|
Types of insurance companies |
|
Insurance companies may be classified as
-
Life insurance companies, who sell life insurance, annuities and pensions products.
-
Non-life or general insurance companies, who sell other types of insurance.
In most countries, life and non-life insurers are subject to different regulations, tax and accounting rules. The main reason for the distinction between the two types of company is that life business is very long term in nature — coverage for life assurance or a pension can cover risks over many decades. By contrast, non-life insurance cover usually covers a shorter period, such as one year.
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.
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. |
|
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 terms, it is an in-house self-insurance vehicle. Captives may take the form of a "pure" entity (which is a 100% a subsidiary of the self-insured parent company); of a "mutual" captive (which insures the collective risks of industry members) 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 due to the reductions on costs they help create, the ease for insurance risk management and the flexibility for cash flows they generate. Additionally, they may provide coverage of risks which are neither available nor offered in the traditional insurance market at reasonable prices.
The types of risk that a captive can underwrite for the parent 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.
Captives are becoming an increasingly important component of the risk management and risk financing strategy of their parent. This can be understood against the following background:
-
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.
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.
|
Insurance lawyer, Insurance, lawyer, lawyers, ins, hmo, esq, barrister, attorneys, insure, solicitor, malpractice, insurances, meloche, insurers, auto insurance, health insurance, life insurance, medical insurance, travel insurance uk, 21st century insurance, cheap car insurance, disability insurance, motorbike insurance, allstate insurance, insurance auto florida, auto insurance quote, power of attorney, landlords insurance, house insurance, attorney general, whole life insurance, commercial vehicle insurance, temporary health insurance, flood insurance, car insurance california, classic car insurance, insurance young, auto insurance quotes, dog insurance, trip insurance, international health insurance, cheap house insurance, pet health insurance, new york auto insurance, short term insurance, find a lawyer, homeowner's insurance, ski insurance, term life insurance quotes, short term medical insurance, life insurance leads, term insurance, insurance claims, medical malpractice, caravan insurance, car insurance in the uk, insurance co, health insurance virginia, credit insurance, car insurance in uk, temporary insurance, health insurance in texas, plug ins, homeowners insurance quotes, dental insurance plans, safe auto insurance, motorcycle insurance, college health insurance, health insurance quote, boat insurance, ins gov, texas attorney general, life insurance company, health insurance australia, geico insurance, insurance education, health care insurance, durable power of attorney, power of attorney form, cheap travel insurance uk, insurance mexico, medigap insurance, life insurance companies, car insurance quote, us attorney, cigna health insurance, divorce lawyers, immigration lawyers, texas homeowners insurance, low cost life insurance, uk motorbike insurance, humana insurance, auto insurance ca, online insurance quotes, malpractice insurance, heath insurance, affordable health insurance, patent attorney, workmans comp, insurance lead, insurance careers, business insurance, minnesota health insurance, group health insurance, power of attorney forms, nj auto insurance, insurance senior, solicitor general, travel insurance australia, divorce attorney, health insurance pa, product liability insurance, liability insurance, aetna insurance, meloche monnex, insurance arizona, workmans compensation, low income health insurance, texas dental insurance, health insurance pennsylvania, cheap insurance uk, insurance sales, cancer insurance, discount car insurance, liberty mutual insurance, defense attorney, certificate of insurance, los angeles lawyer, www ins gov, real estate attorney, insurance wedding, immigration attorney, bike insurance, health net insurance, san jose lawyer, health insurance coverage, florida lawyer, funeral insurance, hospital insurance, texas health insurance, internet lawyer, attorney at law, attorney general's office, building insurance uk, life insurance policy, michigan lawyer, washington insurance, healthcare insurance, virginia lawyer, life insurance quote online, trademark lawyer, business health insurance, mini insurance, ma insurance, medical malpractice lawyer, erie insurance, universal life insurance, in car insurance, virginia life insurance, new jersey lawyer, american family insurance, medicare supplement insurance, life ins, homeowners insurance, attorney generals, arizona lawyer, aircraft insurance, international lawyer, best insurance, global insurance, term life insurance quote, securities lawyer, lawyer referral, insurance canada, instant insurance quote, insurance co uk, vst plug ins, immigration lawyer, blue cross insurance, www ins, gap insurance, insurance cover, 21st insurance, lawyer jobs, state attorney general, insurance payment, attorney general of texas, maryland lawyer, auto insurance ontario, washington state attorney general, estate lawyer, cincinnati lawyer, california lawyers, connecticut lawyer, north carolina lawyer, hmo ppo, life insurance quote, insurance employment, car accident lawyer, attorney general new york, hartford insurance company, auto insurance canada
|
|
 |