The Financing of Catastrophe Risk
The Financing of Catastrophe Risk

Author: Kenneth A. Froot

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2007-12-01

Total Pages: 490

ISBN-13: 0226266257

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Is it possible that the insurance and reinsurance industries cannot handle a major catastrophe? Ten years ago, the notion that the overall cost of a single catastrophic event might exceed $10 billion was unthinkable. With ever increasing property-casualty risks and unabated growth in hazard-prone areas, insurers and reinsurers now envision the possibility of disaster losses of $50 to $100 billion in the United States. Against this backdrop, the capitalization of the insurance and reinsurance industries has become a crucial concern. While it remains unlikely that a single event might entirely bankrupt these industries, a big catastrophe could place firms under severe stress, jeopardizing both policy holders and investors and causing profound ripple effects throughout the U.S. economy. The Financing of Catastrophe Risk assembles an impressive roster of experts from academia and industry to explore the disturbing yet realistic assumption that a large catastrophic event is inevitable. The essays offer tangible means of both reassessing and raising the level of preparedness throughout the insurance and reinsurance industries.

Catastrophe Risk Financing in Developing Countries
Catastrophe Risk Financing in Developing Countries

Author: J. David Cummins

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 0821377361

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'Catastrophe Risk Financing in Developing Countries' provides a detailed analysis of the imperfections and inefficiencies that impede the emergence of competitive catastrophe risk markets in developing countries. The book demonstrates how donors and international financial institutions can assist governments in middle- and low-income countries in promoting effective and affordable catastrophe risk financing solutions. The authors present guiding principles on how and when governments, with assistance from donors and international financial institutions, should intervene in catastrophe insurance markets. They also identify key activities to be undertaken by donors and institutions that would allow middle- and low-income countries to develop competitive and cost-effective catastrophe risk financing strategies at both the macro (government) and micro (household) levels. These principles and activities are expected to inform good practices and ensure desirable results in catastrophe insurance projects. 'Catastrophe Risk Financing in Developing Countries' offers valuable advice and guidelines to policy makers and insurance practitioners involved in the development of catastrophe insurance programs in developing countries.

Earthquake Insurance in Turkey
Earthquake Insurance in Turkey

Author: Eugene Gurenko

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 146

ISBN-13:

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This publication, Earthquake insurance in Turkey, is an exposition of the dangers faced by Turkey as it is located in one of the most active earthquake (EQ) and volcanic regions in the world on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the efforts that Turkey is making to alleviate the social and fiscal disasters that are caused when these calamities do strike. The persistent potential for large-scale disasters has led to the establishment of the Turkish Catastrophe Insurance Pool (TCIP) in 1999. The main rationale for the creation of TCIP was a very low level of catastrophe insurance penetration among households. The authors stress that the four principal objectives of the program are to (1) provide earthquake insurance coverage at affordable but actuarially sound rates for all registered urban dwellings, (2) limit the government's financial exposure to natural disasters, (3) build long-term catastrophe reserves to finance future earthquake losses, and (4) encourage risk reduction and mitigation practices in residential construction. The book points out that the program has reduced significantly the government's fiscal exposure to EQ risk. In five years, the TCIP transformed itself from an unknown and controversial government-sponsored program to one of the most trusted brand names in the Turkish insurance industry. Moreover, it has led the World Bank to rethink the roles of ex-ante risk management relative to ex-post donor support. In this context, the World Bank supported Turkey's earthquake insurance program to establish and expand national catastrophic risk management and risk transfer capabilities. The authors conclude that the TCIP's success has brought it worldwide recognition. Inspired by the TCIP's example, more than a dozen countries, including China, Colombia, Greece, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, the Philippines, Romania, and nine island states of the Caribbean have begun technical and legislative preparation of catastrophe insurance programs.

