
Deposits back
In certain countries, the supervisory authority may require the reinsurer to deposit back its share of the total reserve under a reinsured contract with the cedant.
Risk premium reinsurance
- the reinsurer sets the premium rate, which is independent of the premium rate charged by the insurer
- changes in cedant’s premium rates will not necessarily require a change in reinsurance rates. Gives cedant greater freedom to respond to competitor changes in premium rates
Types of risk premium reinsurance
- level over the term of the insurance contracts
- increasing over the term of the insurance contracts
Level risk premium
- reinsurer spreads risk premiums so that they are level over the term of the contract
- has advantage that the cedant can simply load reinusrance charges to obtain premium payable by the policyholder.