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Full-Text Articles in Insurance
Product Innovation In Financial Services: A Survey, Christopher O'Brien
Product Innovation In Financial Services: A Survey, Christopher O'Brien
Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)
This paper considers product innovation in insurance and other financial services, an area where actuaries have an important role. It considers the proposition that there is no unique formula for success and that what works well in one situation may not work well in another. It first examines the sources of ideas for new products and, in particular, the role played by consumers, which is generally regarded as weak. It then looks at how ideas are implemented, with particular importance attributed to cross-functional teams and the formality of the product development process. Then it considers how success is measured (with …
Concentration In American Property-Casualty Companies, Edward Nissan
Concentration In American Property-Casualty Companies, Edward Nissan
Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)
A Theil's entropy index utilizing premiums written as units is employed to measure trends in concentration of the largest 200 property-casualty companies in the United States between 1985 and 1993 based on Best's Insurance Report data. Each of the indexes confirms that concentration trends experienced no increase for the whole period for all 200 firms, the top 20, and subsets of lower ranked companies. Significant differences are observed, however, between groups of companies for the same period.
Managing The Costs And Risks Of Housing Finance: A New Role For Actuaries, Anthony Asher
Managing The Costs And Risks Of Housing Finance: A New Role For Actuaries, Anthony Asher
Journal of Actuarial Practice (1993-2006)
Housing finance is a nontraditional field where actuarial expertise could be applied fruitfully. The development of mortgage instruments requires the application of financial mathematics, while the evaluation and management of the financial risks to which borrowers and lenders are exposed require a knowledge of insurance principles. This paper splits the financial costs of home ownership into several components: those that arise from inflation, risk, administration, and the residual real interest charge. The risk component further is partitioned into life contingencies, economic contingencies, and various moral hazards. This analysis provides a basis for future financial innovation, highlights where government intervention may …