Catastrophe Insurance
Catastrophe Insurance

Author: Martin F. Grace

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2003-06-30

Total Pages: 166

ISBN-13: 9781402074691

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1. THE PROBLEM OF CATASTROPHE RISK The risk of large losses from natural disasters in the U.S. has significantly increased in recent years, straining private insurance markets and creating troublesome problems for disaster-prone areas. The threat of mega-catastrophes resulting from intense hurricanes or earthquakes striking major population centers has dramatically altered the insurance environment. Estimates of probable maximum losses (PMLs) to insurers from a mega catastrophe striking the U.S. range up to $100 billion depending on the location and intensity of the event (Applied Insurance Research, 2001).1 A severe disaster could have a significant financial impact on the industry (Cummins, Doherty, and Lo, 2002; Insurance Services Office, 1996a). Estimates of industry gross losses from the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 range from $30 billion to $50 billion, and the attack's effect on insurance markets underscores the need to understand the dynamics of the supply of and the demand for insurance against extreme events, including natural disasters. Increased catastrophe risk poses difficult challenges for insurers, reinsurers, property owners and public officials (Kleindorfer and Kunreuther, 1999). The fundamental dilemma concerns insurers' ability to handle low-probability, high-consequence (LPHC) events, which generates a host of interrelated issues with respect to how the risk of such events are 1 These probable maximum loss (PML) estimates are based on a SOD-year "return" period.

Policy Issues in Insurance Risk Awareness, Capital Markets and Catastrophic Risks
Policy Issues in Insurance Risk Awareness, Capital Markets and Catastrophic Risks

Author: OECD

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 2011-08-12

Total Pages: 166

ISBN-13: 9264046607

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Includes reports on initiatives to promote natural hazard awareness and disaster risk reduction education, the role of financial markets in financial mitigation of large-scale risks, mechanisms used to quantify catastrophe losses, and hazard risk mapping efforts in Southeast Asian countries.

Policy Issues in Insurance Catastrophic Risks and Insurance
Policy Issues in Insurance Catastrophic Risks and Insurance

Author: OECD

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 2005-07-06

Total Pages: 424

ISBN-13: 9264009957

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These conference proceedings present academic analysis, country reports, and financial/insurance company assessments on how to handle losses caused by large-scale catastrophes including terrorism and atmospheric perils.

Advances in Economic Design
Advances in Economic Design

Author: Murat R. Sertel

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2003-04-15

Total Pages: 480

ISBN-13: 9783540002673

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Some of the finest and most recent research in economic and political design is presented. Among the authors are several prominent academics as well as many new and promising researchers. They investigate social choice and electoral systems, auctions, matching, bargaining, coalitional stability and efficiency, regulation, the design of rights, mechanisms, games, hierarchies and information. The book is bound to become a standard reference as a collection displaying where we are and where we are going in a broad spectrum of areas in economic design.

Insurance and Issues in Financial Soundness
Insurance and Issues in Financial Soundness

Author: Nigel Davies

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2003-07-01

Total Pages: 45

ISBN-13: 1451856008

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This paper explores insurance as a source of financial system vulnerability. It provides a brief overview of the insurance industry and reviews the risks it faces, as well as several recent failures of insurance companies that had systemic implications. Assimilation of banking-type activities by life insurers appears to be the key systemic vulnerability. Building on this experience and the experience gained under the FSAP, the paper proposes key indicators that should be compiled and used for surveillance of financial soundness of insurance companies and the insurance sector as a whole.

Catastrophic Risks and Insurance
Catastrophic Risks and Insurance

Author:

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 436

ISBN-13:

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This volume is the eighth of a series devoted to major policy issues in insurance, and sets out the proceedings of a conference, held in Paris in November 2004, to discuss options for dealing with losses caused by large-scale disasters. It contains a selection of papers and reports which focus on three key issues: the insurability of catastrophic risks; the extent to which financial markets can help address the risks of both natural disasters and terrorism; and the role of governments and public-private partnerships in the management of such risks.

Natural Catastrophe Risk Insurance Mechanisms for Asia and the Pacific
Natural Catastrophe Risk Insurance Mechanisms for Asia and the Pacific

Author: Asian Development Bank

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9789715617994

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"Natural catastrophes are a major threat to sustainable development, especially in Asia and the Pacific. ADB's developing member countries are particularly vulnerable. Catastrophe risk could be transferred through a regional public-private insurance partnership. This is the key finding of the Asian Development Bank Conference on Natural Catastrophe Risk Insurance Mechanisms for Asia and the Pacific held in Tokyo in November 2008. This report answers questions about disaster risk management and shows how ADB can ease access to catastrophe risk transfer mechanisms. It also suggests that a regional approach is an appropriate mechanism to bridge existing gaps and to unlock resources needed to better manage risk." --Publisher.